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If you appreciate true originality and one of a kind craftsmanship you are in for a treat. I am a hand engraver who specializes in finely embellished horseshoes. My horseshoes are given as heirloom gifts to commemorate births, weddings, anniversaries, and career achievements. I am also called upon to do work which is purely ornamental. All of my work is done by hand, so you can be assured that your engraving will be one of a kind. I engrave and inlay precious metals into, steel horseshoes primarily. Engraving horseshoes is my first passion and is the reason I learned to engrave in the first place, but I also enjoy engraving knives and my own limited horseshoe nail jewelry line as well. Please have a look around the website and contact us if you would like to know more. Jim Brandvik - The Original Horseshoe Engraver
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 One of the things I love the most about doing what I do is having the occasional priviledge of being involved in something special. Each job is unique but some are more meaningful than others. Recently, I received an email from a lady named Margarita. She told me the story of her very special mustang. His name was Mico. Here is some of what she told me.
"I bought him from a horse trader who was ready to send him to slaughter because he was lame and no one wanted him. I know I paid too much for him, he was probably worth $100.00 but I didn't care, I knew something was there even though his eyes were dim and he was in a very sad state." |
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Read more: Remembering Mico
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 I have never considered myself to be a particularly lucky person. I have endured my share of pain and loss and I have never made a fortune or even had my fifteen minutes of fame.
I have worked hard my whole adult life and have usually been able to carve out a modest but comfortable existence. As such, I have never put much stock in luck. Except for that which comes from a person's own hard work and determination. I have just never depended much on good luck. Heck, I have never even bought a lotto ticket... Not one. (I could never seem to suppress my public school knowledge of math long enough to allow myself such an indulgence.) |
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Read more: The Luckiest Man I Know
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Wedding Bells and Horseshoes |
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 June is supposed to be the most popular month for weddings, but apparently July and August are also big wedding months. Lately most of the work I have been doing has been custom engraved horseshoes. I have shipped horseshoe wedding gifts coast to coast from California to New York during the last couple of months.
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Read more: Wedding Bells and Horseshoes
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 My wife, Laurie, and I lead fairly anonymous lives. We live in a little cabin on a small ranch in South Texas where we tend to stay fairly-well under the radar.
I, like most craftsmen, am a bit of an introvert with regard to promotion and marketing. I would much rather stay in my barn/studio tinkering at the workbench than to pack up and go out on the road trying to show my work at rodeos and stock shows. |
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Read more: "The Interview"
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 Why Horseshoes?
Since the Bronze Age when the Romans first began shoeing their horses, the horseshoe has been a symbol of good fortune. Horseshoes have hung above doorways ever since. There is some debate as to proper positioning of a horseshoe. Some believe that the tips of the shoe should point up so that the good luck is retained and that if the horseshoe points down the good luck will be lost. Others believe that the tips of the shoe should point down spilling good luck onto all who pass beneath.
Besides luck, the shape of the horseshoe is pleasing and graceful in its appearance. It is known that shapes generate psychological responses from people. The use of shapes to convey, associate, communicate or reflect meaning has been evident throughout history. |
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Read more: Why Horseshoes?
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