It's not that way. Everyone's work is welcome here but as I'm sure you know, traffic is down, and I think it's down in part because 'smiths are busy. This has only been up four days and a four day period of low activity is not unknown.
Elitist-- taking that as a reference to the LTW 'smiths and not all LTW members, I don't think any of us feel that way but I'll grant you it might look like it sometimes. I have been guilty of being quicker to comment on something done by one of these guys who have been good friends and associates for years.... than on the work of somebody I have not met. But most of the time, either way, it is likely to take days before I find the time to comment.
One thing I can assure you for my own part, it's not a commentary on Greg's work which I have always thought was fine. I think my fellows at LTW would agree there's room in this business for more people doing what we do. I have recommended Greg many times in the last year-plus, when asked who to take a project to.
We (the 1911 custom business in general) have had several smiths come and go in the last ten years. In fact throughout the history of custom 1911 work there has been a constant cascade of them, some stay, some burn brightly for a few years and then move on to a real job

. Some of the short-timers are really good, and some of the long-haulers probably not..... as in any other industry.