If something is comprised of two pieces that have to be put together, like a male fitting to a female fitting. Whether, a hobbiest or not, someone, somehow will ruin them. It might be best for them to limit what tools they use to a fork, spoon and butter knife. The term hobbiest doesn't mean that the person lacks common sense. The hobbiests that I know, are very precise in every aspect of their hobby.... IMO, it doesn't take a lot of common sense or experience to realize when a NPT fitting is being cross threaded. But, in defense of little experienced poindexters, some fittings are difficult to get started. Going from plastic to metal can be difficult. There are threads on here about teflon. The last one was; in what direction is the tape wound? For some, especially those without common sense, two parts to something can become confusing, when it comes to putting them together.... I use two types of teflon. One for stainless, the other for brass and steel. Without teflon or some type of lubricant, threads can be galled, especially in fittings made with a worn cutter, reducing the angle of taper. There are different types of pipe dope. Some have a "whetting" agent. A mixture of teflon and valve grinding compound mixed into the lubricant. Recently, I bought a bunch of 1/2" stainless fittings, made in China. The fittings were deplorable. Some fittings had little taper and could be screwed to the end of the thread using pinky and thumb. Even with wrapping extra tape on them, they leaked and had to be shizz canned. Maybe in Utopia or on the planet Zyclor, where fittings are machined perfect and tightened to a perfect torque. Using a specially designed pipe wrench with a perfect digital torque meter, teflon or pipe dope wouldn't be needed. If the stuff wasn't needed Hercules chemical, Pro-Seal and others wouldn't have a market for it.