[tom hyle]

Again, the focus in discussing re-hilting seems to focus on the concept of deception. Why? The focus in actual re-hilting is usually to provide one where there is none (or a very damaged one). In so doing the craft-man may take into account that a once ordinary item is now a valuable antique, and so its social status has been lifted, and a fancier dress than it would originally have worn may so seem appropriate. He will often use a style contemporary/familiar to himself. He will often try to give it an overall look and surface that matches the piece, rather than "leaping out" as a repair/replacement, so that it looks good, not so much to deceive(and when he doesn't imitate the old style, how serious can his suposed intent to decieve be?). Those who hire one to do repairs on thier noncommercial properties typically request this, BTW. I don't mean to be ethnically insensitive, but it's an education to watch the modern/American mind at work; everything is assumed to be about show and deception. In my opinion this often says more about that culture than about those it tries (usually unsuccessfully, IMHO) to anylize.
I have read that, in addition to smelling bad, social injustice, and cannibalism, differing cultures almost always find each other to be decievers; it seems peoples have different views on what constitutes honesty, and partly because of this (and partly because it's true, of course) tend to consider each other horribly dishonest. This concept has been penetrating my mind, as I try to deal with and comprehend those who suround me in this world.