Tinker2

[kruzer1]

Just got word from his wife that William Alexander (Tinker2) had a heart attack last night and did not make it.

He was my mentor and the guy who got me into this. ALso one of my best friends. He will be missed.

William was also a Vietnam War veteran who saw a lot of action. During his life he owned and operated a guns store (and was a gunsmith) in Fort Pierre, SD. He was retired but his main passion was always black powder.

Not much to say. Just beyond sad. :shake:

 

[Kansas Jake]

I'm sorry for the loss of your good friend and mentor. Those are few and far between and we always remember them.

 

[Artificer]

Oh, that is such a shame. William will be missed deeply here.

Please give his Lady our heartfelt condolences and our prayers to her and their family.

Gus

 

[wattlebuster]

I never knew him but I heard his name on these forums many times. Prayers will go out for family an friends

 

[mark/wi]

sorry to hear that. Mark

 

[R.I.Jerolmon]

Sorry to hear, have always enjoyed and benefited from his posts.

 

[kruzer1]

He was really a fun guy in person. Was full of stories (including being wounded in battle in Vietnam and the time he accidentally impaled himself sharpening a bowie knife). He will be really missed.

When I met him I did not think I could build a muzzleloader beyond a kit build. He really pushed and encouraged me to learn barrel making and carving from a blank.

One of my current projects involves making an action from rifle shoppe parts. I was going up there next weekend so he could show me to do the fitting, building and tempering. I guess I will be heading up for different reasons :shake:

I need some time to grieve but I feel I should continue his dream. Hopefully a few of you can put up with a "greenhorn" asking questions on how to do this. I don't think he would want me to stop.

 

[hanshi]

This is terrible news and greatly saddens me. I knew William and we visited. I've a photo around here somewhere of he and I standing side by side. He was a physically huge man and I looked like a little kid standing by his side. I also met his gracious wife and will always remember them both. I will miss his posts and the big hole his passing left in our forum. But most of all, I'll miss that the world was a better place with him in it. My condolences to his family and friends.

 

[Grumpa]

Not much to say.

On the contrary, you have communicated much. My condolences to you on the loss of your friend and mentor. And to his Lady, family and friends.

I have enjoyed his posts here. No doubt, I would have enjoyed knowing the Man. We are all diminished with his death.

Richard/Grumpa

 

[trent/OH]

There goes yet another person I wish I had met.

He must have been a devoted husband. He listed his hobbies on his introduction as Wife, art, making things, Wife.

 

[BillinOregon]

What a darned shame. We exchanged some PMs here. He was a fine craftsman. Didn't he also teach?

 

[kruzer1]

He did not teach formerly. He owned and operated his own gun shop and was a gunsmith for years. Even though he mostly worked on modern stuff his real love was black powder. He sold his business off and was mostly retired.

I wrote this in another place and think it sums things up better:

Coming to grips with the loss of a close friend. A few years back I jumped on a "muzzleloader forum" because after an awesome hunt in the Badlands with my 1861 Enfield replica musketoon, I realized I wanted to build a muzzleloader. At the time I was rebuilding old military modern rifles... but just felt more of a connection to the past with a "smokepole".

Not long after introducing myself on the forum William "Bill" Alexander contacted me. He also built muzzleloaders and did not live far away. We hit it off and became good friends.

Bill pushed me into building to levels I never thought possible. I always thought I had no artistic skill. He proved me wrong. Also I had hoped to just build a "Kit" rifle and he showed me how that I could do better. Under his tutelage I learned to make my own barrels on lathe and carve stocks from a blank. He saw I had talent and helped me find it.

More than that he was a great friend. Him and his wife Joyce Alexander were gracious hosts and I tried to get up there often as I could (100 miles away) and we communicated every day on computer.

He passed last week and I really miss him. Even now I keep checking my forum messages every day after years of communication it is hard to stop. I have to say I contemplated quitting my projects but I feel the best way I can honor his memory is to continue learning and building.

 

[hanshi]

This was some years back and I haven't grown any more.

 

[Skychief]

Sorry to read of this. Mr. Alexander was a great member here and will be missed. Condolences to friends and family.