Gunsmith Apprenticeship?

[valley82]

The whole purpose behind instituting a patent system was to protect intellectual property, to encourage and spur ideas and invention. If you really believe we should share what we know... you've missed the boat guys. It is beneficial to future generations to protect and limit the distribution of ideas and technology. It ensures that we maintain growth and progress. Methods and processes need to be seen by fresh eyes, re-evaluated by a new brain occasionally. This can only happen when "the new guy" is forced to figure stuff out on his own.

Holy cow I cant believe what I've read here tonight.

kcstott and valley82... Holy smokes. Read a history book.

Wow...good luck in your chosen profession...
This will be quoted here, come back and read it again in 20-30 years when some of the d$&@***** has worn off with time.

[kcstott]

Lostsheep
at least you are willing to take in someone and train them that deserves it. This is not the case with CRT. he absolutely refuses to train anyone for any reason whatsoever because of this childish mine mine mine mentality that he just needs to grow up and learn but the world doesn't work that way

Now as for the ability to learn something from an apprentice will be the first tell you that's absolutely true if if you think for a minute you know everything in this business or in this world you are mistaken and I'll be learning until the day I die.

[Lostsheep]

Lostsheep
at least you are willing to take in someone and train them that deserves it. This is not the case with CRT. he absolutely refuses to train anyone for any reason whatsoever because of this childish mine mine mine mentality that he just needs to grow up and learn but the world doesn't work that way

Now as for the ability to learn something from an apprentice will be the first tell you that's absolutely true if if you think for a minute you know everything in this business or in this world you are mistaken and I'll be learning until the day I die.

My statements weren't really to pass judgement on anyone else and their respective opinions, just to throw out my $.02.

I did however roll my eyes at you cause I too am 34

[AKSOG]

I actually enjoy teaching people what I can about my trade when they are really interested and I think they have the ability to get it. Throughout my life I have learned lots from others to get where I have, and still continue to do so to this day. So I think it's only fair to return the favor.

I'm also at the magic 34

[kcstott]

My statements weren't really to pass judgement on anyone else and their respective opinions, just to throw out my $.02.

I did however roll my eyes at you cause I too am 34

I actually enjoy teaching people what I can about my trade when they are really interested and I think they have the ability to get it. Throughout my life I have learned lots from others to get where I have, and still continue to do so to this day. So I think it's only fair to return the favor.

I'm also at the magic 34

I didn't mean that every 34 year old was a child in a mans body. Simply that he brought up that he was 34 and had all these "accomplishments" under his belt yet he's missing a lot of life's lessons about being respectful and humble. This attitude of go pound sand I figured it out i'm not telling you jack is pure lack of confidence and self esteem.
Age and wisdom are two different things. You can be young and have wisdom or be old and have non.

CRT's comments are just plain childish and Isolationist. Not a lot of wisdom there. so he does have a lot to learn about life.

Like I said I'll be learning new stuff everyday till the day I die and I'm the guy my company send the new guy out with to train and evaluate Because I'm not worried about my job.

[ar15barrels]

The problems with "I wanna be a gunsmith"
Problem 1: New upstarts in the biz show a total lack of inherent skill... the natural "touch" that cannot be taught.

I'll kinda second this.

The kind of guy that wants to be a gunsmith will figure it out on his own.
He will already be a general tinkerer before he is old enough to own his own guns.
He will drive a crappy car that he fixes himself.

I got my first lathe when I was 14.
It was an Emco Unimat 3.
I was making/modifying parts on RC cars back then.
I used that lathe until I gained access to a 13x40 Clausing.

If you have to ask for help to even understand what the required skills are to be successful gunsmithing, you probably don't belong.

[Gunsmith Dan]

You guys still going???????????

OMG do I need to bring some urinal cakes over or did someone spill their beer everywhere?

[CRTguns]

WRT apprenticeships. I find it highly important to make absolutely sure that I am not wasting my time teaching someone without aptitude or drive. I test for this by deliberately giving my guys (and gals) a task that I know is just beyond them. I gauge the aforementioned 2 criteria based on their response. Do they stop and think about how to achieve it first? Do they just say, "I can't do it" or do they go out and try. Are they asking for how to do it or are they asking questions that provide the information as to how to figure it out. It's like a physics problem; the solution is more important than the answer when you are learning. Whether they fail or succeed is no where near as important as their approach to the problem and their desire to get it done. A motivated person will figure it out and make it happen even if they fail once or twice. Every mistake I have ever made taught me something, and I've made a bunch.

It is the ones who try repeatedly until they figure it out that I will share my "tricks" with. These are the guys/gals who I want working for me and that I want to bounce ideas off of in the future as they progress.

I've seen old timers too many times get stuck in their ways and refuse to listen to the younger guys (what could they possibly know). Believe it or not, every master started as an apprentice and you are not a master if you stop trying to learn.

To answer the OP's question directly, yes there are those of us who appreciate an apprentice as long as they are worthy. I make money off of them and appreciate not having to do remedial tasks. If in the future they move along and/or exceed me, so be it, good for them. That being said, you have to earn my knowledge transfer.

Yes. This.
Love the wording... "as long as they are worthy."
Not only able, or capable, or willing... but worthy to receive.

You have to subscribe to the "teach a man to fish, or give a man a fish" thing.
Sure, there are a million ogod laborers out there, and they are doing what they do. making stuff to print, but those that can invent and make a select fire 1911, or a variable fire rate closed bolt auto, or a gas delayed blowback AR-15, or an all aluminum AR-15 under 4 pounds ... are very few and far between. The profession will find them. They are not found in in the want ads or filling out applications.

[CRTguns]

I didn't mean that every 34 year old was a child in a mans body. Simply that he brought up that he was 34 and had all these "accomplishments" under his belt yet he's missing a lot of life's lessons about being respectful and humble. This attitude of go pound sand I figured it out i'm not telling you jack is pure lack of confidence and self esteem.
Age and wisdom are two different things. You can be young and have wisdom or be old and have non.

CRT's comments are just plain childish and Isolationist. Not a lot of wisdom there. so he does have a lot to learn about life.

Like I said I'll be learning new stuff everyday till the day I die and I'm the guy my company send the new guy out with to train and evaluate Because I'm not worried about my job.

The reason for listing some of my accomplishments is only to illustrate that this stuff is earned. Nobody gave it to me. Had someone just handed me my place in life it would not mean as much. Sure, I have been lucky, And I do get to learn something every day... from some amazing people in the industry. I'm a believer that we are students until we die. I have the chance to learn from the best in this industry. Really. I'll never pretend to know more or be more able than everybody. I only say that I will not freely give away what I know. So I'm childish, maybe. Sorry. But you're calling me names.