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I am skim coating (lightweight joint compound over plaster) for the first time. I’m using a 6” taping knife and things are working out OK. However, this is a pre-war building and there is a curved radius where the wall meets the ceiling, instead of a sharp right angle as seen in contemporary structures
. The radius is about 1-1.5”. Past chumps had made a little bit of a mess in this area. Instead of a smooth radius curve, it has ridges in areas where obviously the wrong tools/skillset/techniques were employed.
I am now facing the same challenge. How do I get a smooth transition from wall-to-ceiling , keeping the curved radius with the joint compound? Is there an inexpensive tool to use? The taping knife isn’t cutting it.

I need to do this on a super minimal budget because I do not own, I rent the space and I am doing the work out of my own pocket (to preempt the expected questions: I am rent regulated, lived here for decades, will likely live here decades more, great place, but landlord is out of the picture).

Thanks.