Most tools are cheap - get a stainless hook, a Chinese tool, a #000 artist sable paintbrush, a straw, a teriyaki skewer, a paper clip, and try them all out. Grafting takes about 2 hours to learn for the average beginner, and practice with different tools will probably improve your feel and reveal a favorite.
If money is not a concern, go for the automatic grafting needle. Those who've worked them love them.
If you need a certain number of queens by a certain date, use a non-grafting method as well. Most of us beginners get better quality queens with a non-grafting method until we practice up a bit. The Jenter box is a great setup whereby you don't touch the larva, and there are a lot of other methods - Miller, Smith, Disselkoen, Hopkins to name a few. Check out Michael Bush's website,
www.bushfarms.com
You probably still have enough time this year to make a trial run. Good luck!