What I have done in the past when replacing my tip is placing it in a vise and squeeze it. By doing this, it takes out any air bubbles and/or imperfections and compress the leather. When I replaced the tip on my cue, I had to play with it for a while. Letting it mushroom and then fixing, mushroom and fixing etc. By squeezing the tip in the vise, it cut my "working in time" almost immediatly. It also hardened it and feels good too.
I now do this to every tip I replace (including layered tips). Even though they say its perfect, there are times it really isn't.
