"...Just because he said something doesn't make everything he says the gospel truth. And, just because it was in print doesn't give it any more creditability... "
This right here is the heart of this issue, and the one point to take from this thread if nothing else! I am honestly quite pleasantly surprised by the number of people posting here that are questioning the information, but I am also even more surprised that this hasn't turned into a flame war yet as I am certain many Kool-Aid drinkers who clutch books or articles like an autographed copy of the New Testament are indeed reading it. Stacy summed things up quite well by pointing out how what we feel about the person and their own knives is an entirely separate issue from what we feel about the information they broadcast for others. And we should be able to point out serious errors without inciting hostility; otherwise we can all hop back to the Middle Ages and simply burn anybody at the stake that attempts to bring about any enlightenment that may challenge our comfortable established dogma. And that is indeed the effect that this attitude has had on knifemaking, it has keep us in the middle ages claiming we are preserving tradition as an excuse for perpetuating ignorance.
Tell me, why is it that just because any of our favorite authors say something it automatically carries more weight? There are folks on these forums that have been making knives and studying steel their entire lives as well, yet if their advice contradicts that of the guy who is published it is not only wrong it is heretical. Hell for that matter, I have seen people say they cut and paste much of what I say, why? Why should any facts be more factual just because of the name attached to them? The facts are either good or bad, they are either verifiable and well supported with data or they are not. A fact is not more "factual" because of its pedigree, and we should all see how ridiculous that concept is.
And let's look at that prestige that lends so much credibility to a person. Perhaps 10% of what is printed in the knife magazines is useful fact based information (I think I am being generous), the rest is no different than the same sort of crap that sells the National Enquirer. You are fool if you don't realize that the number one qualification of any magazine article is entertainment! Sound, verifiable or factual information is so far down the list that is barely registers, the only consideration that it is probably given is in the context of whether it could generate any litigation if it is too far out there. How many fact based how-to books do you see when in the checkout line? You see plenty of dirt on the Royal family, you see I gave birth to an alien baby, or plenty of horoscopes, but you dont see many technical manuals because they would be untouched and covered in dust. They wouldnt do the most important thing- sell advertising by selling themselves.
The people who sell these types of periodicals are experts at what they do and they know what sells and that is why you will also always see things like how to lose 200 lbs. in one week eating cake, as opposed to If you start now, and totally change your eating and exercise habits, in a year you may not be obese. The first one is informational junk food, it easily sells itself by promising a magic secret that will give us what we want instantly with none of the work or sacrifice, and if we see but one pound less on the scales we will eagerly lie to ourselves about how that booklet was the best $1.50 we ever spent! This is why the guys who write about how you can make the best knives ever with only $20 and some easy to follow recipes are considered by so many to be the good guys, and the folks who tell you that you need to spend time and some money on quality basic equipment, if you want to get really good at any craft, are the elitist bad guys.
Why do we have articles telling us how to quench lawnmower blades on goop? Because anything in print has went unquestioned for so long that those who publish it know they can put out any information and still have it gobbled up. When whatever you say is the unquestioned gospel, you will eventually be able to say anything unquestioned. But the publishers are only doing what sells the best so in the end we need to look to ourselves for what we want to buy and what we accept as useful information. While this thread is very awkward and uncomfortable for many, me included, the consequences of never having this dialogue are much worse.
Once again, why is it considered a personal assault to question another makers information? This past weekend I was giving a very involved talk on rapiers and was totally botching the pronunciation of Italian terms, until one fellow in the crowd, who was familiar with Italian, had enough and corrected me. Was it humiliating and awkward? Hell yes! But I stopped right there and thanked him for the favor he had done me instead of allowing me to continue making a fool of myself for the sake of politeness and not questioning the expert. Now I have some more knowledge and the public will not be subjected to my uncorrected errors. I have good friendships that started by a person having the guts to stand up and question my information, I always figure that a person with that kind of honesty has to be worth knowing. They didnt attack me for heresy, they didnt shout me down, they just questioned me enough to prove it for themselves and everybody learned in the process.
