Cowboys and cowgirls take a lot of pride in their gear, seeking out items that are both beautiful and functional. Bit and spur maker Jens Berg is creating handmade silver and metal gear that fits this bill perfectly. The Wyoming-born, Texas-based artisan grew up knowing he had a knack for art and, after starting out on leather, found his niche in metalsmithing. Unique silver engraving and overlay, which often feature the brands or initials of customers, are placed on top of functional handmade bits and spurs. Berg’s customers include rodeo competitors, working ranch hands, horsemen and women, and collectors from across the U.S. and beyond.
Wyoming Roots
Berg grew up outside the remote interstate town of Kaycee, Wyoming, which is best known for being the hometown of Chris LeDoux. The surrounding area is mostly occupied by cattle and sheep producers. Berg grew up in the ranching community — his father, Pat, worked as a farrier, and his mother Lila’s family ran cattle and sheep – and he developed a passion for Western life and an understanding of gear early on. His father was artistic, and Berg soon picked up drawing as a way to fill the time. “I always had to entertain myself quite a bit. The only neighbors who were kids were way up the road, so most of the people around were older than me,” Berg shared.
As an adult, Berg became interested in family history, which has informed his own life in the West. His father’s family immigrated to the United States from Norway, landing at Ellis Island on July 3, 1891. The family made their way to Minnesota, and his great-grandfather, also named Jens, moved to North Dakota. His grandfather, Leo, settled near Fargo, and Jens’s father eventually left North Dakota for Wyoming. His mother’s family settled in Johnson County, Wyoming, many generations ago.
Berg’s first gear project was tooling leather, with the goal of eventually building a saddle. He found that leather projects were difficult to balance with other work — leather is usually dampened for stamping, has to dry for a certain period of time, and can be finicky — so he decided to try engraving after seeing Wilson Capron’s work. “I saw one of his bits, and he’s just an amazing artist,” Berg recalled. “I knew right then and there that I wanted to know more about it.”
He messaged Capron, seeking advice for getting into engraving. Capron suggested that Berg attend an engraving class hosted by GRS in Emporia, Kansas. Berg started purchasing tools and silver as he was able but held off on attending the class. Over the coming years, Berg worked a number of jobs before deciding to try his hand at silverwork full-time. He and his wife, well-known Western broadcaster Katy Berg (Lucas), had just moved south to Texas, which was another motivator for Berg to try a new career path. He attended the GRS class Capron had suggested and finished purchasing tools. “Those tools couldn’t get here fast enough,” Berg remembered.
Berg set up a simple workspace and started honing his craft on copper cuffs and other small projects. Soon after, he traveled to Capron’s shop and spent a week building a bit, learning the fundamentals of making a product that can be used.
Silver is a soft metal, and adding it to bits and spurs requires soldering. To learn how to do this, Berg enlisted the help of Gordy Alderson, who was just up the road from their home in Texas. With this new knowledge, Berg was able to build Katy a bit for Christmas. After posting a photo of the bit on social media, he started receiving inquiries for custom projects. Since then, Berg has created custom bits and spurs for a long list of customers from across the U.S. and Canada.
Honing His Craft
The seeds that have grown into Berg’s current style were planted many years ago, starting on the Wyoming prairie. His mother’s family ranch and his father’s work with horses put Berg around livestock and ranch life every day. Western art and culture were also early influences. “I’m a big Charlie Russell fan,” he shared. “If you look at his paintings, those cowboys didn’t have much, but they had silver-mounted bits and spurs and a really nice saddle.”
Berg’s style is also the product of many years of studying the work of others and spending time experimenting with designs. “I landed on my own style by studying other people’s work. I’m able to find little things I like.” Berg reflected. “I’m always working on drawing a design or studying work. I’m just always working at it.”
Sheridan, Wyoming, which is the home of many legendary Western gear maker
s, also influenced Berg. “I lived in Sheridan for around six years and fell in love with Sheridan-style tooling. I knew some of the famous saddle makers, and I spent a lot of time in King’s [Saddlery]. Also, Jim Jackson is my favorite leathertooler,” he shared.
Beyond artistic style, there are a number of lanes a maker can choose when it comes to the functional style of bits and spurs. Berg has largely chosen to stick with simple, straightforward products using a lot of the knowledge he gained from Alderson, including how to properly set the purchase of a bit and make sure it’s balanced. All of Berg’s orders are custom, so the mouthpiece style, measurements, and other details a
re determined by the customer. “It doesn’t matter how pretty a bit is. If it’s not a functional piece, it’s just a paperweight. I like to build things that are nice enough to put on a shelf but are also functional,” Berg said.
Many of Berg’s bits and spurs feature silver overlay, which is designed, engraved, cut out, and soldered to iron. He decided to try this filigree-style design after seeing other designs he liked. This process is tedious and requires the precise use of a silver saw. “If you saw out enough stuff, you’ll get good at it,” Berg laughed. “It’s time
-consuming, but it’s a fun process to see what you imagined come into true form.”
Catering to the Customer
Each of Berg’s projects starts with a custom order. After posting the first bit he built for Katy on social media, Berg started receiving inquiries for other projects. As his business grew, Berg also started receiving orders from people who were seeing his work in person.
Customers come to Berg with an idea, which may be broad or specific. After gathering the necessary measurements and customer ideas, he crea
tes a concept drawing. After the customer approves the concept, Berg is able to start building. Berg’s designs are elegant and classic, with detailed silver scrollwork and flowers. Many customers also add unique elements, like brands, initials, bucking horses, and more.
Berg wants to make each item unique, which has also ha
ppened naturally as he has focused on improving his skills. “I don’t use the same pattern twice. I might steal some concepts out of another project if I really liked it,” he shared.
Bits were Berg’s first focus, and after his work started appearing online and at events, he was asked to build trophy spurs. His first pair were commissioned for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s Xtreme Broncs tour, and since then, he has built prizes for other rodeos and events. This also kick-started custom orders for custom spurs. “I build more spurs now than I do bits,” Berg shared.
Berg’s customer base has grown organically with the help of Katy, who helps with marketing and social media. Katy’s work in broadcasting and the flexibility of Berg’s work has also been beneficial, allowing him to travel to rodeos across the country. “This last year, I felt like I was on the rodeo circuit,” Berg laughed.
The Western and rodeo community have been extremely supportive of Berg’s work. “In the Western world, people are just really good,” he concluded. “It’s really fun to be around people who support you. We’re very blessed to be in the groups that we’re in.”
