Hi All,
I got this from Mr. Dan McEntee a little bit ago:

The stainless reeds only lasted 4 or 5 flights and that was on 10 and 15% nitro !!  That cylinder they use on those last run of engines is pretty potent!
This is the side that faces the back plate and the circle that it seals against. Fluttering polishes it. This is the reed these engines come with. Only .002" thick I think. ,004" or .005" thick like the plastic one I made might be better. (Photo 1)

This is the side that faces the crank case. You can see that it's deformed around the sealing ring.. The engine won't hardly run like this. (Photo 2)