Hi there dbflorida,
It sounds as though you're having trouble with the Touch Bar not showing controls when in Safari. Utilizing the Touch Bar is very useful, I'd be glad to assist in seeking a solution!
First let's start with some basic steps that can resolve the issue. Below is a resource that can help:
Reset NVRAM or PRAM on your Mac
This resource includes steps on how to reset the NVRAM or PRAM of your Mac, if the Touch Bar is still not functioning as intended after resetting PRAM the next steps would be to reset the SMC:
How to reset the SMC of your Mac
Additionally, this resource below can provide more information and steps on how to customize the Touch Bar:
Customize the Touch Bar on Mac
I hope this helps,
Cheers!