I admired my late father’s skills as a tinsmith. I was amazed at what he could do with sheet metal, aluminum and copper. I took a different path, but in my teens, I was his “helper” in his sheet metal shop and on job sites.

But, just recently, a reader of my column suggested that I pay a visit to his father and admire his skills as a gunsmith. Boy, was I glad I took him up on his offer.

Roger Solt Jr. and his sister Pam met me at the home of their father (Roger Solt) in Lehighton. Mr. Solt is 93 years young, and until about two years ago was still making his magic with wood and metal. Roger spent a few years in the U.S. Air Force and stationed in Maine. As his duty neared an end, he chose to return to Lehighton and continue using his plumbing skills, working for his father at Alex Solt and Son.

I’m sure there are many rifle owners in this area that are glad he returned.

When I began speaking with Roger, it brought memories of many undisturbed forested areas we once had. It turns out that the Solts and the Reeds hunted, fished and enjoyed many of the same areas around northern and eastern Carbon County. This part of my day was already enjoyable and brought back memories of how things once were. But the best was yet to come.

I was asked to join them in his workshop. There, I found two metal lathes, a wood lathe, milling machine, band saw and the most extensive assortment of tools I’ve ever seen.

On neatly arranged shelves, small tool boxes and workbenches were scrapers, punches, hammers and chisels. But they didn’t look like my hammer handles or chisels.

Even the handles of his ball-peen hammers were a true craftsman’s work. Each handle was made of some of his special wood, sanded, stained and polished. They alone were works of art. Well, if his tools looked like that, I could now imagine how his rifles looked.

The wood Roger chose was usually a tiger maple grain, a favorite, or walnut. He would cut out a rough shape of a gun stock and then begin his magic. He took a friend’s arm length and grip into account so that the rifle fit perfectly. The wooden stocks, some with beautiful cheek plates were then cut and shaped to fit the specific barrel of a rifle. Most of his creations were bolt-action rifles. As the stock took shape, he used his own special treatments to bring out every grain in the wood. How beautiful.

His gunsmithing talents were also excellent in refining the barrel, receiver, trigger guard, bolts, etc. Even the bolt and knob were machined to be pieces of art. He would buy a barrel already chambered to a certain caliber, many in the 30-caliber range, with the rifling already complete.

Rifling in a barrel is what sends the bullet out of the muzzle properly to achieve excellent grouping in target shooting.

The barrel is then cut and crowned using his metal lathe to the desired diameter, taper and specific barrel length. EVERY metal part is polished to a mirror finish. He would expertly mount the sights, scope mounts and trigger guards to perfection. One rifle had a barrel-long stock and was the most beautiful firearm I’ve ever seen. About the only step in crafting the rifle he doesn’t do is the bluing of the barrel. Any flaw, if not polished perfectly, would show through the bluing. Roger would have none of that.

I would bet that Roger Solt’s gunsmith skills would rank him as one of the best in this country. I would also bet that there are very few masters of this trade willing to do the all the detailing.

To conclude, they don’t make talented men like Roger anymore, and you won’t find a custom, wonderfully crafted rifle like his anymore, either. What a great gunsmith and most enjoyable, modest gentleman. Kudos to your wonderful skills.

Test Your Outdoor Knowledge: The most common prey animal is the meadow vole. True/False: 1 acre of suitable habitat will support about 15 voles.

Last Week’s Trivia Answer: It’s true that the skunk cabbage is one of the first flowers to bloom in the spring, even with freezing morning temperatures.

Email Barry Reed at breed71@gmail.com