[TheForge] The True Path

[theforge@mailman.qth.net]

In a message dated 02-03-01 18:19:23 EST, you write:

<< People argue about True Path, but since when did 
 non-forge welding become False Path? As long as the method works and is a 
 quality job, why should we care? >>

Interesting to see John Caretti's words on theforge, since as far as I know 
he's not a member.  

Here's my take -- there is no such thing as cheating.  Nothing at all wrong 
with combining traditional and "modern" (arc welding's been around how long?  
hard to call it modern...gass welding's been going on nearly a century...).  
There is something wrong with seeing the older techniques vanish, and if 
there aren't people out there pursuing the True Path, we will lose those 
techniques.  

I started out True Path out of necessity, I'm now more Middle Path...kind of 
like a lot of the rest of you, combining the "old" with the "new" (though I 
still don't gas or arc weld...can forge weld to beat the band, but don't knwo 
diddly about the other types).  

There's also nothing wrong with pursuing kicking the quality of American 
ironwork up a notch or three.  Not that there isn't a lot of sweet stuff 
being made, there is.  But we can always get better.

Jerry V