Gunsmiths of color

[koginam]

I was aksed a question today by a young man looking to start into the gunsmith trade, he wanted to know "if there were any gunsmiths of color" the following was my reply "As to gunsmiths of color in over thirty years as a gunsmith and having contact with hundreds of smiths throughout the world I have never asked what color they are. I assume there are some but I really can't tell you its not something that comes up in our conversations. I don't believe it would make much difference one way or another a gunsmiths success is based on his workmanship and reputation. In today's world with computers customers look at a smiths web site, check out forums to learn about a smiths work, many times we received guns from all over the country and never meet the customers." Have any of you had work done by a gunsmith of color?

 

[NG VI]

Can't say I've had any gunsmith work done... Yet.

When I do I highly doubt I will even know what the guy looks like, unless it's Angus Hobdell, because he is like a minor CZelebrity.

 

[ChaoSS]

This is a gun forum, why do certain people constantly feel the need to interject race?

 

[Humakavula]

what does it matter what color a person is? hope this gets removed!

 

[Bubba613]

It's a legitimate question.
I've wondered the same about black gun dealers. I wonder how many there are, never having seen one.

 

[NG VI]

ChaoSS in my time here I have very rarely read anything race-based, that pirate thread recently with the single individual who made some wild accusations was really the only thing I can remember with any mention of race in it.

And the guy was clearly being a troll, if he isn't a full time troll. I think the OP here, lemme know if I'm wrong, was just so baffled by the question that he wanted to see if anyone else had a similiar bizarre conversation ever.

 

[PTK]

Yes. There were blacks and asians and so forth at the gunsmithing college I went to. The majority, however, not surprisingly, were whites. I suppose that's just culture in America.

 

[Domineaux]

Seems to me that the "Gun Culture" has it pretty good in ways of race not even being noticed much less a concern.

+1 another thing that puts us on "The High Road" in my opinion!

 

[PTK]

I suppose I only noticed race as a curiosity. I was expecting a fairly even mix between races and sexes. It was fairly surprising.

 

[koginam]

The intention of the post was not to inject race but it was a question I had not thought of before. I work with TAOGART setting up gunsmith apprenticeships and talk to gunsmiths every day trying to find sponsors for the apprentices and it didn't occure to me to ask if they were as the young man put it of color. This young man asked me a question and It got me thinking that's all. I don't think he had any negative intention in the question either he was just curious.

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

I don't know why it makes any difference.

I don't see this going anyplace good though.