Nylon whip

[RedburnIV]

Can anyone tell me a few things about a nylon?? Thanks





Regards, Dan

[Pyroxene]

ITG should be able to. I think she is getting one.

[Sergei]

ITG should be able to. I think she is getting one.

And I can't? Just kidding. :-)

Seriously, the nylon whips are a serious force to reckon with. I got a chance to crack a few from the last WWAC convention in March. The advanatages that they have over leather whips are:
- they are MUCH cheaper
- they are impervious to humid conditions
- they work pretty much the same as a leather whip
- they don't abraid as easily as a leather whip
- they don't need any special conditioning as the leather whip
- you can abuse them over harsh surfaces (i.e. asphalt , concrete, desert sand)

There are several very good resources for your nylon whips:
- Mark Allen sells an assortment of stockwhips, swivel handled bullwhips and swivel stockwhips and bullwhips in Nylon in all assorted lengths. Krist King is the supplier for Mark Allen and he has been making whips for over 20 years and is considered by many to be the best of the Nylon Whip makers.
http://www.westernstageprops.com/Cart6.asp

- Rhett Keylly out of Florida is also considered one the kings of nylon whips. Rhett has been braiding for over 10 years. Coming from Florida, there is a great need for nylon quality whips due to the nature of Florida being extremely wet. Rhett is so popular that from what I hear, his backlog is about 4 to 6 months!!! He makes a nylon whip out tan cord that #### near looks leather.


His website is:
http://www.cowwhips.com/

- Bass Whips:
I met Tim Bass and cracked his nylon whips. Tim is very serious on whip making and really does good quality work. He does work both with leather and nylon.
His website is: http://www.basswhips.com/

There are a few more, but the above should scratch your itch.

-Sergei

[Pyroxene]

And I can't? Just kidding. :-)

Oops. Sorry.

[Indiana Texas-girl]

I recommend Rhett Kelly. I recently received a 4 foot snake whip from him. One of the Whip Enthusiasts guys let me crack his RK whip and I just had to order one just like it. The same WE guy that day cracked a Bass Whip that Robert Duke brought out that day and said he liked it even more than his RK nylon whip. But that's his words and I can't really comment further than that. This past weekend I went to Oklahoma and cracked my new Roo whip a few times but due to the wet weather conditions I was able to crack my nylon one a lot more.

[Sergei]

I recommend Rhett Kelly. I recently received a 4 foot snake whip from him. One of the Whip Enthusiasts guys let me crack his RK whip and I just had to order one just like it. The same WE guy that day cracked a Bass Whip that Robert Duke brought out that day and said he liked it even more than his RK nylon whip. But that's his words and I can't really comment further than that. This past weekend I went to Oklahoma and cracked my new Roo whip a few times but due to the wet weather conditions I was able to crack my nylon one a lot more.

Well, Tim Bass just one the whipmaking competition held in Houston this past weekend in the nylon category.

-S

[Indiana Joe]

The Rhett Kelley whip looked cool.

Is there a (or, a few?) nylon whip(s) out there that stands out as "Indyish?" Or, is that "Indyesque?"

Inquiring minds want to know....

I.J.

[Sergei]

The Rhett Kelley whip looked cool.

Is there a (or, a few?) nylon whip(s) out there that stands out as "Indyish?" Or, is that "Indyesque?"

Inquiring minds want to know....

I.J.

Well looking at the above nylon whip that I posted in this thread, it does look indyish. That was Rhett's picture. Tim Bass can do it too, since he does work with both leather and nylon whips. Rhett is strictly a nylon guy. Like I said, Tim is great too and he just won the whip making competition in Houston this weekend under the nylon whip category.

-S

[Indiana Texas-girl]

Sergei, were you down in Houston for the competition? Hey Pyro, did you make it over to Houston then?

[Indiana Joe]

Tim Bass can do it too, since he does work with both leather and nylon whips. Like I said, Tim is great too and he just won the whip making competition in Houston this weekend under the nylon whip category.

-S

Sergei,

Thanks. When I saw the price of Tim's nylon whips, I about fell out of my chair!!

Since he makes an Indy leather bullwhip and works with nylon too, I immediately contacted him about making an eight foot Indy nylon whip. I await his response to see if he'll do it.

I figure it'll be something different to get me started and the price is right when compared to leather. Why not get an affordable nylon whip, learn the basic 4 and get hooked on cracking, and then spring for a leather one?

Regards,

I.J.

[Indiana Texas-girl]

I was over at the Whip Enthusiast Yahoo Newsgroup today and thought y'all might enjoy this information directly from some Nylon whip makers. I found it very informative:

Here's the question someone asked:

i have a some questions about nylon whips. i hope someone can help me answer them!in the construction of a nylon bullwhip why do they dip the whole finished whip in wax? what is the purpose for the wax? also how many layers of plaiting is used in the making of a nylon whip?

Responses:
Rhett Kelley:
"I think I've addressed this in the past, but the wax
adds density and weight. It definetly waterproofs the
already weather resistant material. Personally, I have
not used a nylon whip that was not waxed. Since every
nylon whip I'd ever handled was waxed and that seemed
to be the most common way to do it so I followed
suit..."

Tim Bass:
"Well, I trust some other nylon whip makers will chime in here. I personally
do not dip mine in wax. I know that Rhett does and I think Steve Koliski
does as well. I have not had the pleasure of handling either of theirs so
could not tell you the benefits. I will leave that to them. As for the
layers there is generally a single strand filled with BB's or some other
type of round core. Then you will have two layers of plaiting with bolsters
of some kind under them to help with the shape."

Someone named Steve:
"Here's my .02; 7reasons I rub and dip my whips.. 1, Protection,from elements.
2, Add density to the whip for easier cracking. 3, Aerodynamics for more air
speed.Why do you think that aircraft and race cars are waxed real good? 4,
Better cleaning.With out it,the whip will pick up more dirt and fade during
cleaning and use,which will deter it's appearance. 5, Protection against wear.
6, The whip performs better through use. 7, I think the whip has a more
"leather like" appearance with wax and I like it that way....STEVE...ps I added
some clear shoe polish to my wax to cut down on flaking and
hardening..."

[Indiana Joe]

I was over at the Whip Enthusiast Yahoo Newsgroup today

Thanks for the reminder. Although my whip has not arrived I thought I'd join that newsgroup and I just did.

I also thought I'd join a local chapter of Whip Enthusiasts. I figured that Atlanta's got to have something. However, www.whipenthusiasts.org doesn't work when I attempt to pull it up.

So, I googled it and found http://www.bullwhip.org/WhipEnthusiasts
Apparently there's no local chapter. Actually, it appears that there's nothing anywhere near my geographical area. Any suggestions?

I.J.

[Indiana Texas-girl]

So, I googled it and found http://www.bullwhip.org/WhipEnthusiasts
Apparently there's no local chapter. Actually, it appears that there's nothing anywhere near my geographical area. Any suggestions?

I.J.

Yep, that's the right web address. If there's not an Atlanta chapter, maybe you could start one. You'd want to talk to Sebastian at the Whip Enthusiast page (Dallas, TX). Too bad I didn't get the post earlier, because I just saw him about an hour ago at a local WE practice and could have asked for you. There might be one and they may not have one updated on the site. He posts as WhipEnth here at COW.

[Sergei]

Hey IJ! All you have to do is join the Whip Enthusiasts by sending Sebastian an email: whipenth@swbell.net.

He'll put you on the list so that you can join the yahoo group. And then you can form your own local chapter by at least having 6 outings per year, with a minimum of two people. So go for it, start an Atlanta group.

ITG, is very fortunate since she lives near where it all started. Seb is a good man and wants to increase the popularity of the sport of whip cracking. Large enough so that is becomes an Olympic sport. If you haven't seen the Aussies crack, you will understand why it could become an Olympic sport. They have a lot of "Michael Jordan's" there when it comes to whip cracking.

-Sergei

[Indiana Joe]

Hey IJ! All you have to do is join the Whip Enthusiasts by sending Sebastian an email: whipenth@swbell.net.

He'll put you on the list so that you can join the yahoo group. And then you can form your own local chapter by at least having 6 outings per year, with a minimum of two people. So go for it, start an Atlanta group.

As my hand has never touched a true whip before, I feel somewhat unworthy to begin such a chapter. I realize it's the enthusiasm that counts and believe me, I can be enthusiastic if I'm not careful.

I am wondering about some of our fellow brothers-in-Gear like Dakota Ellison, Indydawg, whipwarrior, and indy_guitarist. I believe there was a gentleman Burns if I am not mistaken. Anyway, I believe they are also in the Atlanta vicinity and may have a bit more whip experience than I.

Certainly I would join with one or more of you Georgia Gearheads in getting this off to a start in 2003 but, again, I feel quite a bit inexperienced to commence a local chapter of the Whip Enthusiasts. I was actually thinking about attending to learn a crack or three as I don't have a video and may not get one for Christmas. Does anyone remember Indypip's thread from a few months ago?

http://www.indygear.com/community/forum ... .php?t=661

You get the picture. I have finally gotten my extremely understanding wife to come to the realization that since 1981 I've always wanted an Indy jacket and a real whip. Got the jacket. But the whip hasn't arrived yet and I still feel a bit of tension concerning it. Anyway, I'm sure you see where I'm coming from. However, my wife did say she may give it a crack (after a video lesson, I hope).

Regards,

I.J.

p.s. I'm going to start this as a new thread to see if some of the aforementioned northern Georgia gearheads will respond.

[Indiana Joe]

Well looking at the above nylon whip that I posted in this thread, it does look indyish. That was Rhett's picture. Tim Bass can do it too, since he does work with both leather and nylon whips. Rhett is strictly a nylon guy. Like I said, Tim is great too and he just won the whip making competition in Houston this weekend under the nylon whip category.

I just got it this afternoon and hope to crack it for the first time this Saturday!

I.J.

[Indiana Joe]

Well, it's been over three years since my last post on this particular thread and since then I've learned a lot of cracks and spent a lot of money on other whip purchases.

That first whip I got was an Indy-style 8 foot Tim Bass nylon bullwhip. It looked like leather until you got close--just ask whipwarrior. He'd mistaken it for such until he picked it up.

The odd thing is that despite how well the Bass whip is made, I always had a problem with the fall hitch coming apart. Tim was kind enough to repair it a couple of times for me but I continued to have the same thing happen. In the meantime, I had gotten one of Kyle's (The_Edge) 4 foot whips and an 8 foot natural tan Indy Joe Strain whip. And for about a year I've toying with the idea of saving up for a 10 foot whip since I'd never cracked anything longer than Indydawg's 9 foot Stenhouse.

Oh yeah, I had also gotten a 6 foot Rhett Kelley nylon cowwhip and love the way Rhett does his fall hitch. :idea:

So, last Fall I called Rhett and asked if he'd work on my Bass whip since it has such sentimental value to me---besides, it's a great whip! Anyway, he said to ship it to him and he'd look at it. After one more discussion, he said he thought he could "fix" the problem.

A few days later, Rhett called me and said he had good news and bad news. First, the good news was that he repaired the problem (and explained why it had been happening). The "bad" news was that the 8 foot Tim Bass whip was now exactly 10 feet long and it cracks like a cannon. I received the 10 foot Bass/Kelley hybrid nylon bullwhip just before Christmas and I've been loving it ever since. I got the 10 foot whip I'd been wanting and was not even expecting it! I'm amazed at how it's still well-balanced despite the extra length.

Maybe now I now I need to venture into the 12 foot realm.....

[Tycoonman]

Exactlly how thick are the nylon braides, cause right now I just have this image of a bunch of pantyhose strapped together to form a whip... They must be thicker than pantyhose right???





Hmm, perhaps that is how Catwomen made her whip...

Tycoonman

[Mola Ram]

Exactlly how thick are the nylon braides, cause right now I just have this image of a bunch of pantyhose strapped together to form a whip... They must be thicker than pantyhose right???





Hmm, perhaps that is how Catwomen made her whip...

Tycoonman

http://www.dallasdogsled.com/Whips/drop.jpg
not too big. its just a few mm thick and wide.

[JAS]

Can anyone tell me a few things about a nylon?? Thanks





Regards, Dan

I am using and having made nylon whips for myself as well as the trade.

I am using features that retain what a kangaroo whip will be.

I use one of my wood(osage 0range) handles varying length and have the lash attached to it, then I recieve the whip back and put a leather fall on it.

For the cracker I use either bailing twine or nylon or upholstry twine.

These whips are performing remarkabilly well.

I am learning to do all the work in house, currently I have outsourced the lash and made the handles and falls myself. The nylon whips can be made using many diffrent styles and many diffrent plaits(8 thru 16)

You can also make these whips any weight and length that you choose.

[Shawnkara]

The more I look at these, the more I'm leaning toward nylon. It's amazing how much they can look like leather! And I want something that can take a lot of abuse, too. I've personally never liked roo hide. Too high maintainance. Amazing tensile strength, but that's about it. FAR too easily damaged by just about any remotely rough surface. And nylon is not as stiff as hide, either. I bet if you ran a cable through a nylon whip, over-all the whip would not be nearly as stiff as a leather whip with a cable.

[BullWhipBorton]

Each material, be it cowhide, kangaroo hide, nylon or what ever has its pros and cons. Nylon whips are great especially for cracking in wet and humid conditions, but they aren’t as indestructible as some think. Using them on hard or rough surfaces like concrete will still tear and shred at the nylon fibers chewing them up and making them look fuzzy, also over exposure to sunlight destroys nylon fibers and can weakening the whip over a period of time. Swinging on them will still pull the plaiting apart and screw up the taper. Plus re-waxing them can be a pain if your not careful.

Dan

[jabahutt70]

d

[Indiana Joe]

....Nylon whips are great especially for cracking in wet and humid conditions, but they aren’t as indestructible as some think. Using them on hard or rough surfaces like concrete will still tear and shred at the nylon fibers chewing them up and making them look fuzzy, ....

I found this out last week when I took my 10 footer out in the street to crack for a awhile. Well, being on the asphalt produced "the fuzzies." I'm slowly taking a lighter to the fuzzies to carefully burn them off.

[s10lamarr]

how r nylon whips any way i here their good and arnt as susceptible as like my roo whip to cuts is that true?

[JAS]

Remember the old Timex add.


Takes a licking and keeps on ticking. There is a nylon whip in a nutshell. You can abuse them, and give them hardly any maintence and they just keep on going.

[classicbullwhips]

For those interested check out my nylon whips. James

[Indiana Texas-girl]

Ummm, do you have a website so we can check them out?

[purewhips]

Sup Jas cool to see you here. Nylon are awesome whips to work with. Talk to you later.

[Indiana Joe]

Bump.

Seeing that this section is "Sergei's Place," I was missing him a bit and recalled this thread where he "talked" me into my first whip. It is also a good thread for those thinking about getting a nylon whip or, for those who want to get into whip cracking and don't want to spend a lot on a first-time whip purchase.

[Gorak]

Our very own Tomek also makes some great nylons at really good prices. Maybe he can chime in...