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!"
is it me or does the jacka whip on indy's belt look more like a 16 plait than a 12 plait....is it because of the size of strands he's using? it just doesn't look as beefy as the usual suspects...as far as the plaiting goes that is.
secondly, does anyone have any experience with the jacka 'batman returns' whip at WSP? i'm looking for a dark 10' CS whip with indy 4 pedigree. would this creature fit the bill or would i be better off with a joe strain? i just can't swallow a $1200 bill for the real mccoy....
Well not sure about the 16 plaits but I know what you mean.
Good grief man, that is just too much money. Go for a Strain, or another maker. There's a few who make really awsome CS whips that I would buy from in a heartbeat were I looking for that.
it is a good deal o cash ain't it? i believe the whip price has more than doubled because of the movie......thanks to the good ol supply and demand effect.....good for the whip market, bad for the gearheads.
however, the jacka whip at WSP is still $600....is it worth it? i know the handle is 11" i believe........how far from SA is this creature?
The Crystal Skull bullwhips were all 12 plait. Terry confirmed it to me and I’ve also seen some clear photos of the film used whips that confirmed it as well. He does cut his sets/strands narrower though and ends the whips in an 8 plait point opposed to the traditional Indy style bullwhips that end in wider heavier 6 plait points. If you’re used to seeing the Classic Indy bullwhips, the difference is noticeable.
The $1200 price tag is nuts. That is the Australian Stock Saddle Co’s price though, not Terry’s. I have a few of the The Batman Returns style bullwhips. They are much different type of whip compared to the Indy style bullwhips whips. They are much lighter with a longer handle and different style of action then the Crystal Skull bullwhips. The Turkshead knot is also smaller.
If you are not in a big hurry to get it, Terry is planning to sell the Crystal Skull bullwhips in 8 and 10 ft lengths directly for considerably less. I’ve been helping him set this up and while its taking a while we are making progress.
Otherwise I’d talk to Bernardo Del Carpio about making you a CS whip or converting one of Terrys standard whips over into a CS version. Or just getting the classic Indy style bullwhip from Bernardo, Joe Strain or Midwest whips.
Here's a pic you might enjoy. On the left, the thong of a Morgan whip, and on the right the thong of a Jacka bullwhip. Both sections of the thong are 12 plait, and are about the same thickness. The difference in strand width is dramatic.
Also, you can see the different aproach in both designs. Morgan likes to use thick leather and extra-wide strands, while Jacka goes the opposite route: thinner leather and extra-narrow strands. In the Morgan style you get an overlapping effect, in the Jacka you get gaps.
I also wanted an Indy 4 Jacka bullwhip in my collection, but with those prices, I decided to get a regular 11" handled instead (like those sold at WSP or David Morgan) and reduce the length of the handle to the proper size.
Thicker leather cut in wide strands will allow the whip, especially the tip, to sustain nicks and cuts better than thin leather cut into narrow strands, which is why Morgan makes his whips the way he does. These are working bullwhips meant to be able to survive a less-than-ideal treatment, which often happens to whips used by performers and stuntmen.
It's the Australian approach to cut strands more narrow and use a thinner hide, this facilitates the making of a whip, especially stockwhips which are their stapple, and apparently makes for a more flexible and fluid thong. I say apparently because this is what I was told.
Thus Morgan developped a whip that was more robust than the fine stockwhips made in Australia, but finner than the coarse bullwhips traditionally made in the Old American West. The best of both worlds if you will...
Interesting. I would have surmised that the thinner strands made the thong tighter and more fluid, but wouldn't have guessed that the Morgan style was so much more suited for harsh treatmeant. Not that I plan on buying one and beating it to death!
My advice is to find someone near you who has a "Batman Returns" style Jacka whip, (and actually Terry doesn't make those the same way he did in Batman Returns. Chris Camp has a "Batman Returns" era Jacka, and it behaves VERY differently from Terry's current fare, so make sure it's recent.)
The reason I say this is that they are DIFFERENT. Now, I love that difference, but many others don't. I've cracked the Bernardo's Jacka that he modified, it he did a WONDERFUL job on it, (so if you go the WSP route, send it to Bernardo!) Looked absolutely beautiful and handled like a dream.
I have yet to handle one of Terry's ACTUAL CS whips, and while it's very different in feel and construction than the model that WSP markets as "The Australian Bullwhip," it uses the EXACT same type of "Progressive Flexibility" in the transition that is the Jacka trademark that people seem to either love or hate. So, before you spend your money, I'd try to handle a Jacka.
If you LOVE it, then I'd go the WSP/DelCarpio route, or wait until Terry starts taking orders personally.
If you don't like it, then I'd order from Strain or Bernardo, or Lauren "LemonLauren" Wickline, (now full-time whipmaking with Paul at Midwest Whips,) who've managed to beautifully capture to look, while maintaining their trademark feel.
My advice is to find someone near you who has a "Batman Returns" style Jacka whip, (and actually Terry doesn't make those the same way he did in Batman Returns. Chris Camp has a "Batman Returns" era Jacka, and it behaves VERY differently from Terry's current fare, so make sure it's recent.)
The reason I say this is that they are DIFFERENT. Now, I love that difference, but many others don't. I've cracked the Bernardo's Jacka that he modified, it he did a WONDERFUL job on it, (so if you go the WSP route, send it to Bernardo!) Looked absolutely beautiful and handled like a dream.
I have yet to handle one of Terry's ACTUAL CS whips, and while it's very different in feel and construction than the model that WSP markets as "The Australian Bullwhip," it uses the EXACT same type of "Progressive Flexibility" in the transition that is the Jacka trademark that people seem to either love or hate. So, before you spend your money, I'd try to handle a Jacka.
If you LOVE it, then I'd go the WSP/DelCarpio route, or wait until Terry starts taking orders personally.
If you don't like it, then I'd order from Strain or Bernardo, or Lauren "LemonLauren" Wickline, (now full-time whipmaking with Paul at Midwest Whips,) who've managed to beautifully capture to look, while maintaining their trademark feel.
All the best,
-Dan
thanks for the advice dan. i think i'm gonna stand in line fo a jacka whip when BWB strikes up that deal (no punn intended).
i'm actually looking forward to any differences with the CS bullwhip and the standard indy........variety is the spice of life
one question though.....the days where i get i nice lashing on my back are few and far between these days......am i gonna have to go through that again when learning the flow of a CS whip?.......if so, i guess i'll wear my hockey equipment on the maiden outing
). i will wait to see what mr. jacka can offer us gearheads 
