trooper bits vs civilian bits?

[Paul L Muller]

I was wondering what the differance is between a trooper bit and a civi bit? I make a loose ring and thought it was a trooper style "clarksville" but I have had it called a civilian bit. I am just wondering if the is a differance Thanks. Paul L. Muller

[malachi]

Re: trooper bits vs civilian bits?

Paul, the only difference I can think of is in how much material is left in the cheek branches. The civilian ones i have read about were factory cast and had very thin long branches like a walking horse bit. They are fairly easy to break from hard use. The loose ring version i forge is based on pictures in ken's book. I simply leave more mass in the lower branch. i start with one inch by three sixteenths and forge the headstall ring first on the bick, then I cut it off at six inches and draw it out to seven. That makes for plenty of meat to set down the bottom hole for the loose ring. I have never seen any like this called civilian, but i aint that smart either.
john tucker

[Mark Choate]

Re: trooper bits vs civilian bits?

Paul,
I cannot elaborate on this much as I am late now for leaving for Louisville and the Kentucky Derby, but John gives some good points above. Try to think in this fashion: "style and fashion-of-the-day" for Civilian (mostly) and "durability and functionality" for the Trooper (again, for the most part). Hopefully, Ken and others will chime in here.

As for me, I am Derby bound and will be watching the worlds finest T-breds "duke it out". I will be out of A/C touch for a few days. If you get any "hot tips" then email them to me, ha. :wink_smil

regards,
Mark

[Ken Knopp]

Re: trooper bits vs civilian bits?

The hand forged loose ring curb bit pattern was made and used pre war in civilian applications (both cast and hand forged) however it has features that were similar to much earlier military patterns such as the loose ring, simple bridle holes, etc. I have seen many of these civilian bits dug from home and plantation sites that are identical to CS military patterns dug in CW sites. Literally no difference at all. The Confederacy adopted this blacksmith made expedient pattern because it was simple, easy and cheap to make. The term "trooper's bit" is their coinage from the official records.

This hand made bit pattern continued to be made in the South (and likely elsewhere such as on the western frontier) well after the war. In fact, not long ago I bought a grouping of bits off ebay from an old ranch estate sale. It included identical bits but arc welded and of more modern steel. Very, very similar cast patterns were made by the catalog companies for at least 60 years after the war. When examining excavated and other bits of this pattern it is well to look closely at the type of iron used and its construction. The use of modern steel, modern finishes, and modern welding would obviously exclude them from our period. Soft iron, hand finishes and blacksmith welds can go along way to determining its construction. That way one can at least approximate if it is made like a period bit.

Ken R Knopp