If you were watching the season five premiere of Yellowstone and found yourself staring at the screen during that quiet scene in the dusty Texas workshop, you weren’t alone. Rip Wheeler, the show’s resident enforcer, walks into a shop in Pampa to pick up a bit for Lloyd. He meets an old man with steady hands and a workspace that looks like it hasn't changed since the 1960s. That wasn't an actor. That was Yellowstone spur maker Billy Klapper, a man who actually lived that life until he passed away in September 2024 at the age of 87.
Honestly, the show didn't have to do much "acting" for that scene. Billy was just being Billy.
The Man Behind the Steel
Billy Klapper wasn't some Hollywood consultant brought in to look the part. He was the real deal. Born in 1937 in Lazare, Texas, he grew up when the Panhandle was still a place where a man's word and his handshake actually meant something. He started out as a ranch hand, working cattle at the Buckle L and the Y Ranch. You can't make gear for cowboys if you don't know what it’s like to spend twelve hours in a saddle during a Norther. Billy knew.
He didn't even start making bits until he was 25. He was just tired of waiting forever for custom gear from the big-name makers of the time.
Why "Klappers" Are Different
You’ve probably heard the term "one-piece spurs." Most spurs you see in a western wear store are several pieces of metal welded together. They’re fine for looking cool at a concert, but they don't hold up to the literal grind of ranch work.
Billy Klapper was one of the last makers who did it the old way. He took a single piece of steel—often old Ford axles from before 1949 because the steel quality was better—and hammered it out. No welds. No weak points.
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- The 27 Bit: This is his most famous design. It’s got these snake-like curved shanks and a high-ported mouthpiece.
- The 299 Bit: A lighter version of the 27, originally made for the horseman Don Dodge.
- Custom Patterns: Over his career, he developed 682 spur patterns and 816 bit patterns.
Basically, he didn't just make tools; he made instruments for communication between a horse and a rider.
The Yellowstone Cameo and That Bit for Lloyd
The scene in Yellowstone was filmed just a few months before Billy died. In the episode, Rip is awestruck by the shop. He tells Billy, "I didn't know people made them like that anymore." Billy’s response was pure Texan: "I think there might be a few, but very few."
The bit Rip picks up is for Lloyd, who apparently ordered it years ago. That’s a nod to the actual waitlists Billy had. If you wanted a pair of Klapper spurs, you didn't just go online and click "buy." You waited. Sometimes for a year. Sometimes longer.
When Billy died on September 10, 2024, the show added a tribute card: "In Loving Memory of Billy Klapper." It wasn't just corporate fluff. Taylor Sheridan, the show's creator, is a horseman himself. He knew that when Billy died, a massive library of Western knowledge went with him.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Value
People see these spurs going for $3,000 or $5,000 at auctions now and think it’s just because of the TV show. That's part of it, sure. But the real value is the fact that there isn't an apprentice.
Billy didn't have a "school." He learned by watching the legendary Adolph Bayers, but Bayers wasn't exactly handing out his secrets. Billy had to keep his mouth shut and just observe. Because Billy didn't pass his specific hammering techniques down to a successor, the supply of "new" Klappers ended in the summer of 2024.
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How to Tell If You Have Real Klappers
If you happen to find a pair at an estate sale or in an old barn, look for the hallmark. Billy always marked his work. He’d stamp "KLAPPER" and often the pattern number near the buttons.
- Check for the "One-Piece" construction. There should be no visible weld where the shank meets the heel band.
- Look at the silver. He used silver solder, which is more expensive but way more reliable than the cheap stuff.
- Feel the weight. They’re balanced. A real Klapper bit has a specific "feel" in a horse's mouth that trainers like Matlock Rose or Carol Rose swore by.
The Collectibility Factor
His spurs used to sell for about $20 a pair when he started in the 60s. By the time he was featured on the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame list, they were thousands. Honestly, they’re art. But Billy always insisted they were for working. He hated the idea of his gear sitting on a shelf behind glass. He wanted it in the dirt, on a horse, doing what it was built to do.
Actionable Next Steps for Enthusiasts
If you’re looking to get into collecting or just want to honor the craft, here’s what you can actually do:
- Visit the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame: Billy was posthumously honored as the 2025 Legendary Bit & Spur Maker. Their exhibits often feature the actual tools and patterns used by makers like him.
- Study the "Bayers" Method: If you’re a metalworker, look into the specific blacksmithing techniques Billy used. While his exact patterns are in his shop's spiral notebooks, the "one-piece" philosophy is a dying art worth studying.
- Search Verified Auctions: If you want to buy, avoid random "handmade spurs" on social media. Stick to reputable houses like Rock Island Auction or Western Trading Post where the hallmarks are verified by experts.
- Support Current Makers: Look for the "very few" Billy mentioned. Support craftsmen who are still using coal forges and manual trip hammers. They are the only thing keeping the "West" in Western heritage alive.
Billy Klapper was the end of an era. He was a man who worked in the same shop in Pampa for decades, smelling the wood fire and the hot steel, making things that were meant to last longer than he did. And they will.