thomd
>"Marks may be a saavy worker, but I wouldn't be comfortable with someone whose advice is to hollow grind Japanese chisels and top out at 6000 on a man made water stone (natural stones aren't graded that way). The problem for people who bravely put themselves out there as experts/teachers is that often they are of only midlevel, or even beginner, experience in some areas; but we, the watchers, are sitting there thinking they know it all. That's not fair to anyone, and meanwhile, lots of bad/not-the-best advice is propagated, without the intent of the teacher."

Also, think of one's own journey over the last X years. I sure don't want to be held to something I said last year or 25 years ago. Also, all teaching is aimed at some level of student. I used to wonder when I did my seminars whether anyone actually got anyting out of it. i tried to teach to the level I thought the students needed based on what they would say in answer to early questions, but even then I think a lot of them are as much put off by courses as encouraged by them. The exception is the course where you build something as part of the course, though even then many people lack the confidence to repete what they have done in the course and the jump start effect wears off.

I agree that's a terrible way to sharpen a Japanese chisel or at the very elast it is hard to see why a Japanese chisel would be needed in that environment.

Whenever I get to one of the BS questions I aways try to relate it back to soemthign I care passionately about. Ok maybe this business about art level chisels and stones is a little hard to beleive for soem. But isn't there anything we can compare it to in woodworking? What about if you made the perfect ladderback chair, and you give it to someone. You come back and find they installed casters on the legs, painted it, and ripped out the bark seating for a foam and naugahide cushion. Those are all higher tech probably more convenient things. But it would be nice if the person respected the ladderback chair enough to hold off on the renovations until they figured out the chair's particular music.