GottMitUns Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 I actually had a paying job today!What do folks around Texas and Oklahoma charge for a branding iron? Russell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 Depends on if it is a steak brander or a criter brander. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 There is a bit more involved making a "real" branding iron vs a "Brand anything else than a critter" branding iron---use of tapered stock, brand not resulting in necroses due to the burn, do they have the right to that brand, etc.. As I recall the last time I investigated the cost for a real iron was US$75 per character. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GottMitUns Posted September 28, 2015 Author Share Posted September 28, 2015 Critter brander, even registered in Goliad Co.TX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 (edited) OK generally I have seen folks take something like the edges of good sized channel iron to get a thick back to hold heat and a thinner edge to get clearer imprint. (as smiths we can forge it like that compared to the fab guys who work mainly with cut/bend/paste)Yours looks a bit "light" for steer work; but would do for a lady wishing to mark her ownership of a possibly wandering spouse. Edited September 28, 2015 by ThomasPowers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Just as an aside, when I saw Gordon Williams demonstrating a few weeks back someone asked him if there was anything he did NOT like to forge...and he immediately said "Branding Irons." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notownkid Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Yours looks a bit "light" for steer work; but would do for a lady wishing to mark her ownership of a possibly wandering spouse.Ouch! Certainly would change a Wandering Spouse into a Run a way one in a hurry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmoothBore Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 When I made the Branding Iron for the "Lone Saguaro" outfit, it was specified that it be suitable for use on everything from GrandKids and Jack Russells, ... to Rattlesnakes.No complaints, ... so far ..... . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 My daughter's in her last year of Vet school and will be visiting tomorrow. I'll ask her if they teach anything about branding. (She's in Colorado, so a ranching state!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 She probbably knows a bit. My vet uses electricaly heated and nitrogen cooled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 yup but it will give her a chance to show off her "store boughten" knowledge to her decrepit old papa who reads "Alloying Elements in Steel" at the breakfast table... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Glad I'm not the only one to set the kids up to show off. Even if I dang sure kniw what they are talking about, I keep my mouth shut, and play dumb! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Play Dumb???? Just another Day in Pair-A-Dice!! As long as the Dirt is down, we're Good!!Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GottMitUns Posted September 29, 2015 Author Share Posted September 29, 2015 I took Charles and Thomas's advice and rebuilt itDoes this look a little more like a critter iron than a steak iron?Russell Opps, I forgot the actual picture of the brand! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 Brand on the wood looks a lot smoother than I thought the actual item was. I was afraid the kink in the C would wreck the look. Brand itself doesn't look at all bad to me. Note that the closest I come to live stock is helping a friends kids move their 4-H pigs and getting the odd call to come out and bury a horse on short notice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GottMitUns Posted September 29, 2015 Author Share Posted September 29, 2015 The only thing I have ever branded is wood so I take all of the advice I can get! I wonder how flat it actually has to be to work on the backside of a cow in a squeeze shoot?I got the brand on wood by just setting it down under it own weight for a quick 5 count.Russell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manolito Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 I think it looks a lot better. I don't know about Texas My brand in California is only for the left rear hip. Others are located mid section or front left or right and often in conjunction with a ear slit.Draw file the end and you will get a good idea how flat it is. Smearing a brand is very easy to do with an iron like that the hair melts and the iron slips down smearing the brand. I would consider a twisted wire second hand hold or a sliding wood handle on the iron. Just my personal preference.The tapered material will hold the heat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 What we really need is Frank Turley's opinion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 True that , TP. After you file it level, round the edges over, this makes it set down better and lesslikely to slip or peal the hide. In use its black hot, and aplied till the hair and hide are singed to look kind of like copper The idea is just to kill the hair follicles. Dont know if you need notches where the junctions are, I know for certain you do on circles. Some time their is just to much heat and it blisters the critters. Also, the extra mas keeps them cold when diped in denatured and dry ice. That just killes the pigment. Manolito, most brand books list each quarter seperatly. Helps when more than one branch of a famaly uses the same brand, or one outfit owns more than one ranch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted September 29, 2015 Share Posted September 29, 2015 http://www.sdbrandboard.com/brandtips.aspaee if this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matto Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 from what i was tought on making branding irons you need an eight to a quarter inch open spaces where any line intersects. looks good on wood but with out the space the flesh will scare up in a big blob rather than more crisp letters. you can kind of see it start in the wood. the space allows for the burn to finishe the brand line cleaner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GottMitUns Posted September 30, 2015 Author Share Posted September 30, 2015 Thanks guys! Matto and Charles, Do you think using a suicide wheel and gouging a 1/4" wide X 3/4 deep gouge were the lines intersect will work or do I need to make this thing over for the 3rd time? Russell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 The gap dosnt neet to be that deep, 3/8 should be plenty, and one can do that with a chainsaw file. Is the face of the stock wise enue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manolito Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 Since I wasn't asked I will move on now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted September 30, 2015 Share Posted September 30, 2015 Dont think he ment to slight you, Manolito, I think your imput would be welcome. Nothing like first hand experiance using one to show up common flaws. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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