Trendy stick with leaves" is killing me. My friend had one. She named it. Talked to it. Whole thing. It got a single brown spot one Tuesday. She panicked, moved it across the room. Dead by Friday. We had a funeral. For a stick.

Yeah @craig.reese, that PVC frame idea sounds way more solid than my netting setup.

Heating it up is a solid tip. How hot are we talking, though? I've seen people use a little heat and it does nothing, then others get it way too hot and wreck the temper of the metal. Is there a sweet spot, like a specific temperature range to aim for, or is it just a "warm to the touch" kind of thing? I worry about damaging the bearing or seal behind the gear if the heat goes too far.

Oh the "press it down and hope for the best" method, I know that one well. Honestly, the paste trick only came after a few lumpy disasters of my own. What really helped was using a credit card to spread it thin and flat before I even try to stick it down. It feels like an extra step but it saves so much time fixing mistakes later.

Oh, that takes me back. I once had to put back a fancy cheese and a magazine while the person behind me sighed loudly. The cashier was a saint about it, just kept scanning the other items.