I've got an older one...but I eat all my spinach, so I guess I'll be alright.
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/Indy%20-%20Wink.gif)
(No fears, Adam, I still love my IOAB! It's that old whiskey one, one of your first few, and you should see the colors now!
![Cool 8)](./images/smilies/Indy_cool.gif)
)
Prof. Ed, I only have two quick pieces of advice - protect yourself, and protect your whip.
As for protecting yourself, if you really didn't get to crack your toy whip much before, this means at least wearing some headgear when you learn - that means trying anything new for the first time. I've been doing this a year, and I tried something new last week...and tagged my ear. Owie! Forgot rule #1...protect yourself. Sleeves and long pants aren't such a bad idea, either, and Sergei can tell you why you should even consider wearing eye protection at first. (We don't get spare eyeballs, and it's too easy to break one while first learning.)
Second is protecting that whip. Try not to crack it on unforgiving surfaces, like stone, driveways, cement (erk), roads (argh), and worst - SAND (aaaiiieee!). Keep in mind how well those things can distress a jacket if you fall, now keep in mind the whip is made of the same stuff. Sand is a different kind of bad...you'll never get all the sand OUT of a whip, and cracking it with sand inside the strands is like having little pieces of glass in there - cutting the strands as you crack it. Better safe than sorry - grass is best. Rug isn't bad, if the wife doesn't mind you knocking over vases, though...
A subcategory on protecting the whip is Pecards. The leather dressing will work wonders for it. Once or twice a year for the whole whip, but the fall could use it after every session - if not still greasy from the last application.
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/Indy%20-%20Wink.gif)
I've asked Adam directly before about care of the IOAB, since some folks say NOT to pecards the handle, but Adam indicated the IOAB could handle it. Just to be on the safe side, I only lightly pecarded the handle...enough to treat, but no extra.
Good choice on a great whip, Prof - have at it and have fun! Woohoo!
![Whip :whip:](./images/smilies/New-Whip.gif)
( <---- You now have a new smilie to express yourself, too.
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/Indy%20-%20Wink.gif)
)
J
P.S. Experts in this forum, please feel free to shoot holes in this if I mis-stated something, but I believe this to be a fairly accurate collection of the wisdom you have imparted here.
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/Indy%20-%20Wink.gif)