A.T. said:
We use massless ropes that transfer momentum in idealized calculations all the time.
The whole point of that massless extension is to have an object with a very small ##I## for a given mass and size, to make the dependence on mass-distribution obvious. But since this confuses you even more, I suggest you forget about that extreme case and compare a disc of uniform density to a thin hoop, both of the same mass and radius. A bar applies a given constant force ##F## on the top (with prefect traction) while it moves the given distance ##X## (##F## and ##X## are the same for both objects). The ground is frictionless.
Let me try with an arbitrary shape using ##k## as the mass distribution parameter.
##m## = mass of disc
##R## = radius of disc
##F## = force applied to top rim of disc
##X_\text{f}## = cumulative distance moved by the push bar that rides over the top of the disc at the end of the interaction. This will combine the effects of the movement of the shape and the rotation of the shape.
##I = kmR^2## = moment of inertia of the shape
##k## = fraction reflecting mass distribution. ##k = \frac{1}{2}## for a disc; ##k = 1## for a hoop; ##k=\frac{2}{5}## for a sphere.
The goal is to compute the final angular velocity (##\omega##), the final linear velocity (##v_\text{COM}##) and the final tangential velocity of rotation (##v_\text{rot}##) as functions of ##m##, ##R##, ##F##, ##X## and ##k##
We can begin by computing translational acceleration ##a_\text{com}## and angular acceleration ##\alpha##.
The idea is that if we know the accelerations then we can calculate how the cumulative distance moved (##X(t)##) evolves over time during the interaction. We then hope to be able to solve for ##t## where ##X(t) = X_\text{f}##.
Linear acceleration:$$a_\text{com} = \frac{F}{m}$$Angular acceleration:$$\alpha = \frac{FR}{kmR^2} = \frac{F}{kmR}$$Tangential acceleration (of rim relative to the center of mass):$$a_\text{rot} = \frac{FR}{kmR} = \frac{F}{km}$$
It is perhaps worth noting that ##R## has dropped out of our calculations.
The acceleration of the push bar that rides over the top of the shape will be given by the sum of the acceleration of the center of mass and the acceleration of the top rim relative to the center of mass:$$a_\text{tot} = a_\text{com} + a_\text{rot} = \frac{F}{m} + \frac{F}{km} = \frac{F}{m}\frac{k+1}{k}$$With this formula in hand, we can compute the cumulative distance moved by the push bar:$$X(t) = \frac{1}{2}a_\text{tot}t^2 = \frac{1}{2}\frac{F}{m}\frac{k+1}{k}t^2$$We solve for ##t## where$$X(t) = \frac{1}{2}\frac{F}{m}\frac{k+1}{k}t^2 = X_\text{f}$$$$t^2 = \frac{2mkX_\text{f}}{F(k+1)}$$$$t = \sqrt{\frac{2mkX_f}{F(k+1)}}$$
With ##t## in hand, we are now in a position to easily compute the final translation rate and the final angular rotation rate:$$v_\text{com} = at = \frac{F}{m}\sqrt{\frac{2mkX_\text{f}}{F(k+1)}} = \sqrt{\frac{2FkX_\text{f}}{m(k+1)}}$$
$$\omega = \alpha t = \frac{F}{kmR} \sqrt{\frac{2mkX_\text{f}}{F(k+1)}} =\frac{\sqrt{\frac{2FX_\text{f}}{k(k+1)m}}}{R}$$
$$v_\text{rot} = R \omega = \sqrt{\frac{2FX_\text{f}}{k(k+1)m}}$$
Edit: repaired algebra where I'd dropped ##X_\text{f}## halfway through.