Econo-whip Mods

[Pyroxene]

Back in mid-July, I posted a pic of a whip I purchased at New Braunfels Leather.

It looked similar to this whip.


After working with Sebastian at the Texas summit, I made some modifications to my inexpensive whip that has really improved it.



1.) I cut the fall down to about 1 inch wide as suggested in Mark Allen's video. Razorblade Utility Knife $2.50.

2.) I removed the popper that came with it and added to the fall by adding a leather boot lace from Wal Mart $0.87.

3.) I added a smaller more flexable popper to the end of the fall. I used masonary string from the hardware dept at Wal Mart $3.00. (Ignore the big knot in the center of the popper. That happened during pratice. I have found that it's best to tie a knot every 3 inches or so.)

4.) I added a woodscrew to the knot of the handle to stop the swivel. Free, found one in a wall where a mirror used to hang.

Increasing the performance of your whip for under $10....priceless.

I had enough materials left over to do my 6 foot whip and now it cracks great! Granted it doesn't crack as well as a DM or Joe Strain but it does crack better than it did and will surely draw some attention in the park. And for me, that's all that counts.

I hope this helps several of you who have purchased inexpensive whips and have been frustrated with their performance.

Cheers,
Pyroxene

[Minnesota Jones]

Great job there Pyro! Keep 'em crackin'!
How's the double reverse horizontal/horizontal crack doing? I love doing that one.

[Blackthorne Rose]

Pyroxene,
What type of knot did you use to attach your leather shoe string to whip fall? I have tried several and they all fly off when I get a good crack.

[Jsoftz]

I'm seriously considering buying one of these as my first whip...

I wish I could come to a Texas summit, however you all (according to my parents) are obviously creepy internet people and thus meeting with y'all is out of the question.

[Indiana Texas-girl]

I wish I could come to a Texas summit, however you all (according to my parents) are obviously creepy internet people and thus meeting with y'all is out of the question.

I understand your parents view; I'd probably feel the same if I were a parent. But I assure ya that this here Indy group has to be the greatest Internet group out there and the most down-home one too. I've met plenty of the guys and gals here and can vouch for their character. If it helps, you can tell your parents that 2 of us Texans are teachers (BDJ and myself). And your parents are more than welcome to come to a summit. Indiana Alex's parent's came to the last big Texas summit a year ago and they had as much fun as Alex did. In fact, the dad ended up buying a panama-style hat(I believe) from Joe Jr. Heavens, Rick Blaine's (Indiana Dan) parents can vouch for me. I stayed with them a week in California and they let him come out here to Texas to visit for a week.

[Mola Ram]

HA! my parents feel the same exact way!
i have begged and begged but never made them
let me go to a summit. They were considering allowing
me go to the New Hamp. Summit bup decided not to cause
we were way to busy and its kind of far away.
Mola

[Pyroxene]

Pyroxene,
What type of knot did you use to attach your leather shoe string to whip fall? I have tried several and they all fly off when I get a good crack.

I don't recall what knot I used. An old fisherman's knot should work. I'll snap a few photos for you to look at.

[Henry Jones Sr.]

1.) I cut the fall down to about 1 inch wide as suggested in Mark Allen's video. Razorblade Utility Knife $2.50.

2.) I removed the popper that came with it and added to the fall by adding a leather boot lace from Wal Mart $0.87.

3.) I added a smaller more flexable popper to the end of the fall. I used masonary string from the hardware dept at Wal Mart $3.00. (Ignore the big knot in the center of the popper. That happened during pratice. I have found that it's best to tie a knot every 3 inches or so.)

4.) I added a woodscrew to the knot of the handle to stop the swivel. Free, found one in a wall where a mirror used to hang.

Increasing the performance of your whip for under $10....priceless.

Pyro,

As I can't afford anything resembling a real whip, I've settled (probably because of Maryon's new 6-foot Strain in the house) to at least make do with an old 8-foot swivel-handled whip which I received as a gift from a friend back nearly 20 years ago. I've been trying to consult the archives about how to make this useable (it turns out mine never even had a cracker on it--I had been trying to crack it for years with nothing but a fall!). I've known that I need to stop the swivel action, and that a screw was needed, but exactly where did you insert it in the knot?. Were you able to tuck it underneath one of the plaits? I've trimmed the width of my fall down to no more than the narrowest width of the plaited portion, but with the addition of the leather boot lace on yours, how long is the overall "fall area" on yours now (fall + lace)? Also, how long is the cracker?

I've been practicing with this beast (pre-screw, post-fall narrowing and cracker addition), and the best I've been able to do is a clean circus crack which cracks louder behind me than in front (and neither very loud). My reverse is also (I think) good from a form standpoint, but has yet to make any sound beyond a dull leathery thud. Having now watched the Mark Allen video a good number of times, I think I'm using OK physical technique, but this piece doesn't crack worth a beaver's ###. Pyro, Sergei, Minnesota, HELP!

I know you get what you pay for in a whip, but what if you can't pay anything?!

Regards,

Henry Jones, Sr.