BLANCHARD, OKLAHOMA — Of all the unlikely bar tales, Micheal Collins should have the topper. How could a guy who lives in rural Blanchard, Oklahoma get a private audience with THE Queen Elizabeth based on a conversation over drinks? “That’s great,” laughs Collins, who’s a month removed from his once in a lifetime experience.

The story starts with a talent for art. Collins is one of the best know engravers in the United States. He started years ago with making custom knives, but his real business is carving tiny images into gun stocks. “I’ve made a living doing stuff I absolutely love doing,” he says.