Tuning question

["Keith Freeman" <keith.freeman@xxxxxxxxxx>]

When tuning a reed up in pitch a semitone or more, how far along the reed, from the 
tip, should I go? I've tried experimenting with removing material 
	(a) from just the first few cm (the part where a pad is sometimes found) and 
	(b) from the tip to the middle of the reed 
but did not come up with any conclusive results that one was more effective than the 
other.

In theory, if a lot of material has to go, it would seem preferable to remove it over a 
longer length of reed to avoid having a paper-thin tip, but in practice?...

Presumably if I go too far down the reed I will be defeating the object, as removing 
material too near the heel will send the pitch down! But how far is 'too near"?

- -Keith