Several people have asked where I got the break action shotgun cribbage board. It's a story that started in 1945, a few short months after World War II ended and ended with a modern day craftsman in Wisconsin.
My parents, best friends since 6th grade and high school sweethearts, were married as soon as Dad got back from his service in the 8th Air Force in England. Both of them were huge cribbage players, even taking a custom made wooden board with them on their honeymoon to British Columbia. Dad still has that board, and though his eyes mist up sometimes when he holds it, he still enjoys beating his visiting nurse and we kids at a rousing hand.
His mind, on some days wanders, he'll call me by my nieces name if he's tired, and he sometimes hesitates in his thoughts, just normal aging. But deal six cards into his hand and, at 93, he can add up numerical combinations of 15, pairs and straights, faster than a calculator.
But outside of the occasional game at Dad's house, I never played. Until I taught my best friend how to one snowy weekend, and the game was on.
But I wanted a board that was special, not to replace Mom and Dad's, but simply to continue the tradition. And I found this, hand crafted from the nicest fellow I know up in Wisconsin who sells them on Etsy.
WoodStuff11 (click for the link)
The board is made out of Maple and finished with 3 coats of Polyurethane. The pegs are hand made 1/8" brass rod shaped, polished and coated with 3 layers of lacquer. Pegs are stored where the shell would go. A magnet keeps the barrel latched up when closed, so the pieces stay secure.
We've played a hundred games on it already and I am still amazed by how beautiful it is, in form and function, how well the pieces fit and how much fun it is.
Even when I get
