Italian Craftsmen

[springfield art]

This forum has had recent comments concerning the shortage of experienced craftsman in the Italian factories making our replica percussion revolvers, etc. A Sunday morning show on national TV today took a tour of an accordion factory in Italy; the complexity of making such instruments, some using up to 11 types of wood, is amazing; while watching, I was dreaming of such a skilled facility making, oh, I don't know, Hawken rifles! But it is nice to know that somewhere, people are still making things that require long hours and highly skilled hands-on human labor to produce.

 

[Phil Coffins]

We would have more skilled workers making nice things except most people won’t pay the wages or invest in the training because Americans want fast at a low cost. I would guess the market is as great for a fine rifle as for the $10,000 squeeze boxes.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I build custom furniture and cabinets and have customers but most people want to pay only what Lowe's and Home Depot charge for cabinets made from particle board or melomain. True custom work takes time , and time is money , unless you are a farmer, hog, or the IRS!( the last comment was from my father who was a farmer all of his life.)

 

[billraby]

There are still plenty of people out there willing and able to pay really money for quality work. Purdey and Holland & Holland are selling rifles with enormous price tags as fast as they can make them.