[TheForge] trade secrets

[Ries Niemi]

On Nov 25, 2006, at 11:22 AM, schade at acegroup.cc wrote:

> I was wondering what kinds of things that we talk about here every day 
> might have been considered "trade secrets" at some time.
>
> Are there still trade secrets? Would we know if there were?
>
> Bob

Interesting question.
It seems like originally trade secrets were secret to protect your 
income, and keep your family fed. In medieval times, the guilds 
jealously protected trade secrets, because live was very tough- if you 
managed to scrabble up from being a peasant who worked the lords land 
at his pleasure, you wanted to stay that way. So you regulated the 
amount of people who had the knowledge to compete with you.
Similar motives were present later on, like in machine shops in the 
early part of the 20th century- a laborer made a dollar a day, a 
machinist made 3 or 4 times that- so you dont go giving away your meal 
ticket.
I think blacksmiths had some similar secrets- particularly weapons and 
armorers, tool makers, and some farriers. Some of these trade secrets 
were formula's or techniques, that could actually be copied, but most 
were the result of years of practice. Even if somebody knows your 
secret damascus recipe, or how Fisher poured molten iron anvil bases 
onto steel tops, that doesnt mean they can repeat it without similar 
experience as you have. I have often found that people who are actually 
capable of copying some of the more complicated, desirable processes, 
are skilled enough by the time they get there that they have their own 
creative agenda.
I do know a few Mokeme-Gane guys, and some knife guys, who still have a 
few trade secrets- processes or tricks they have developed over many 
years, that they aint telling.

Ries Niemi
Industrial Artist

http://www.RiesNiemi.com