It's over!

I got the last of my Christmas orders finished and out the door yesterday around 5 o'clock. I am taking a couple of days off from the shop minimum. Besides the family thing, I think I'll go ride my horse or something. Anything but 12 hours a day in the shop.

I can't thank everyone enough for thinking of me when selecting gifts. It is an honor to have made every piece, and I hope they serve well for years to come.

This was the last. Ladies size, 7/8" band, 2" shank, and a 1 3/8" 8 point rowel. I predict they will win lots of money in the cutting pen.

Sorry, a cell phone pic was all I had time to take.

Ring, ring

These spurs will sound real good when he walks through the coffee shop. they have a 2 1/2 inch shank, 1 inch band, and 1 3/4 hardened and tempered 6 point rowels. They are made from 1018/nickel damascus.

I wish I were a big enough guy to wear this style, I really like them.

Damascus spurs

The top one will be raffled at the http://www.cowboy-poetry.org/ I might buy a ticket or two myself.

 Made from 1018/203e/nickel damascus steel with nickel silver and buffalo nickels for decoration.

Ladies size, 1018/nickel steel. 3/4" bands.

These spurs sell for 1000.00$. Thanks Tom! I hope she likes them.

Cattle, buckle, and a breakdown

http://www.wstroping.com/player/
http://www.wstroping.com/

But first, if anyone would like to watch Joe in the world series of team roping, his rotation starts at 10 am Sunday morning.

My morning started out well. I stopped by the Rogers manor to have a cup of coffee with my old buddy Tommy. I left my truck running because I wasn't going to be long and was tired of being cold. When I went back out it was dead, a sensor I was told. My lovely bride snapped this when the wrecker showed up. It took longer to haul it in than it did to fix it.

Thank goodness for repeat customers. Another item out for the T4 crowd. This buckle fits a 3/4 belt, the brand is inlay-ed silver. Thanks Chase!

The rest are random pictures from feeding last week.

Snaffle

A little heavier than most, I used 3/8 inch for the rings. 3/8 mouthpiece, stainless hinge, and silver inlay.

This bit sells for around 275.00$

I sold these knives sheathless. They were sent to rawhider Billy Albin and this is how they came back. Beautiful stuff. I lot of work goes in to rawhide and braiding. I wouldn't have the patience.

I can neither price nor speak for Billy's work load or schedule. I can only put you in contact with him, should some one be interested in his products for my knives.

The bit

The stainless damascus proved to be difficult to work with again. I got this one built, but ruined another, stainless just won't take much forging, and the second required a lot of it.
 This bit is based on an old Bayers number 3 pattern. If you don't know who Adolph Bayers is, do a search, he was an interesting guy.

The start

Mid way

Finished!

The weather

We got luckier than some of the folks to the east of us. We got around 2 inches of solid sleet, not the freezing rain that crashes the power lines and is impossible to drive on. Lucky us! I know my friends up north would consider the 16 degrees predicted tonight a heat wave at times, but it is COLD for Texas.

Some one please make sure algore see's this post. Maybe he will come help me tote firewood.

Stainless damascus and a buckle

Ready for the forge

The place to be this afternoon. Rain, sleet, and a 20 mph wind made for a miserable day.

I ran these out to about a foot long, 1/2 inch thick, I will pattern it, then take it down to the thickness I want

 I forged out 2 billets of 304 stainless and 1018 carbon steel today. It's kind of a pain to do. One must weld all the edges solid to prevent any oxygen from getting inside, then there are no guarantees that that it will forge weld. I soak the billet at welding temperature a little longer than I do normal billets, then pray a lot. I usually regret taking on these projects, but the bits I will make will certainly be one of a kind. I know of no one else who is crazy enough to fool with this stuff. Stay tuned for the end results.


Below is a 1018/nickel damascus buckle with some fine silver inlay. It fits a one inch belt and is heat colored. 600 degrees for about 30 minutes makes the silver and nickel really stand out.

Sunday morning

I don't know why every body doesn't go to work at this time. They don't know what they are missing. I, for one, will never be accused of sleeping my life away.

I would like to have a rest every now and then though.

Out the door

Thanksgiving is over, and its back to work. I finished these two sets today and will move on to some damascus products.

The first are kid spurs. The picture does not show how very small the spurs are. They are for an infant I understand.

The next are lady's size, 1.5 inch shank with a 1 inch, 6 point rowel. Thanks for the order John.

I don't get to build many kid spurs. Most people don't realize there is as much work in a set of them as there is in a set for a size 12 boot, and when I price them, most folks back out. I wish there was a way around this, but if I want to stay 100% hand made there isn't. Sorry.

Square mouth piece

I have never used one, but, a very well respected horseman says it's the way to go on certain horses. I took the liberty of working on my inlaying skills on this one. I do need the practice and she won't mind.
 I use 4130 steel on the shanks, and 304 stainless steel for the hinge. Fine silver for the inlay-ed initial and edge.

I kind of had my doubts when this bit was described to me, but after getting it built I think it will really work well. I'm sure I will build more after this one gets used after Christmas.

Knives, bits, and the weather

32 degrees and raining/sleeting when I left the house this morning. It hasn't made up it's mind whether it wants to freeze over on the roads or not. Lots of wrecks up on the interstate any way. It's awfully early for this kind of weather here, and awfully hard on the livestock and those that take care of them.

I got these  knives finished Wednesday. Three sold before they got off the bench, The other two are promised. Christmas has been crazy.
1084/15n20 damascus, with a rain drop pattern.

I finished this bit this morning. It's going to a guy that rides lots of horses, and its a pretty good transition from a snaffle to something with a little more whoa.

I got these back from Armoralleather yesterday. These knives are promised also.

Cow bone, I love cow bone handles.

The week that was

Sick cattle. Things aren't always rosy in the cattle business, especially when you buy yearlings. Things get sick, it's our job to get them over it.

The walking dead

The cavalry arrives just in time

Dr killdeer and nurse ratchet hard at work

The mark of the beast

I runtoft with Jessica and Hillary (against my better judgement) to another sorting Saturday. Actually two of them. I felt like we were back on the old rodeo trail again. It's a little more pleasant now, Jessica doesn't whine quite as much as she did when she was in high school, plus, I don't have to drive.
 I ran into my little buddy, Hunter, at the show in Abilene. He was helping the stock contractor and hadn't brought a horse, so I cleared it with his boss and entered us up with him riding Peanut the wonder horse. I couldn't find him until right before our run, but we connected just as they were calling our names. He bailed onto Peanut and entered the pen with his stirrups too long and not knowing anything about the horse and we went to work. When the dust had cleared we had won the whole thing! As we rode out, he said, DANG! what a horse. I said DANG! what a horseman. Hunter is 13.

Boredom sets in, so let's check facebook

You know your really bored when you are taking pictures of your own feet

The road between Abilene and Breckenridge

Headed home, it's past my bedtime

 None of my pictures of the sorting came out. Too dark inside the arena I guess.



A few knives I finished.