I have worked on a number of metal Ponzols.  I played a M1 for a while and I am fond of his designs.

However, I'm puzzled by his tip rail shape.  They are actually concave.  More concave than is explainable from the facing curve extension to the tip.  When I reface them, the plating from the tip rail corners scuff off first.  Both layers, the gold then the nickel, before the center of the tip rail starts to clean up.  It is also challenging when the part of a rail or baffle is bare brass and another part has hard nickel plating left on it.  You need to be careful not to overcut into the brass.

Anyone else notice the same thing?

I've got a couple here, and just verified your findings......it  
strikes me as strange, and contrary to what I was taught. That being  
said, Peter makes a very high quality product that plays very well.
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STEVE GOODSON
saxophone designer to the stars
sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc