Two tips -
1. the less you handle it, the better. Too much mixing and blending will make it tough. (That’s partly why the cutting method of mixing is effective. ) My mom, one of the most impatient people you could ever meet, makes the best pie crust because she just can’t be bothered to keep working at it.
- A chef in Nashville recommended freezing the butter, then grating it, and using that for crust. It guarantees even distribution, and as each bit melts during cooking, it adds both taste and an air pocket of flake. (This is a twist on @abasket ‘s rec above.)
Having provided that very useful info, I confess that I often use refrigerated Pillsbury crusts!