JHowell wrote:I hope the point wasn't lost that my teacher was training me to be a professional orchestral musician, and most great teachers have their own way of saying the same thing.
Oh, absolutely not! I think we all got the point, even though it made some of us (maybe just me?) giggle like a schoolgirl. Again, I'm reminded of Random - someone so bent on not following established convention, that it ended up hurting him dearly. Sometimes that works out, most times it doesn't. If all you're doing is the pipe-making equiv of dadaism, you can't get angry when people reject your efforts.
That's my own opinion, my own prejudice. There are obviously those who feel differently, both makers and buyers. I think every field of interest has the same sort of continental divide, with aficionados finding themselves on one side or another, perhaps straddling, perhaps switching back and forth. If you're into knives, do you dream of some 5-lb fantasy sword or would you rather have a nice little Loveless drop point hunter? Maybe you have both, or have made both. Same deal with pipes.
That one hits close to home. What I've discovered, after looking at, handling, and evern paying dearly for a couple good handmade knives, that the skills are not dissimilar to pipe making. A good knife has balance, symmetry, movement, and even a "grain". Attention to detail is what counts, and so does "cutting to the bone". The first few knives I made had that "new knifemaker" look - which isn't too different from the "new pipemaker" look. Bulky, awkward, and out of balance. You have to cut them down to where they become elegant artwork.
Now, after playing at knife making for, what, a year now? I think I've finally hit on something - the understanding of understated elegance (for lack of a better word). And at the same time, I think it has complemented my pipe making, helping me to look closer at my work and become more critical of it.
And I agree, do you need a garish, heavy, fantasy sword when going to the hardware store to get some tools, or do you need an A.T . Barr folder? And what looks better in the family room - especially during a Lord Of The Rings marathon?