Keeps the thrush away" is the real win. A thin frog is better than a thrushy one any day.

Honestly, the real black magic is getting a press fit BB to stay quiet for more than a month. My last one started singing like a dying robot after three rides... I should have just used the voodoo. Now I'm scared to even look at it wrong.

That 5% mix with the additive for aluminum... what was the additive called?

I read an article about farrier tools that said a sharp, well balanced knife is like an extension of your own hand. Your post about it gliding through horn is the perfect example of that. It's crazy how much less effort a good tool takes, you stop fighting the job and just get into a flow. I bet that 15 minutes you save adds up fast over a whole day.

My instructor in Tulsa called it a confidence trick. He said that first perfect bead makes you think you've got it, then reality hits. It's a nice trick while it lasts though.