From falls & poppers to plaiting & cracking technique, this section is dedicated in memory of Sergei, IndyGear Staff Member and Whip Guru. Always remember to keep "Celebratin' Life!"
After 11 years of whipcracking along with 11 years of whip slip and unreliable holders (sans the modified Popular Mechanics tape measure holder, a dream whip holder, just aesthetically wrong) I decided that the real problem was sheer surface area bracing the whip - so I did this:
That's a modified Noel Howard holder attached permanently to the gunbelt alongside the TAG whip holder. This photo was taken AFTER I had sprinted across the apartment complex WHILE HURDLING over some low walls and fences in the area. The S.O.B. didn't move all that much, as you can see - just a little slip at the handle - but hey, at least it slipped the right way instead of the wrong way.
Oh, and for those of you who think this whip configuration is incorrect and that the handle should be hanging down towards the ground, just check out the Well of Souls sequence and the moment he grabs for the whip in Cairo - that handle is in the "ready" position every time.
Sure, it's not "screen" accurate, but it's "action ready."
I've been thinking along those lines too, only with the difference of one extra long holder to 'double wrap' around the whip instead of two separate ones. We'll see if I'll ever get some material and time over to actually make one.
What is this and where does one get a more screen accurate version?
Ken
Ah, hence the dilemna. To get screen accurate you comprimise whip-slip, and vice versa.
My holder can tighten around a red-bull can very sungly and that's the smallest it can do. Tha'ts why I'm surprised it isn't tight on your whip, Ken. As for the adjustments to my holder I mentioned before, I could make the leather shorter without overlapping the snap. It would then be able to wrap a circumference of a roll of quarters, but I do believe that is too small. Do me a favor Ken and measure the circumference of your whip where you want the whip holder to wrap around. Then I'll coil my whip to match and construct a new holder.
French - How does one run around at an apartment complex jumping walls and stuff with a whip on your hip and not get strange looks or a visit from the boys in blue? I had that picture in my head ever since I read your first post!
What is this and where does one get a more screen accurate version?
Ken
Ah, hence the dilemna. To get screen accurate you comprimise whip-slip, and vice versa.
My holder can tighten around a red-bull can very sungly and that's the smallest it can do. Tha'ts why I'm surprised it isn't tight on your whip, Ken. As for the adjustments to my holder I mentioned before, I could make the leather shorter without overlapping the snap. It would then be able to wrap a circumference of a roll of quarters, but I do believe that is too small. Do me a favor Ken and measure the circumference of your whip where you want the whip holder to wrap around. Then I'll coil my whip to match and construct a new holder.
I'll take some photos with digital camera and post them so you can see what I mean as well.
Texas Jones wrote:French - How does one run around at an apartment complex jumping walls and stuff with a whip on your hip and not get strange looks or a visit from the boys in blue? I had that picture in my head ever since I read your first post!
What he didn't mention was that the police were there. Indeed, this was the reason he was running so.
Nice discovery, French! Sounds awesome!
A rubber strip won't work though? Something that grips, or is non-slip, or maybe even bumpy?
For what it's worth, I lined the inside of my holder (homemade) a rather thick layer of rubber cement. It doesn't slip, doesn't damage the whip, and looks neat (un-cluttered). Another trick you can use is to coat the inside of the whip holder with Plasti Dip. It will do the same thing as the rubber cement, but may be more durable (i.e.- permanent). Anyway, those are my two tricks. Feel free to use them.
I'll say this. When you are doing such things in street clothes without a fedora on, people tend not to notice the finer details like a whip at your belt. No, I didn't "Indy" out for that one. It was all business and all the running and jumping was done with tennis shoes and a ball cap on.
Yeah, I got some funny looks, but I think people thought I was merely in a hurry!
I think JAN and Redbeard use an elastic strip inside to make an original looking holder grip better around the whip. Hopefully one of them will chime in to tell you guys what I mean. This strip will be hidden so that it will look pretty accurate aswell, as long as the snap stays shut.
I got more surface area by making mine from a wider strap. Used an old leather belt that gave itself for the cause. I get very little slip if any, but I also close it over the handle btwn the knots, so it isn't going anywhere.
There's still the snap to consider...mine holds, but it might not forever. Redbeard's is the only one I've seen w/ a great latch on it, even if it isn't screen accurate. (Again, beautiful work, Redbeard.)
IndyFrench wrote:Oh, and for those of you who think this whip configuration is incorrect and that the handle should be hanging down towards the ground, just check out the Well of Souls sequence and the moment he grabs for the whip in Cairo - that handle is in the "ready" position every time.
GREAT screengrabs VP! Thanks for that! I should have done that had I thought of it. MAN, I never noticed how "whipped" his bullwhip is in the Cairo sequence! It's trashed and he's just starting to use it!
IndyMcFly wrote:A rubber strip won't work though? Something that grips, or is non-slip, or maybe even bumpy?
Yeah, that's what I was wondering. Maybe glue a strip of that "non-slip" bumpy "shelfpaper" in there? I can take a picture of the material I'm talking about if you don't know what I'm discribing.
VP's screen caps aren't showing up anymore. What were they?
I think the whip slip problem is 100% cured by the whipartist holder. The snap open vs quick access problem seems to have been 100% resolved by the Texas Action Gear holder.
