I have always been interested in muzzleloaders, when I was a kid
my folks would probably say I was obsessed. I grew up
up near Hershel House and played with old muskets (two 1842 harpers ferry) and a Bean style squirrel rifle that were in my great grandmothers attic. But when a nun at my school gave
me a National Geographic with a story on Williamsburg and pictures of Wallace Gusler rifling a barrel
it really sparked my life long interest. I got into music and played banjo and mandolin for a living and traveled to much to get into it. I graduated from watchmaking school last year
and it put a lot into perspective about making parts, tempering in regards to gunsmithing.
I inherited my great uncles blacksmith shop and woodworking tools recently and decided I wanted to fulfill
this lifelong interest.
Very glad to find this site and would appreciate and advice such as what scrapers and planes
I might start out with. Thanks, Todd Osborne
