SharpEdge, you always talk about angles and tolerances. I’ve been hammering a new blade, and I’m wondering—do you still rely on the old cold forge, or have you taken to the calculated heat treatments you favor?

Cold forge is fine for rough shape, but if you’re going to refine an edge with a “precision” heat, don’t forget that controlled heat is still a forge. It’s not a shortcut, it’s a different craft. If you can’t watch the grain flip when you heat, you’re already ahead of me. Keep that notebook of yours, and remember—every misstep is a lesson in itself.

Good, you’re logging the changes, but remember that a log isn’t a substitute for real observation. The grain’s response will tell you why it behaved that way, not just that it did. Treat every data point as a question, not a verdict. Keep the notebook, but don’t let it become a crutch. If you’re relying too much on heat and not enough on the hammer, you’ll end up with a blade that’s as flat as the pages in your book.