Branding Irons

[Bareback Jack]

Ok fella's, who can give me some tips for making up some sets of branding irons (hot irons). I need a full set of numbers and letters as well as a couple custom irons. I've never made any irons before but I know a few of you have. What are the do's and don'ts? Thanks guys.

Oh, btw, if anybody knows of a pipeline kicking off, maybe you could let me know....

[barebackjake]

i just made mine out of 3/8" flat strap heated and shaped to how i want it then welded the handles on. been using the same ranch brand and number set for i dont know how many years. horses getting freeze branded now only the cows are getting smoked

[Bareback Jack]

Did you notch out the corners to prevent blotching? How about the freeze brands, stainless or carbon?

[metalmeltr]

could you explain this freeze branding?

[Bareback Jack]

Freeze branding is basically the same as hot branding but instead of heating the irons, you super cool them. Instead of burning the hair and hide, it freezes the pigment folicles in the hair but not the growth folicles. So unlike a hot brand you get white hairs in the shape of your brand. This is done allot on horses, but not much on cattle. Actually some states don't even recognize freeze brands on cattle.

[barebackjake]

on the corners i just took a triangle file and relived out the corners

i used copper bus bars i had from work for my freeze brands welded them togethor with the tig machine

for freeze branding the brands are dipped in liquid nitrogen or a mix of broken up dryice and 99% alcohol

the Liq n2 works better -210deg C as solid co2 is -78.5deg c also theres less infection risk and faster healing times with freeze branding. theres a couple show cattle barns i have built freeze brands for since it looks better also. you can get more detailed information in a small freeze brand thats why the blm uses it for the mustangs and burros


oh yeah bbj good name....

[pipeline Dan]

I made a set this spring for a rancher, I posted the pics, take a look and see if it helps!

[schwede]

dam i wish they freeze branded bulls and broncs it would be a lot easier to see

[Skip]

A job I was working on a few years ago, I had a problem with someone walking off with my welding gloves. I made up a branding iron with my initials and i would brand the inside of the cuff of my gloves. That ended the glove disapearance problem