Ok, I've got all my crafts except cooking to 50. I recently leveled cooking to 37 for Hasty Touch and Steady Hand 2. Theoretically, I have all of the abilities recommended for crafting HQ finished products using NQ materials.

There are numerous references to always being able to HQ a recipe using NQ materials.

I've been practicing. I call Shenanigans.

Is it really possible to HQ anything or are these people claiming to do so exaggerating?

Or, do I need to have all +2 gear with forbidden melds in order to do so?

I pop Inner Quiet at the beginning of every synth. I use Careful Synthesis II to get progress up far enough that just one more will finish it.

I use Tricks of the Trade when up to restore CP.

Now I start the phase where I try to increase Quality.

Sometimes I use Great Strides and Steady Hand II. Sometimes I don't. But, at this point I begin using Hasty Touch, and Tricks of the Trade when up.

When I get to 20 durability, I use Masters Mend II to take me back to 80.

Then I go back to Hasty Touch and Tricks of the Trade.

Here is where it starts to vary depending on my available CP.

I can either use a Master's Mend, Manipulation, or Waste Not to give me either more durability or less durability loss.

When I can no longer restore or reduce the cost of durability, and when I'm down to 10 durability and nothing else I can do, I finish the synth with Careful Synthesis II.

Sometimes I HQ, sometimes I don't.

Am I doing it wrong, or do I really need the tricked out gear to do this successfully?

Anyone willing to help me? Or is everyone keeping their secrets secret so they can corner the market? I really only craft stuff for myself, my husband and a couple of my friends.