I'm afraid I think a lot of this comes down to the "creative competition" that you mentioned the other day & no, it's definitely not just you.
I'm in Suffolk, near the Cambridge boarder and have found exactly the same thing - I've approached & been rebuffed by a few.
I've had to accept that no one local to me is going to teach me anything that could potentially damage their own trade.
Sign of difficult times & all.
A few years ago, in sheer desperation, I went to a local fella for some findings (as I had missed the post for the day & needed them in an emergency) and he charged me twice what Cookies would have charge - & smirked
Going any distance for training is not possible for me, so I tend to make it up as I go along; make a million mistakes & get there in the end (usually via the longest route).
I've had a lot of sideways looks from folk saying "You made that HOW????"
Luckily, my stone setters and engravers are fabulous and always have time for my bizarre questions.
Have you thought about "At the Bench" or looked at some of the DVD's that are out there?
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