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Designer and Craftsman Information:

I am Haven “Muskrat” Mankin, architect, biker, light fixture designer and craftsman. 

MUSKRAT?

I bet you are wondering what is the deal with the name "Muskrat", well I am Haven "Muskrat" Mankin.  I proudly received my nickname at Harding High School in Oklahoma City...it was a grand time in the sixties, great memories, muscle cars, Eagle football games & rock-n-roll.  We had cool guys like the "Flat Head" and the "Master Harasser" and the awesome "Flying Horse"...who fought in Viet Nam, survived that experience only to get run over in L.A. (which begs the question: which area was more dangerous?)  I will always remember you "Flying Horse" (aka Clyde Ficklin).  You know...I met my wife of 37 years at Harding...and even with my nickname...she married me anyway!  Yes, there is a God!

Thank you for visiting my Muskrat Custom Lighting website.  I hope you like what you see; I know you won’t be disappointed.  These handmade light fixtures are awesome if I do say so myself…but then, I’m biased and I love what I do.  I do not cut corners and my eye is always on quality.

Ride hard…but ride safe…

Live to ride and ride to live!

The “Muskrat” is a biker, plain and simple.  The gas tank pic is of my 1992 Harley Softail Springer, my first customized and painted bike project.  I won third place in a custom bike show.    Harley Davidson Motorcycles are my passion!

I now ride an '03 Anniversary Road Glide across our wonderful country, but my other love are Choppers,  they Rule…Old School Baby!

Evidence on my focus on quality:  There are 56 coats in this “House of Kolor” metallic finish on my HOG.  It shows you that the Muskrat doesn’t cut any corners when it comes to producing a high quality product.

It is all about paying attention to the details!

The “Muskrat” has built handmade exotic hardwood furniture, crosses and other fine projects all over the country; this experience is important because many of the light fixtures at Muskrat Custom Lighting incorporate fine expensive exotic hardwoods.  I use Paduak (orange), Holly (white), Purpleheart (purple), and Wenge (blackish-brown) with a natural bees wax finish so that the natural colors are expressed.  No stains or paints are ever used; I’m sure you would not accept such low-class construction.  If you love V-twins as I do, I firmly believe that the cheapness of painted wood would not be compatible with your idea of quality either.  For example:  The rough material cost for these exotic woods run around $17 per board foot, verses around $2 for painted pine.  You tell me…      …what do you deserve?