Lincs Pride NOV 208.qxp 30/09/2019 14:02 Page 34
THE COUNTRYSIDE GUNSMITH
>> repairing such guns is a work of love for mark and it is a skilled craft. “i am very proud to be a gunsmith. a large amount of time and skill is needed to reproduce a part for a gun which could have been made 120 years ago before the existence of precise machines, standardised components.” “ere are no part lists or components available, so i have to make all parts in store by hand. my ethos is that a repair is only truly successful if a customer can’t tell that a repair has been carried out.” “at’s what i strive for with all repairs. some of the guns i repair are historically important and it’s also important to ensure repairs are within keeping of the date of the gun, preserving its provenance.” “i often work with guns over 100 years old and completing a sympathetic restoration is the favourite part of my job. if a customer brings in a gun or i purchase one 34
“A repair is truly successful if a customer can’t tell that one has been carried out...” which isn’t aesthetically pleasing i enjoy restoring it back to its original condition. at doesn’t mean i want it to look ‘new’ but it should present a condition commensurate with its age or the fact that it has served a practical purpose. i want it to feel and appear as it would have done all those years ago. i love achieving that balance.” even though, we know mark to be extremely accomplished and skilled in guncraft, we’re surprised that he still refers to himself a gun apprentice. “i am always learning something new, so i call myself a gun apprentice.. albeit one with lots of experience!”
“i enjoy a challenge, so it is always a good day when a customer brings in a problem with a gun i have not seen before. within guncraft you are always learning how to fix new problems and make new parts.” from our first conversation with mark his passion for his store and craft was apparent. even as a gun novice mark taught me about the different guns available and the beautiful craftsmanship behind these artefacts. e store is open to all customers and mark will give any experienced or novice gun user free advice. especially interesting is the store’s archive, which contains record books that serve as a working history of guns stretching back hundreds of years. gun owners from all over the world can trace the history of their antique pieces. “we are a retail store, of course, and the business is my livelihood. But i always say the running of the business comes second to the passion i have!” says mark.