Working in Clark County: David Seth, gunsmith

• Working in Clark County is a brief profile of interesting Clark County business owners or workers in the public, private, or nonprofit sector. Send ideas to Mary Ricks: mary.ricks@columbian.com; fax 360-735-4598; phone 360-735-4550.

David Seth knew he didn’t want to fight fires or sit in the back of an ambulance as a career. He had always been interested in shooting and firearms as a hobby. Seth started working on friends’ guns and was soon selling his services to many people on eBay. A new career was born.

Name: David Seth, 360-904-3278.

Job/employer: Brimstone Gunsmithing, Amboy.

Details: Brimstone, opened in March 2012, has four part-time employees.

Age: 28.

Professional background: Firefighter and emergency medical technician.

Education: Home-schooled through high school and one year at Clark College.

Residence: Amboy.

How you describe yourself: Flexible, able to adapt.

How you got this job: I was working as a firefighter and as an emergency medical technician and EMT instructor. I wanted a career and didn’t want to continue as a firefighter or be sitting in the back of an ambulance. I had been interested in shooting and firearms for many years so I ripped out an old bathroom in my garage, turned it into a shop, and started doing trigger work, mostly as a hobby. I worked through eBay. No guns changed hands. People wanted the triggers on their guns adjusted to make them lighter (easier to pull) so they would send me the triggers and I would work on them and return them.

This became nearly a full-time job and I was building a reputation. I decided to open a shop. I found a former chain saw shop that would work, concrete floors, outlets — just what I needed to put in my equipment and get started.

Most rewarding part of job: The opportunity to teach people about firearms. Many people inherit a firearm and want to get into the hobby but know nothing about firearms. I am able to educate them on how to handle guns and how to store them. Good example: a man came into the shop with an old revolver from the late 1800s. It was not in good shape and looked terrible. The man’s great-great-grandfather was a ferryboat captain. He had photo of the captain with the revolvers in his waistband and wanted to get the gun refurbished and in working order.

Most challenging part of job: People bring in antique firearms and there are no parts available, so I have to try to manufacture parts.

Personal/business philosophy: To give good customer service. A lot of businesses that work on guns don’t do much with customer service. Some take a month to return a call. When I decided to open his shop I vowed to not try to sell something, but to provide good service.

Favorite moment of my job/career: When I got the contract to build sniper rifles for the Southwest Washington Regional SWAT team. They had access to other shops to do the work and they chose me.

Something you would like to do over: I would still have opened my shop, but I wish I would have known how much work it would take.

What would make your community a better place: There are a lot of little businesses in the Amboy area, and I wish that people living in the area would support them more.

Favorite hangout: Most people don’t think of food when you mention Nick’s (Bar and Grill, in Amboy) but they have great hamburgers and an awesome turkey sandwich. I also like RJ’s Coffee Shop (in Amboy).

Hobbies: Building cars and long-distance shooting (1,000 yards).

Volunteer activities: Serving as reserve deputy with Clark County Sheriff’s Office.

Favorite destination: Hawaii.

Most interesting recent book: Listening to the “Hunger Games” books.

Goal for one year: Get the Portland SWAT Team as a client and to expand education classes.

Goal for five years: Manufacture gun parts and build custom guns to exact specs.

Would like to meet: John Krieger, owner of Krieger Barrels Inc., a Wisconsin gun barrel manufacturer.