# Red Brand Barb Wire



## JB1023 (Feb 22, 2011)

Here is what I am looking at. Need to build 1/2 mile of fence on some recently purchased property. I have always been told that red brand is a really good barb wire to use for cattle fence. I am looking at 12.5ga 4pt. I also like that it is American made. Please fill me in with any and all opinions of good and bad with this wire. Thanks.

Jason


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

Never had a problem with it I fenced 5 miles with it last year and it works great.


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## Bonfire (Oct 21, 2012)

I installed a couple of miles of it in 2011. No problems. I would use it again.


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## Nitram (Apr 2, 2011)

I used Red brand and Oklahoma brand both have done well. 15 gage can be pulled in half while stretching!


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## JB1023 (Feb 22, 2011)

Thanks for the replys. Glad to that you all had a good experience with it as I am as well. Can any of you tell me your experience with how this wire holds up to the elements over the years, hopefully decades?

Thanks,

Jason


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

Some dad put up 20 or so years ago is gettin rusty but not to bad.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Never been a fan of barbed wire myself, much prefer electric when possible. I am however going to install some along a half mile stretch of dirt road that borders the farm. Plan on high tensile hot wire top and bottom then use the barb for the ground wire. Reasoning is I've had people back right thru two strands of high tensile when they were turning around on the dirt road, I use a strand of barb for the ground and it will be guaranteed they will f*ck their paint job up for their stupidity.


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

mlappin said:


> Never been a fan of barbed wire myself, much prefer electric when possible. I am however going to install some along a half mile stretch of dirt road that borders the farm. Plan on high tensile hot wire top and bottom then use the barb for the ground wire. Reasoning is I've had people back right thru two strands of high tensile when they were turning around on the dirt road, I use a strand of barb for the ground and it will be guaranteed they will f*ck their paint job up for their stupidity.


I dont prefer barbed wire either except on larger farms with no hydro. Solar fencers arent reliable with my experience with them anyway so I use barbed where I cant use high tensile


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## eam77 (Aug 4, 2013)

I've done quite a lot of barbed wire. In the early years, I bought the cheap wire. About 20 years later, I bought another place where the old guy had put up Red Brand barb wire in 1968 --- and all of it was way better than the wire I had put up in 1973.

After that, I buy nothing but Red Brand.

Side issues about long-term fence durability.

1. I did put up on quarter of Bakeart "Motto" barb wire in 1971. This was 15-1/2 guage. Best galvanized wire of any I have ever used. It still looks good - I looked at it yesterday- except where wrecked by this year's tornado. But I don't like the smaller wire-- wish this super good galvanizing was available on 12-1/2 gauge.

2. I did some fence repair last week. The wire I cut out was put up in 1973, by a fellow I hired. Still intact, but ready to be replaced. Some of a previous fence was still present. It was put up about 1948- strangly, it was bigger than 12-1/2 gauage, at least 12 gauge, maybe even 11 gauge (barb wire).

3. When looking at fences yesterday, creosote posts put up in 1972 are about 75% solid ---- "penta" posts put up in 1973 and 1974 are 95% rotted off at the ground --- mostly suspended, because I nailed into available trees back in those days.

4. Looking at steel posts, which is all I have used for many years- post in use 25 years have mostly lost their paint and are rusty, but fully functional. Then I have a few quarters up about 20 years that still have most of their paint. Maybe some are better that others? (As far as I know, steel posts are mostly not branded.)

Finally, I keep reading about people liking high-tensile electric fence better than barb wire. I don't get it. It is a big chore for me to keep an electric fence in service. Maybe the briar-and-bramble pressure is less further north---maybe there are less lightning charger destructions???


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

eam77 said:


> Finally, I keep reading about people liking high-tensile electric fence better than barb wire. I don't get it. It is a big chore for me to keep an electric fence in service. Maybe the briar-and-bramble pressure is less further north---maybe there are less lightning charger destructions???


Surge protectors, lightning diverters and lightning chokes keep fence charger damage to a minimum. I had em place this last charger I bought on the farm policy.

Once winter hits here briars and brambles are done till spring. Lot of animal rights folks around as well up here that have mini strokes over barbed wire.


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