Darrin became fascinated with colonial and Native American history at a very young age. He clearly remembers when he was just six years old begging his parents to stop and visit either Boonesborough or Harrodsburg on their way home from a Florida vacation. Unfortunately, his parents said ???no???! Despite this disappointment, Darrin remained passionate about early American history.
Darrin built his first muzzleloader, from scratch, at the age of twelve and, amazingly, lived to tell about it. The parts he used were very unconventional, such as black plumber???s pipe for the barrel and Grandma???s ice-cube trays for the lock mechanism which she was extremely angry about. However teenage enthusiasm and ingenuity persevered!
Prior to building it he asked a family friend to take him to a nearby muzzleloading shop called Jerry???s Gun Shop owned by Jerry Marsh. That day he brought home a copy of William Buchele & George Shumway???s book ???Recreating the American Longrifle??? and in it was the fold out- scale drawing Darrin used. Darrin still has that book!
Darrin???s Uncle, a master woodworker and the head carpenter for Brookfield Zoo was instrumental in Darrin???s early woodworking. He helped Darrin extensively with understanding wood, and the information needed to stock that first gun.
Darrin has been involved with primitive camping skill, living history and wood working for 30+ years and after retiring from 20 years in the Fire Service, Darrin knew what he was going to do. Build these fabulous flintlocks full-time and he???s never looked back.
Darrins web site www.frontierflintlocks.com
also you could "Like" his Frontier Flintlocks facebook page.