Brazing goobers not OK, but I can't quite figure why it is that sensible turns to dogmatic when it comes to file marks. You are talking about a different era of bicycle making when those Masis had the remnants of file work on them. People had a different mind about what they were doing then, and the expectations of the customers were different as well. Not that I would suggest it, but thinking otherwise suggests a lack of understanding of bicycle history, and aesthetics evolution. American's as craftsmen/artists tend to be very contemplative about their work, just watch the video made by Alan Bernstein, which shows two contemporary frame builders discussing what they do. They live and work during a time where they can generally afford to be so analytical, along with their education and cultural upbringing that stimulates such an approach. I don't think it is a low blow to call these people, doing what presumably you regard as a more respected type of frame building, as a breakaway from the former traditions, at least in some respects. It is very "American". European, Japanese, most third world craftsman/artisans, picked up their tools at a young age, often were instructed to do the tasks a certain way, maybe told not to sweat the file marks, and that's the way it was done, no dilemma and end of enquiry. I don't understand your call on poor workmanship here. Some guy often will eventually come along with a new vision, sometimes make what was a compilation of variety piece work into a skillfil one person operation, make things neater, prettier, it has happened in most manual trades where aesthetics can also play a big part. Certainly in woodwork, specifically 19th and early 20th century chair production this was the case, where burlap sacks were hung over the windows to discourage "idle gazing" that would detract from the valuable time, and leaving tool marks hardly stuck in anyone's craw. Then along came a guy named Jack. That you could afford to be discriminatory about file marks in your's and the assistant's work, it is noteworthy, but not everyone has had such luxury. Even if they had the time, the fact that the inclination wasn't there, is quite possibly more a reflection of the era, than of a desire to take a vacation from good workmanship. People see things differently when times change, have more information to go on, that's a very big part of it. Why go upside someone's head about it?
Dennis Young Hotaka, Japan
> Joe Starck posted-
> I only value a hand-worked frame if it's finished
> well. Gacky contours, file marks and brazing goobers
> are like a crooked wood object that wasn't sanded and
> shows glue comin' outta the seams. Oooh, hand-made.
> Nice. And "silliness of file marks" comes from the
> many misguided on this list who actually equate file
> marks with "charm." File marks are marks of laziness
> and a measure of the maker's craftsmanship integrity.