How to Make Spurs
Although spurs are generally associated with cowboys and westerns, they are actually believed to have been first used by Roman soldiers. Today they are still used for riding horses, but are also often used for decorative purposes. Spurs consist of two main pieces, the rowel and the shank. The rowel is the sharp spinning piece at the end. The shank is the long slender piece where the rowel attaches. It is part of the heel band that attaches to the boot.
Things You'll Need
- 2 metal sheets
- Drill
- Engraving tool
- 2 metal pins or bolts
- Small rotary tool for smoothing rough edges
- Welder or soldering iron for heating metal
- Machine tool or blow torch
- 2 leather straps
- Marking pen
Instructions
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1
Decide on the type of spur that you want. If you are making spurs to use on a horse you will need to consider the type of horse that you are riding as well as the type or riding and rider that you are. For example the spurs for English riding are more sleek and slim in design and have a shorter neck, while spurs for Western riding are heavier and often have lots of decorations. Spurs used for rodeo riders need to be dull and have a rowel that rotate. A decorative spur can be made to suit your needs.
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2
Choose a metal from which to construct your spur. Most spurs are made from silver, stainless steel or iron.
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3
Measure the width of your heel using a tape measure. Then measure the area around the heel. This will help to determine the size of the spur's heel band.
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4
Cut out a piece of metal that is about two to three inches longer than what is needed for the heel band. The excess metal will be used to create the shank.
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Heat up the metal until you can bend it. Shape it into a "U" but with a tail sticking coming off from the center. So it looks almost like a "Y," but is more rounded off. This tail is the shank. Allow the metal to cool, then drill a small hole about 1/8 an inch in diameter in the end of the shank.
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Choose a design of a rowel by looking at patterns from real spurs (see resource links). If your spurs are decorative you can make them look anyway that you want. Trace the shape of the rowel onto a sheet of metal and then cut it out using a machining tool or blow torch. Drill a small hole about 1/8 inch in diameter. This is where the rowel will attach to the shank
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Attach the rowel to the shank using a small metal bolt. Tighten it down with a small nut, but don't make it too tight. The rowel should be able to spin freely.
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Add designs to your spurs using an engraving tool. Drill two small holes, one on each side of the to of the top of the "U" shaped heel band. Slide a leather strap through the holes and use this to attach the heel band to your boot.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/liquidlibrary/Getty Images
