Wilson Capron

Although circle Santa Barbara style shank bits have long existed, this is Capron’s first attempt at crafting one. When creating a bit, Capron said he often begins with a traditional foundation, then brings in ornamentation drawn from architecture, firearms and knives. Here he used fine silver and 24K gold inlay to frame the shanks, which became the anchor for the design. He then engraved the steel within those framed areas, with the top portion of the shanks allowing room for more detailed English style scrollwork. Finally, he forged a cathedral mouthpiece, a classic design that Capron said has stood the test of time.

With the Futurity Bit, Capron was interested in turning a solid, proven bit into something that stands apart — not just in how it looks, but in how it rides. The shanks, Capron said, are drawn from a well-known pattern introduced by his friend, Jim Edwards, while the mouthpiece is a variation on a trusted and widely used design that Capron’s mentor, TCAA emeritus bit & spur maker Greg Darnall, has produced for years. Then, to bring his own story to the mix, Capron added relief-engraved scrolls and 24K gold inlays. The bit also features fine silver and 24K gold pinstripes that frame the work and give it balance. The result, Capron said, is a bit that catches the eye while staying true to its purpose.

Texas is known for Longhorns and cattle drives and Capron’s family history is part of this epic story — a story told through his Texas Cattle Driver Spurs. Capron’s family history on his mother’s side goes back to Jim P. Wilson, who first trailed cattle from Texas to Kansas in 1880. Wilson’s brand — the 7W — features prominently on the inside heelband of each spur. To the right is the brand of Capron’s great grandfather who ran cattle and sheep in Ozona, Texas, while to the left is Capron’s father’s brand. The outside heelbands feature Longhorn skulls sculpted in sterling silver and flanked by yellow roses of 24K gold inlay, all framed by fine English scrollwork engraved into the steel.

“Wild Bill” Hickok purportedly held two black aces and two black eights — spades and clubs — when he was gunned down in a poker game in Deadwood, Dakota Territory in 1876. Known today as the “dead man’s hand,” no one really knows what the fifth card was and maybe that’s part of the story’s allure.

The West has always been home to equal amounts of danger and legend. Capron constructed the Dead Man’s Hand Bit with solid shanks, a versatile mouthpiece and sterling silver overlays giving this bit both purpose and polish, while the dead man’s hand engraved on each concha adds the right amount of danger and legend.

When grilling meat and vegetables, Capron asked, why not do it with hand-forged skewers that put the West’s legendary Texas Longhorn right at the center? Capron has always been intrigued by the stories told by the heads and horns of Longhorns — each one distinct, layered and full of character. Although forging that story in steel has always intimidated Capron, with his other projects this year focusing on cattle drives and poker hands, he had to attempt a small herd of skewers.