You did not say what engine combination, but recurving the dist for more initial timing, and making sure you are not in the carbs transition circuit are two tuning items that help.
On my 505" stroker with a mild cam, I am running 18-degrees initial, and 35 total timing. I also had to drill the throttle blades so I could close the throttle out of the transition circuit at idle.

46 degrees of overlap and it has a stinky idle?

That's not a very large cam or have much overlap.

Here's what I might do. Double your initial and reset the carb using a vacuum gauge to highest reading, leanest mix setting. Then maybe out 1/8 turn. As long as it starts when warm without dragging the starter, that's a good starting point.

I don't even run stock 318's at 8 BTDC, nothing I have has less than 14 initial. Throw the book in the trash because the timing events from an FSM were not to optimize performance. They had emission profiles to meet, even back then. I'd figure out the total and tailor it after setting initial before you hurt the engine.

If you don't have a timing tape or marked balancer, find a post with "hillbilly timing tape" and do that so you can determine total. Just don't drive around with an excessive amount of total, bad things happen...
It takes some work to get ignition timing right, but, the benefits of a clean running engine are worth the time.

Okay, the tab on the timing cover goes up to 15, so I guesstimated and set it to 18 degrees initial BTDC. Set the idle back down to 700 rpm. Now getting 17 inches manifold vacuum and idle is cleaner. Took it for a little ride and it is happy; no castanets and easy starting. Will revisit in more detail later and will not be afraid of a more bumpty cam in the future. Thanks.

Glad it's working out better. I'm at 18 initial also with a cam 235/482.

Allright I'll look at that. Need to get a hillbilly timing tape on the balancer.