EARLY WORK AS A HOBBIEST FROM 1983 TO1990 INVOLVED ENGRAVING SEVERAL HUNDRED PRACTICE PLATES AS A STUDENT AT THE ROBERT E. MAKI SCHOOL OF FIREARMS ENGRAVING. DOZEN'S OF NONDESCRIPT MUZZLELOADING RIFLE PARTS AND SCORES OF KNIVES WERE ENGRAVED AND THEN DESTROYED OR GIVEN AWAY. ONLY GRADUALLY DID I PERMIT MYSELF TO ENGRAVE MODERN FIREARMS AND LATER STILL DID I PERMIT MYSELF TO ENGRAVE VALUABLE GUNS. MY OBJECT WAS TO ACHIEVE A HIGH LEVAL OF SKILL THAT WOULD NEVER INSULT THE GUNMAKERS' WHO BUILD FINE FIREARMS. AS A RESULT OF THIS LONG EFFORT THERE IS NO WORK OF WHICH I AM SORRY TO HAVE CUT. I NEED NOT FEAR OF MY EARLY ENGRAVINGS SURFACING THAT ARE AN EMBARRASMENT BECAUSE OF IMPROPER DESIGN OR LIMITED HAND AND EYE COORDINATION.
