The United States was uniquely affected by the craft revival of the 1960s. We were not hide-bound by tradition and restrictive trade guilds, so the influences of William Morris and others were allowed to proliferate unabated throughout our land. Classes of new and old intellectuals brought new values of handcraft, design, the use of reclaimed materials, and ingenious uses for new materials into the creative consciousness of the American public. The results were new concepts in materials and design and new ways of conceptualizing a way of life, such as making musical instruments.
During the revival, there was a dynamic flow of influence worldwide as ideas crossed borders. American craftspeople were open to new, especially foreign, traditions as they pieced together their own style and work methods. Woodworkers were especially receptive to tools imported from Japan. Overnight every woodworker I knew was expounding the virtues of Japanese water stones and saw blades.
Eventually, I was convinced to try the sharpening stones. My first impression was they seemed expensive. Still, upon reliable advice, I purchased stones of medium and fine grits to try out. I quickly found that I was not fond of soaking them, and the Texas heat required drying after each use to avoid mold. It was a lot of maintenance. They wore quickly, and oh, by the way, you need to flatten them periodically. The diamond lap flattener kept me out of the bars for a month. Eventually, it all proved too much, and I gave the whole lot to a guy who was much more into the process than I could ever be.
I also tried a Japanese saw, which I found to lack the rigidity I was used to. In addition, the teeth, although razor-sharp, did not cut cleanly, especially starting the cut. I looked at pictures of the joints they made with these saws and decided that the average Japanese woodworker was better than I would ever be, and the saw found a new home with my enthusiastic friend.
I had to buy some sharpening stones for the home shop recently. I am a proud Western woodworker, and I like my stones to come from Arkansas and my saws to cut on the push stroke.