Wait you said the old guard worries grease makes the o ring slip off the barb. Has that actually happened to you on any of those 40 jobs, or is it just something guys repeat without ever seeing it? I'm curious because the quick connects I've messed with hold the line with a little locking clip, not friction on the barb, so grease shouldn't matter either way. What I'd really like to know is how you're cleaning the o ring without nicking it, since a rag on a tiny ring seems like it could do more harm than good. Are you pulling the whole fitting out or just wiping it in place?

My first sourdough attempt looked like a rock that fell off a cliff and landed face down. I told my neighbors it was a "rustic boule" and prayed they wouldn't look too close. They ate the whole thing with butter and jam and asked when I was making another one. I just nodded and smiled like I knew what I was doing the whole time. Still can't get a pretty score line but at least the taste is there.