The Branding Iron

Oct 27, 2016
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Whether it's true or not, I like to think that the concept of "branding" came about by cowboys in the 1880s slapping a scalding iron on the backside of a steer. Their outfit's name was clearly marked, cattle rustlers with a herd marked with another man's sign were hanged, and ownership was clear as a bell. To this day, if you want your own brand you must consult an encyclopedia-sized book that lists every registered brand, and if it's taken you have to come up with a different option. That attention to detail means when folks see the mark they know what's what. It makes perfect sense to me.

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