Bullwhip FAQ down? And question re: cracking

Solo4114 · Post by **Solo4114** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 8:33 am

Anyone else able to access the Bullwhip FAQ website? This is the one that includes descriptions of several cracking techniques. I haven't been able to look at it since Saturday. Just wondering if it's a local/regional thing or if the site's just flat-out dead.

Also, can anyone point me towards some good cracking technique websites, seeing as how this one is inaccessible to me? I can do the overhand crack reasonably well, but I seem, even with a Bernardo whip, to only be getting smaller sounding cracks rather than a larger, more robust CRACK!

winrichwhips · Post by **winrichwhips** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 11:51 am

I find as the cracker starts to wear down, the cracks won't 'boom' as loud. So perhaps check the tassel on the end of the cracker and see how long it is. Ben Hughes, considered Australia's loudest whipcracker, would make his crackers out of poly-synthetic twine and make the tassel 3 inches long.

I don't know of any good whipcracking websites, though I'd say invest in a quality instructional video. Simon Martin has a good video, as does Mike Murphy.

If you're interested in trying some poly-synthetic crackers, I sell them $8 for a bag of 10.

-Adam
www.winrichwhips.com

Post by **BullWhipBorton** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 12:03 pm

Hi, yes the site is currently down, I sent the moderator a note and let him know there was a problem. Not sure when it will be back online but hopefully soon.

I’ll see about finding you some sites that show some whip cracking techniques, I know there are a couple out there. The videos Adam mentioned are great, I’d highly recommend them too along with a few others. More to come asap.

Dan

Solo4114 · Post by **Solo4114** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 1:55 pm

I may just go pick up a book at Barnes & Noble (if they have it...). I found a "back door" way to get the Bullwhip FAQ info on cracking -- via Google's cached pages. It'll do for now, although my new problem is finding a good place to practice. Tough to do in the middle of Philadelphia.

I'll check the cracker, too. I doubt the frayed portion of the cracker is 3 inches, but I think the cracker is still pretty new. I got the whip about four days ago, and the cracker I think is pretty new.

I'm probably just using poor form. The whip's plenty heavy and well made (as you'd expect), I'm just not getting the really loud cracks I'd like using the forward cracking method. I'm not really up for trying the overhead or sidearm yet. I am getting cracks, but they're rather high pitched. More like "cricks" than "cracks".

winrichwhips · Post by **winrichwhips** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 3:35 pm

Um, I'd say it sounds like the cracker is getting worn out. Ben would actually put on a new cracker on each of his whips before every practice session. I'd usually put on a new cracker every other practice session.

If you're going for loud cracks, your cracker will wear out even faster.

-Adam

racerx · Post by **racerx** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 3:38 pm

Hello,

here's one,,, hosed by Victor Tella, a whipmaker and whipcracker, there are video clips showing how to preform differnt cracks, bullwhip repair and so on, a wealth of information.

http://bullwhip- info.com/

Laters.

Jim J.

Ripper · Post by **Ripper** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 3:48 pm

Doesent seem to be working. Could just be me tho...........

racerx · Post by **racerx** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 4:26 pm

Sorry bout that,, I must have copied wrong,

.

Just to make sure this time,, here is the email from whipsforsale that I subscribe to.

Hi All
In case anyone is interested.
I just put up a new very informative whip information page that includes
instructional video clips on some of the basic whip cracks. I you want
to take a look at it you go here -> bullwhip-info. com
<http://bullwhip- info.com/> . If you have an article you would like me
to put up on this page Just email it to me and I'll take a look at it.
If I do put i on the page I will give you full credit.
Let me know what you think.
Victor

Hope that does the trick .

Cheers
Jim J.

Ripper · Post by **Ripper** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 4:36 pm

That got it , thanks.

Post by **BullWhipBorton** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 6:27 pm

Glad to hear you found a way in though the back door. Jim already pointed out Victor Tella’s site www.bullwhip-info.com It’s a good one with lots of great information. Two others that I know if that show the basic cracks very clearly are www.arilauanne.com/ruoska.htm and www.peitschenfreunde.de/grundtechniken.html the sites are not in English but you should get the idea.

Pick up the New Bullwhip if you can, The nice thing about Barnes & Noble is if they don’t have it in stock they can usually get it with in a week. It will help you and has great info in one handy source, but keep in mind you can only learn so about actual whip cracking much from a book. Besides the videos that were already suggested, I’d also recommend getting some videos like Whip Cracking Made easy 1 & 2 are good as starter videos.

Like Adam said, if the fray on your popper becomes too short, you will typically get a very low dull "thud" like crack rather then that nice crisp sharp pop. I find about 1 ¾ to 2 inches of fray ideal, but that’s me. Also sometimes if the whip is still very new and stiff it will be a bit more difficult to get a good solid crack at first, especially for someone just starting out. Keep at it, you’ll get the hang of it in no time.

Dan

Solo4114 · Post by **Solo4114** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 8:52 pm

I checked the fray on the popper and it's the right length BUT I think I found part of the problem. Looks like the popper had a second knot in it, either that I accidentally put in, or that the previous user put in through whipping.

You'd think my few poor-faring attempts at fly fishing would've taught me about that. I'm sure that had an effect in dulling the sound, since the force would've traveled into the first knot, then down the popper into the SECOND knot, and finally out into the fray. Anyway, I'll have to try again this weekend and see how it goes (since I won't have any time until then to try it elsewhere).

Indiana G · Post by **Indiana G** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 10:32 pm

i put a knot in the cracker yesterday night and it definitely muffled the crack. i didn't know there was a knot in there because it was dark but i knew that there was something wrong because it just didn't sound clean as before.

Solo4114 · Post by **Solo4114** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 8:02 am

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that was part of the problem. My technique's probably not so hot right now, too. I'm probably not putting the thing on a flat plane, and may be muscling the whip around instead of letting it do its own work.

VP · Post by VP » Tue Oct 24, 2006 1:10 pm

The Ari Lauanne one is in Finnish. It says:

Whip master "Whiper Jones" cracks authentic Wild West whips by eg cutting a newspaper out of his assistant's hands or a cigar from his mouth!
And the most exciting thing is that YOU can be that assistant!

With the help of Whiper Jones even you can try if you can crack the whip like Zorro or Indiana Jones!

Basic cracks with a bullwhip