Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)
Note that there is no discussion of researching what abrasive to use on hard steel. As a result he set people on a path of choosing the wrong abrasive for the task. And, as a result they found poor abrasive life in the coarse grits. And perhaps abandoned a technique that could have been desirable.

Why am I thinking this person was 20-30 years old at the time.

Bill, this was written in 1995. At that time there were much fewer choices (and understanding of them ) than today. I suspect that most used oilstones, and very few had discovered waterstones. The use of sandpaper was a game changer for many.

What was the range of sandpaper available in 1995?

Regards from Perth

Derek