L&H One Character Custom Stainless Steel Freeze or Fire Brand:

Description of L&H One Character Custom Stainless Steel Freeze or Fire Brand:

Key Benefit of L&H One Character Custom Stainless Steel Freeze or Fire Brand:

BRANDING TIPS FOR STAINLESS STEEL FIRE BRANDS
A properly applied, legally recorded brand is proof of ownership. It will increase the chance of your recovering stray, missing, or stolen livestock manifold and will serve as a great deterrent to theft as well. A good brand eliminates many markets and outlets where a rustler may dispose of an animal.
• Heating the Iron
Using either a bed of coals or bottled gas, the iron should be heated until it is gray in color. If it is black, it will be too cold and won’t burn deep enough. If it is bright cherry red it will burn too deep, possibly leaving a hard sore and a blotched brand. The iron must be hot enough to remove hair and the outer layer of skin.
• Applying the brand
1. Normally, applying the iron 3-5 seconds will be sufficient to obtain a permanent brand. If the cattle to be branded are carrying extremely long hair, they should be clipped.
2. Be sure to press firmly and rock the iron slightly to get a uniform brand.
3. Do not brand animals that are damp or wet as it will result in scalding rather than burning and in most cases a blotched, slow-healing sore.
4. Restrain the animal to be branded as securely as possible to prevent their moving and causing a blotched brand.
5. Do not brand over an existing brand. Id necessary, place your brand in front, behind, above or below an existing brand but as close as possible to your registered location as possible.
6. There should be only one application of the iron. If it is necessary to retouch the brand, do so with extreme care to avoid blotching.
7. A properly applied brand should be the color of saddle leather when the iron is removed.
• Care of the Irons
1. Keep your irons free of carbon buildup caused by scale and burnt hair. A bucket of sand or a wire brush at the branding table will aid you in this chore.
2. When you are through branding, the irons should be cleaned and reshaped by using a file or rasp and then be stored in a container of oil.
• Brand Design
1. Your brand should be as simple as possible. Avoid intricate patterns which produce sharp corners, as a concentration of heat will cause the brand to burn out and blotch.
2. Sharp edges should be avoided or filed off.
3. Do not use thin or burned-up irons as they will cut deep into the hide and leave a thin scar which will cover with hair.

Freeze Branding

 
Branding times vary according to the type of metal in the irons (all times shown here are for L & H brass freeze branding irons) and the age, skin thickness and color of the animal. Branders should calibrate their freeze branding irons by branding the recommended times and keeping accurate records of times and results. 
 

Branding Procedure
Chill the irons in the desired coolant. Pour enough coolant into the container to adequately cover the heads of the irons by 1". The surface of the coolant will appear to boil when the irons are introduced into the coolant, when this boiling subsides the irons are as cool as the coolant will allow and are ready to use.

Restrain the animal with your desired method, squeeze chute or calf table for cattle and twitch or stock for horses, making sure the site to be branded is accessible. If the animal needs to be sedated consult your veterinarian.

Clean the brand site of foreign material. Clip the brand site as square as possible, particularly at the bottom, to aid in square placement of the brand. Throughly dry the brand site if the animal is sweating or is wet from the rain or washing.

Squirt room temperature alcohol over the brand site, thoroughly covering the entire area. This removes some skin oils and helps transfer cold from the iron head to the skin.

Immediately after the alcohol soak, quickly remove the appropriate iron from the container, align it properly and firmly press the iron squarely on the brand site. As the iron is pressed to the skin the stopwatch should be started. Hold the iron firmly, applying 35 to 45 pounds of steady pressure, with a slight rocking motion. When the appropriate time has elapsed on the stopwatch, the iron should be immediately removed from contact with the skin.