I can see a lot of points made. Thanks.
Weapon skills could be categorized with 4, I think. Although wielding a mace can be different than a sword, there actually isn't enough difference to warrant separate categories. Here is my offering: 1 handed, 2 handed, missile, thrown.
For other skills, the "skill bloat" is warranted. Being diplomatic and being influential are two different abilities (skills: Diplomacy, Duping).
Another: First Aid, Second Aid, Surgery are drastically different. First Aid more or less allows you bandage wounds. Second Aid actually allows one to perform minor surgeries to stabalize a patient until they can get to a hospital (i.e. - tracheotomy, extraction of a foreign object, crude sewing of an artery, etc.). Surgery, however, requires a extremely stable environment and delicate skill.
Yet another example: Crafts. There are so many crafts that are so drastically different, they require separate skills. In real life, I actually carve wood to make enruned staffs and rods. I also sculpt copper to create miniature trees. This is a problem I have even with the new RMFRP/SS. They categorize Sculpting as one skill. However, I beg to differ even on this. Sculpting stone, wood, or metal are three different skills. Although they still require the same stats (Ag, SD, In, Re), they are still three different skills.
Now here is another point. Staying good at a skill requires practicing it. If you don't, you lose that skill. For example. I used to be an excellent electric guitar player. However, since I haven't touched one in almost 20 years, I probably wouldn't know what to do with one if it were handed to me. Since I never practiced that skill, I lost it. Thus, I suggest, if you don't use a skill, you could begin to lose ranks in that skill. Perhaps this should be done as another thread?
rmfr
P.S. - Thanks for the help y'all