[Silound]

My standard tactic is to pull out the cutter, open it flat on a counter top or some other flat surface, and show them the "stand it up" method. I find that once I show them this, most people tend to pick up on the amount they need to cut each time, and many end up cutting their own regularly after a few cuts.

As far as pointed caps, I simply tell them to cut a tiny bit off, and test the draw. Keep taking off a little bit until you like how much air you pull through and then you're set.