Grafting.....0 for 30 something

All the grafts I put down have failed. The stem grafts failed almost immediately. The stems browned within a few days. The T-buds just didn't take.

Here is an example:

My take on the problem is either the buds were not cut right (maybe they need to be thicker).

OR...I think my bud selection is not correct. Some of the docs talk about a bud appearing next to a leaf. I never saw anything like that in the stems I used.