My uncle's garage in Toledo still has a soot stain on the concrete floor from 1998. We used to just blast everything out the door. Now I see this everywhere, like how we all double-check a link before we click it or actually read the manual for a new grill. The old way was faster but you're right, it's just not worth the mess you have to fix later.

Honestly, the "messing with color chemistry" thing sounds a bit extreme to me. I've used a graphite paddle on all kinds of colors for years and never noticed dull spots. It might be one of those super specific things that only happens in perfect conditions. Your friend might just be extra careful, which is fine, but I doubt it's a make-or-break issue for most work.

Sounds like you've been painting next to a car wash again.

Man, that's brutal. Happened to me last winter trying to heat-treat a big blade. I ended up wrapping my regulator with an old heat blanket from the forge.

Heard about a buddy who built a whole patio with hand-cut stone because the client hated the look of pavers. Cost them triple the labor, easy.