On Craftsmanship...

I have been taking occasional night classes at the University of YouTube. Last night, I saw a class I wanted to take on repairing my chipped Santoku knife. For those unfamiliar, the U of YouT does not allow you to take single classes. The algorithmic learning platform is designed to suck you in until, suddenly, an hour and a half has passed, and you’ve eaten all the snacks in your pantry.

The final course of the evening was from Professor Jesse Hu of JhuBlades, who taught a half-hour course on making a Damascus chef's knife. This, of course, sent me down further rabbit holes. Jesse is finishing up a dual degree in engineering at the University of Michigan. If you watch Jesse's videos, you might experience some real cognitive dissonance. Is this a bladesmith who looks twenty years younger than he actually is? Steven, what are you doing with your life that you’re not perfecting some pre-Industrial Revolution skill that will be necessary when society collapses?

But the biggest lessons to learn from Jesse are from his about page. Jesse shows the first blade he ever forged and the hand tools he used to make it. He documents his progression from a 15 lb Walmart anvil to a 365 lb 1950s anvil you would find Wile E. Coyote drop on Road Runner. In his videos, you’ll see his use of a belt grinder instead of a belt sander and his impressive press skills with an insane 25-ton Coal Iron Works Forging Press. You’ll witness Jesse's evolution in knife making and that he calls out his mentorship of others in the craft — improving his own skills as a result.

I have managed software engineers from summer intern to architect level. A career is not built on that one important project you think will get you promoted. It’s not about checking boxes on the career rubric. Every great engineer I’ve worked with focuses on improving their craft, partnering with others to create a better product, and adding more tools to their belt. Tools, not titles. Be a craftsperson.