For a lot us, this is prophetic but it misses a point: a kitchen comes pre-approved by the initiator, and she might have waited ten or twenty years for it. It adds value to the house so its not a sunk consumption cost. You will hear YEARS of positive remarks about a good kitchen and all the family enjoy it every single day. It will never be endangered by being hauled up mountains on your back. And it can be financed with the bank and the repayments are pre-approved by the wife!

On the other hand, gunsmithing comes out of most family men's pocket money, not the house repayment budget. It is sunk cost, benefits the buyer greatly if he is willing to see it that way, but is likely no benefit whatever to the rest of the family. And the first time you begin to discuss the cost with an aeroplane guy or a car restorer you realise just how far apart your concept of money for toys is! Most of us would spend less on gunsmithing in a lifetime than a boat, plane or race car builder spends on one engine rebuild.

To my Dad, a plane guy on a low budget, I salute you! To my friends restoring cars, I salute you! And to the sponsors of the amazing work done by gunsmiths like the ones we admire in these pages, well done and I hope you get a lot of joy from their work!