Morgan "Old style" replica Indy bullwhip

Bernardodc · Post by **Bernardodc** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 8:22 pm

Dan, Jim(Markell) and all,

Here's the whip that I finished last week and told you about: a replica of an "Old style" Morgan, with a thinner handle and the ring knot located closer to the end of the 8 inch spike. The thong is also thinner, following as closely as possible the dimentions of the Raiders whip Sergei measured some time ago.

Just for fun, I even added the little tag lace that hangs from the wrist loop. And that tag string is not only present in the whip that Sergei photographed and document as an autentic Raiders whip, but it also appears in one scene of Raiders! For those of you (like me) that like to watch the Indy trilogy a million times, if you freeze the scene when the dead monkey is lying on the table, you'll see the coiled whip, with the wrist loop hanging down, and that little leather tag lace!

I though you might want to check that detail out...anyway, I hope you enjoy the pics!

Bernardo

www.delcarpiowhips.com

Indakin · Post by **Indakin** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 8:42 pm

beautiful work, and eye for the loop detail. Nice job. Do you have a website?

whipwarrior · Post by **whipwarrior** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 9:43 pm

That is SWEET!!!

McFly · Post by **McFly** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 10:40 pm

MorgonKenbur wrote:beautiful work, and eye for the loop detail. Nice job. Do you have a website?

Indeed... do you? And do you sell your work, or just do these as a hobby?

How much does this particular whip weigh?

In Christ,
Shane

JerseyJones · Post by **JerseyJones** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 10:52 pm

Looks AWESOME ! How does it handle ?

JJ

winrichwhips · Post by **winrichwhips** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 11:00 pm

Nice work!

But now make it out of kangaroo, please ....

I just found out from my cowhide supplier that medium brown cowhide is now almost $4 a square foot, and it's still too thick to make good 8- and 12-plait bullwhips. I'm thinking of switching to making all 8-plait and 12-plait bullwhips out of natural tan cowhide and ordering from you, Bernardo, unless you can work it out so I can order from the factory. I'm especially interested that you said he improved the formula and the cowhide is stonger.

-Adam

Post by **BullWhipBorton** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 11:29 pm

Bernardo, I was just wondering about this project this afternoon and was curious as to how it was comming along. I would say it turned out pretty well

You definitely captured the look of the classic Raiders of the Lost Ark Bullwhip. Thanks for posting the photos, I really like it. Even the cowhide is kind of fitting, as it is believed some of the whips used in Raider may have been cowhide (English calfskin to be more correct) due to a ban on Kangaroo hide products in the U.S. from 74 to 81. Now I’d really like to see one made from Kangaroo though

Dan

Pitfall Harry · Post by **Pitfall Harry** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 12:33 am

Wow....

I really admire you guys that know how to make whips. I can't imagine even trying to make one myself. I don't know how you do it. I think that whip is a work of art. Nice job.

Not to throw this topic of it's tracks but do any of you know how "close" the WSP Indy whips are to the original Raider's whip as far as design goes?

The only reason I ask is because I ordered one a few days ago and it's on it's way as we speak.

PITFALL

jabahutt70 · Post by **jabahutt70** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 2:54 am

Bernardo, very nice indeed! Since you made this with a slightly thinner handle, as well as the thong itself, I was wondering on the construction used. If you don't mind me asking, how many bellies and, bolsters, if any? Thanks.
Steve.

Bernardodc · Post by **Bernardodc** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 10:34 am

Thanks for all the kind words. Well, let's see...

-I don't have a web site yet...but that will change in the future.

-I do sell my work, and most of my whips go to WSP. From time to time I sell a few whips on ebay, and I get some retail orders from people that have seen my work there.

-I haven't weighted this whip yet, but it's lighter than my regular Cowhide Indy bullwhips. I would say it has a faster action.

Adam,

I'm sending you an e-mail regarding the leather.

Dan,

I asked Mr. Morgan about the posibility that the Raiders whips where all made of kip side, and he said the whips used in Raiders belonged to Glenn Randall, the stunt coordinator, and that here was a good chance that some of those whips may have been made in kip side, although some may have been made in kangaroo, since he had some skins left when the ban came into effect.

Pitfall Harry,

You know, you are not throwing the topic off its tracks, since I'm the one that makes WSP Cowhide Indys.

The leather I use is actually kip side, thicker than kangaroo, and thinner than regular cowhide. It is made to my specs. This allows me to make a whip a is as durable as a cowhide whip, but that still thin enough to make good looking whips.

I make my whips with the australian braided belly construction, with a bolster, and a rolled core. I follow as closely as possible Mr. Morgan's construction and style. He has helped me a lot in understanding his design principles, his techniques, and reasons behind everything he does.

Like Dan and I said above, there's a good chance that some Raiders whips (if not most) where made using Kip side. Check this out:

http://www.theraider.net/information/in ... llwhip.php

I developed WSP's cowhide Indy bullwhips to fill in the market for an affordable, high quality cowhide bullwhip with the Indiana Jones look.

Steve,

My cowhide whips have the same construction of a rolled core, a braided belly, and a bolster. Since cowhide is thicker than roo, there's no need and no room for two bellies.

To make this particular whip slimmer, I did not put a bolster. Other than that, it has the regular construction.

Thanks for the questions!

Bernardo

www.delcarpiowhips.com

winrichwhips · Post by **winrichwhips** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 12:00 pm

Bernardo,

I think Pitfall wanted to know how is new WSP Strain kangaroo bullwhip will be different than the Raider's whips.

Basically the Raider's whips had wider strands in the braiding and bigger knobs on the end of the handle. Or at least the knobs looked bigger than those being made by Morgan today because the rest of the whip was smaller back then. I think that contributes to that 'long-handled look' that we see in 'Raiders', ie. that the diameter of the whip is smaller.

Also, if you get Joe's standard WSP Indy, the knob will have a different knot on it than the Raiders's whips.

-Adam

Pitfall Harry · Post by **Pitfall Harry** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 12:52 pm

Yeah, I was wondering what the difference was between the actual Raider's bullwhip specs and the Indiana Jones whips offered on WSP.

I knew from reading on here that the original whips had a bigger turks head knot at the bottom and that the handle was slightly longer but has since been shortened to improve the whips handling and performance.

I noticed that the whip I'm getting seems to have a rounder knot at the end.

I'll know exactly what mine looks like when I get it this week. I can't wait.

I think I found the whip Bernardo helped design on the WSP. Is this it?

winrichwhips · Post by **winrichwhips** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 1:31 pm

yup, that's the whip Bernardo makes for WSP.

Darth V.A.D.E.R · Post by **Darth V.A.D.E.R** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 1:32 pm

Great work Bernardo! Your whip looks perfect.Very well done.
Darth

Mola Ram · Post by **Mola Ram** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 5:53 pm

As a fellow cowhide whipmaker,
That is an amazing WHIP!
very nice. I will have to look into getting some of that cowhide from you again. Hopefully this time i can convince the folks.
The stuff ive been getting lately has been to stretchy.
Regards
Adam

winrichwhips · Post by **winrichwhips** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 6:35 pm

So why were the Raider's whips smaller in diameter? Was Morgan using lighter weight kangaroo hide back then? Was he building the differently?

Bernardo, I expect you might have asked DM this one.

-Adam

Paul_Stenhouse · Post by **Paul_Stenhouse** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 11:37 pm

Dear Bernardo,

Looks really nice. I especially like how the thicker leather makes for a more aesthetically pleasing plaiting work.

Nicely done.

Best Regards,

Paul Stenhouse

Post by **BullWhipBorton** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 7:28 pm

I asked Mr. Morgan about the posibility that the Raiders whips where all made of kip side, and he said the whips used in Raiders belonged to Glenn Randall, the stunt coordinator, and that here was a good chance that some of those whips may have been made in kip side, although some may have been made in kangaroo, since he had some skins left when the ban came into effect.

Yep, thats what i heard too, Just to be clear though the overlay on that Whip Sergie looked at was Kangaroo, not kip side. From stills and such I think many of the others in Raiders where Kangaroo as well.

Dan

Bernardodc · Post by **Bernardodc** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 8:13 pm

Sorry pitfall,
I asummed you were talking about my whips...

so you were indeed throwing the topic off its tracks! hahaha

WSP Indy whips are somewhat thinner than modern Morgans, and thus closer looking to the Raiders whip. Design-wise, they are basically the same. Like Adam said, there are minor differences, like the turks head knot.

Hey Adam (Winrich),

Yes, you are right, I asked Morgan why his whips older whips were slimmer. He said he didn't remember!

although he sugested some whips turned out slimmer because of thinner leather. Dan heard that no second bolster was used. Who knows!

There were some design improvements/changes, because the Raiders whip that Sergei documented has an almost even diameter from handle to thong, and more modern morgans have a much thincker thong right after the ring knot. Unless we take one appart, we'll never know for sure.

Dear Paul,
Thank you! Very falltering hearing comments like that from a talented whipmaker like you.

Adam (mola ram)
Thanks my friend. PM sent.

Dan,

I also asked Morgan about visually telling the difference between a whip made out of kip side and one made out of kangaroo. He said you can't, unless you have a microscope on hand to look in detail the grain structure of the leather.

Some time ago I bough from WSP a whipmade by Krist King in thin kip side(1.0mm), and it looked just like roo. I was able to tell it wasn't just by looking at the flesh side, which was hairy. The wrist loop of the Raiders whip looks like that too...

Bernardo

www.delcarpiowhips.com

Post by **BullWhipBorton** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 9:22 pm

I also asked Morgan about visually telling the difference between a whip made out of kip side and one made out of kangaroo. He said you can't, unless you have a microscope on hand to look in detail the grain structure of the leather.

Some time ago I bough from WSP a whipmade by Krist King in thin kip side(1.0mm), and it looked just like roo. I was able to tell it wasn't just by looking at the flesh side, which was hairy. The wrist loop of the Raiders whip looks like that too...

And the plot thickens… Does Kip darken up like bark tanned Kangaroo hide?

Dan heard that no second bolster was used

That was the reason I heard for the thinner handle prior to 1999.

Dan

Bernardodc · Post by **Bernardodc** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 9:46 pm

Dan,

Sure it does! since it is also bark-tanned. As I wrote elsewhere, the hide I use is kip side, and it darkens just like roo.

Bernardo

Paul_Stenhouse · Post by **Paul_Stenhouse** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 3:37 am

I recently made a stockwhip from some leftover kip before bugging out of the US. It looks the same to me. I was able to plait it just tight enough how I like it.

Best Regards,

Paul Stenhouse

ecwhips · Post by **ecwhips** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 9:25 am

Buenos Dias, Bernardo! Great work as always! Now that I have a couple of your whips, I need to get a camera that takes pictures as nicely as your does! I just got a new Olympus that I'm still toying with. Hopefully I can get some nice pictures of my whips soon.

On a side note, I just returned the roohide I ordered because it was terrible. (Whipmakers, beware of roohide from Seigel's. I'll stick with Hardtke from now on.) So expect an order from me for some skins this week.

Jim

McFly · Post by **McFly** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 2:49 pm

Bernardo - if somebody were to buy a whip from you directly, would it be a little cheaper than doing it on WSP?

Do kip whips last a good amount of time? That looks amazing, and I'm thinking those are reeeeally tempting.

In Christ,
Shane

Bernardodc · Post by **Bernardodc** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 7:26 pm

Shane,

I can't sell any 8 plait Cowhide Indys directly I'm afraid. You have to go through WSP.

But, I can take orders for the 12 plaits, and the 16 plaits if I have suitable hides. I'm still working on the definitive price list, but they will obviously cost more than the 8 plaits I make for WSP.

Jim,

Gracias amigo! great news about your new camera. I'm looking forward to seeing your pics!

Regards,

Bernardo

Herr Jones · Post by **Herr Jones** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 11:16 am

Bernardodc,

Nice work! I was thinking of doing the same thing. Can you give me some specs of the hide you're using? Seems to me many like this hide so I may have to get some from you when I use up what I've got.

Best,
Herr Jones

Bernardodc · Post by **Bernardodc** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 3:44 pm

Her Jones,

Thanks! I forgot to say how deeply impressed I am about your first whip. Simply amazing! If your first whip looks like that, I can't imagine how the next ones are going to look...

The hide I use is vegetable-tanned kip side, natural tan in color. This type of leather comes in several thicknesses(weights); I specify 1.5mm which is a good comprimise between good looks and strenght.

You may also find it in 2 1/2 oz (1mm), but in that weight it won't have any strength advantage over kangaroo.

Hope that helps,

Regards,

Bernardo

Herr Jones · Post by **Herr Jones** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:49 am

Bernardodc,

Thanks.
The stuff I have is 1.5mm and seems to work good. I don't think I'll try 1.0mm since the 1.5 was making me nervous while stretching the thin sections.

Best,
Herr Jones