Simply amazing Video

[Major 2]

Dated 1969 and narrated by David Brinkley

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did

[Abilene]

I just skipped through it quickly, and will definitely have to carve out an hour to watch!

[Tascosa Joe]

I own 2 copies on VHS and DVD.  It is great.

[Kent Shootwell]

Shows you don't need a lathe, mill, bandsaw, MIG welder, belt sander, drill press, buffer, surface grinder, arbor press, bench grinder, heat treat furnace, etc etc etc to build a rifle! But I use them anyhow. 

[Tascosa Joe]

I think the guy doing the work is Wallace Gussler.  Excuse the spelling.

[Tascosa Joe]

Shows you don't need a lathe, mill, bandsaw, MIG welder, belt sander, drill press, buffer, surface grinder, arbor press, bench grinder, heat treat furnace, etc etc etc to build a rifle! But I use them anyhow. 

But you must be well acquainted with a file and a forge.

[Abilene]

Last night at midnight I told myself I was going to watch the first couple minutes before going to bed.  I was 24 minutes in before I forced myself to save the rest for later. 

[Tsalagidave]

I saw this video when I was a kid and it really developed my interest in the black powder hobby.

Thank you for the walk down memory lane.  I think I'll watch it again.

-Dave

[Blair]

 I worked at the Gunshop in the winter of 1987-8 on loan from the Anderson Blacksmith Shop.
The older guy in the film is Gusler. The younger fellow is Gary Brumfield his apprentice.
Gary became the Master of the Shop after Wallace left to become the Furniture Curator for Colonial Williamsburg.
My best,
Blair

[Major 2]

That's cool Background Blair, I stumbled on the video from another link.
I knew it was old, probably shot on 16mm film and dubbed to Video...

I used to read about Hacker Martin and enjoyed the read.

[Tascosa Joe]

It is encouraging me to get my DVD copy out and watch on the big screen. 

[Tascosa Joe]

Blair:
I was TDY at Ft. Lee in the late summer and early fall of 1986.  I spent most of my weekends during that period at Williamsburg.  I probably saw you or may even have talked to you.  My favorite places to watch people work were the blacksmith shop. gunshop, the furniture maker, and the kitchen at the governors palace.  I learned a lot just watching you craftsmen and women work.
T-joe

[Blair]

TJ,
It was an amazing place to work and to learn. Especially for those of us with any Historical background.
I went from Colonial Williamsburg to Jamestown Settlement Park, a Va. State recreation of the original site, right next door to the original site. At that time, they had not found parts of the original Fort.
I became the Blacksmith Specialist and set up the Blacksmith interpretive program where all the iron and steel objects needed by the other was produced.
All of this goes back to wanting to be a gunsmith after I was in the Navy. It was at this school where I first saw this film in 1974-5. It was in a 16 mm format, but I think that was so it could be shone in educational formats.
My best,
Blair