do most good shapers use screen or paper to finish up their blank? what are some good tips?
I use screen and paper. I use paper on a block which gives me a very true cut and then screen on a soft pad (which is just a piece of cushion foam) to finish out and get rid of lines left by the block.
A good worn out piece of 150 screen works great for me. Paper can work, but the key is in the finishing pad you use. I use a medium to soft pad for finishing as it is stif enought to sand a flat bottom true and soft enough to bend and blend.