“Find a mentor” is often mentioned as advice to a young wannabe shaper. J. Phillips mentioned in a recent post that he is mentoring a young guy. As an old fart I’ve had occasion to mentor a few lads over the years in various crafts / sports and I find that I gain the most out of the relationships. It’s rare, but when you find a young guy with a special spark in the eye and a unique passion in his heart to learn, it can be worth giving some time and taking him under your wing. I had a mentor 30 years ago. He’s long since past away, but his picture hangs proudly in my shop. He taught me much about woodworking, but even more about life.
How many of you young guys have had success finding a mentor, and how many of you old pros have mentored or would be open to such?