Since Santa Maria Style Barbecue was born in the land of the cowboy, we can’t help but celebrate the “wild west” entrepreneurial spirit that continually emerges from our region.
Indeed, when getting set to attend the next barbecue soiree, what better way to adorn oneself than with Santa Maria-made Ammo Wear bullet casing jewelry! Creators Byron and Patricia Bartlett have been handcrafting this unique line since 2011, and just this month launched a Kickstarter Project, which is a “crowd funding” platform that invites backers to support small startups.
All Ammo Wear is made by hand from spent casings. Primer cups are removed and the casings and primer cups are then thoroughly cleaned. The bottom of the casings are cut off, sanded and all sharp edges are removed before assembly. Any leftover scraps are recycled or repurposed into jewelry.
“My first earrings were made from .45 automatic Colt pistol casings that I saved after shooting my grandfather’s Colt Model 1917 revolver that he used in France during WWI,” Byron says. “I still shoot that old revolver from time to time, but can’t shoot nearly enough ammo to supply all of the casings that we need. So, now we purchase spent casings to meet demand and offer a more varied selection.”
Byron adds that they just love customer feedback. “Our favorite comment so far is, ‘If you don’t buy it, you’ll want to shoot yourself.’”
Well said!
