got my fourth pair of spur done

johninok

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skull buckle 002.jpg flower spurs 002.jpg flower spurs 004.jpg Finished these up today, womens size bands.
 
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don hicks

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Very nice. Are there any books on spur construction out there. I would like to know what goes into making them. Do you weld the parts together or solder and how do you determine the size? Anyone done a tutorial? I'm asking for a lot. I'm thinking that with the growth in cowboy action shooting , the demand should be growing. Thanks for posting.
Cheers
Don
 

johninok

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there are how to videos out there, and you can buy kits with all the parts you need to build a pair. I weld the shanks and hanger staples on, then grind and file to get things square. buttons are peened on and the silver buttons are soldered on.
 

atexascowboy2011

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Bob (Robert) Hall has a book at Ruxton's Trading Post, detailing how to traditionally forge( no welds) a pair of spurs or bit.
Bob was a spurmaker extrordinaire.
 

Haraga.com

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Don, don't do it. If you are going to make a pair of high quality spurs then I promise you that you will never make less per hour.
 

atexascowboy2011

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True Haraga, you can make more flipping burgers at McDonalds , but I build for my peace of mind.
I would rather build one pair of spurs and know that 100 years from now, someone will look at them and say "WOW, look at these", rather than having my "artwork" silver bracket sold at a garage sale a year or so after I made it.
I remember doing shows and having 15-20 people crowding my table, trying to hear and see as I explained the spur making process.
To me that was priceless.
Didyoung gave a good example earlier on bracelets. That girl might wear that bracelet for a year and then put it away when some other bracelet catches her fancy. Whereas a good pair of spurs will be worn and then handed down and worn by generation after generation.
Look at Jessie's post about Adolph Bayers.
I called the museum and the museum lady figures there will be over 200 pairs of Bayer's spurs and bits and Bayer's died in the 70's ?
THAT, is how I want to be remembered.
 

don hicks

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Don, don't do it. If you are going to make a pair of high quality spurs then I promise you that you will never make less per hour.

Thanks for all your responses, it sounds like this, like so many artistic projects, is a labor of love. It's hard to get paid for the time invested, only those that do the work can appreciate what goes into the project.
Cheers
Don
 

Haraga.com

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Atexascowboy, if you are in this business "to be remembered" then you are in it for the wrong reason.
 

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