Hi
does anyone know if there is a way of controlling the amount of smooth shading(maybe by a map?) without using a facet or edgecusp node?

- RL

I'm not sure there is. You can always try to bend the normals the way you want by using something like the Comb SOP. Make sure you compute normals first using something like the Facet SOP.

Hi Edward
Thanks for pointing me toward the Comb SOP, but I have a problem with cracks in my rendered mesh when combining a facet/edgecusped geometry with displacement, so I thought that if I could turn of smooth shading without making unique points I would solve it… please see the attached render(looks interesting but its not what im after :? )

- RL

Perhaps use a Subdivide sop and turn on Crease weighting and adjust that parameter.
Do you have Displace Bounds set and referenced to your Material displacement value?