Disagree completely, I get way better results with a 14-inch. You have to load it right and keep a steady angle, but it bridges imperfections better than a smaller knife. That flex you mentioned is actually what helps it feather out the edges so cleanly. My 12-inch now only comes out for tight corners.

Barbarahill, my entire high school reading list was basically the banned books section. They tried to stop us from reading "Catcher in the Rye" so of course we all passed around a greasy copy. Worked out great, now I'm a well-adjusted adult who talks to ducks.

You're right about the gut feeling part. The real loss is the feedback loop. A guy feeling the sand knew right away if his mix was off and could fix it. Now a sensor flags a problem, but the operator might not understand why it happened. We get the number, but not the instinct for how temperature or batch age actually changes things on the floor. The tool gives an answer without teaching the cause.

How about tasting pasta water before you drain it?

Yeah, @michaela16 is right about those data sheets.