Steve Schmitt's Personal Eagle BIt Engraved by Elmer Miller (1914-1992)

Steve Schmitt's Personal Eagle BIt Engraved by Elmer Miller (1914-1992)
Stamped and dated "SRS2 1988", this heavy, regal, and and deeply engraved sterling overlaid bit with Mona Lisa mouth and copper hood is mounted with raised gold "SRS" initials. This bit was built by Steve when he was working for Elmer Miller in the late 1980s and actually engraved by Elmer Miller (see story, below).

Upon arrival at Elmer Miller's Bit & Spur Making School in 1988, we were told that we could build four pieces of our choosing from his catalogue. And Elmer would engrave the first two pieces for us. After starting with a pair of spurs, I thought what the heck, choose the most complicated to learn as many techniques as possible. His classic Eagle bit with eagle bottom bar. And Elmer would engrave it! Originally, it also had a spade mouthpiece so I could learn about spade bits from Elmer himself.

Both loving the way this bit turned out, plus always wanting to train a classic spade bit horse, I kept this bit throughout my building career. Unfortunately, being in the horse trading business, everytime I got a horse to the level to handle a spade bit, someone would offer me more money than common sense dictated, and the horse was gone. So in order to actually use the but, I replaced the spade mouthpiece with this cricket one.

The end result is what you see here: a Elmer Miller engraved Eagle bit, handbuilt, modified and used by Steve Schmitt in the roping arena and cowboying in both Idaho and Arizona.

Excellent condition, c 1988.