If you look at the different tips, most are NOT as sharp as you think.
The very tip is dulled just slightly and the convex, concave tapers from the tips are actually what ride the hi/low rigged of either side of,
"The Grove"
By definition in the machinist world, a keystone lan (wider at the top, narrower at the bottom) vary greatly from almost parallel walls, to the aforementioned keystone style grove or lan.
The bottoms vary greatly also. Flat, convex, or concave, but it still has to shift left to right, AND the very tip, HAS to stay on the bottom. Mechanically that’s what is going on...Sharper, higher definition, is produced by thinner, sharper surfaces on a stylus, to the point, of abnormal wear.. Then it starts carving or shaving, the 2 sides of vinyl surfaces. One is ok to wear, one in NOT...
So a lot more than just the tip is in actual contact with the LPs 3 surfaces and all of the contact surfaces on the stylus.
Regards