Tony,
A nice step-by-step how-to air layering a fig pictures!
When I girdle, I only cut along the bark approx '1x' the diameter of the twig.
Air-layering is most sure/quickest way to propagate a few figs.
It takes spring/early-summer starts ~4 weeks for them to be ready.
However, it is a more labor intensive method, and I only reserve it
for emergencies and precious fig specimens.