How "NOT" to make a NYLON Whip!

Post by **Dalexs** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 12:13 am

I finally started making my first nylon whip.
Following directions carefully.....

Whats wrong with these pictures:

Things started off nicely with the overlay...

I came to realize about 2 feet into it, that my strands were getting to short, to fast.

I figured out why rather quickly...
I was following 2 different tutorials (they both have their merits.)
However, 1 was for making a 4 foot snake whip.
The other for a 6' bullwhip.

This is what happens when you don't pay attention and mix and match!

So I'll be unwinding it and starting over in the morning!

Kentucky Blues · Post by **Kentucky Blues** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 12:22 am

The snake whip didn't by any chance come from make-a-snake, did it?

-KB

Post by **BullWhipBorton** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 1:43 am

Well thats not good!

At least your seams looked straight though!

IndyWhips · Post by **IndyWhips** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 2:41 am

The bit you did looked good though....If it's any consolation I have a nylon I call my Mel Whip...it's 5'4, my wife is 5'4 and called Mel it was meant to be a six footer for a customer and I cut the strings short

I'm suposed to know what I'm doing too

Tony

Post by **Dalexs** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 8:34 pm

Thanks for the support!

But you gotta be kidding me...

MustangLoverMex · Post by **MustangLoverMex** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 10:18 pm

Practice makes perfect... Keep up the good work!

-Alfonso

Post by **BullWhipBorton** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 11:05 pm

If I can do it, you can do it!

There is no easy way around it, Just keep practicing. Nylon is a bit slippy compared to leather lace. so it makes it harder to tie the knots, but you can pin them in place with stick pins while you work so they don't move around on you.

Cracker · Post by **Cracker** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 12:02 am

Mex and Dan are right, practice and perseverance are required. You will eventually get it once you start to understand the knot. It was an endless source of frustration for me in the beginning. (And still is at times)

Your plaiting and taper looks good, so keep it up. And as Dan said, nylon is slippery. If you can get hold of some leather strand (Hobby Lobby maybe), try that and it will make learning a little easier.

Jim

jabahutt70 · Post by **jabahutt70** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 12:56 am

Hey Dalexs, looks pretty good, though the short strands I know musta really frustrated ya.

On the knot foundation, I'm not sure how much electrical tape you put on, but if you can replace some of it with something a bit coarser, then the nylon will grab a bit better. I've used vetwrap a few years now as a quick wrap over the foundation and other parts of the whip; also known as cohesive tape or flexwrap. It's used in medical applications, and for a small amount of it, a drugstore or Walmart will have it. Look in the first aid aisle.

Like a few have said, practice, practice, practice. Pretty soon, it'll look "wicked good!"

Steve.
www.neawhips.com

minstrel · Post by **minstrel** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 3:37 am

Dalexs: I find the diagram showing how to make the turk's head on the handle (for the handle/thong transition) in the chapter on bullwhips to be much easier to follow than the one you show in the post above. It works for the knob as well.

Just my 2 cents.

/Nicholas

PyramidBlaster · Post by **PyramidBlaster** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 6:08 am

Don't worry...Everybody goes through a phase. I'd been braiding whips for 13 years, and the turkshead gave me problems at first... Then you finally do it right one time, and it all clicks into place....

I might also suggest melting the ends of the nylon strands to keep them from fraying before you start braiding, also...But the overlay looks pretty good!!!

Post by **Dalexs** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 1:54 pm

Thanks for the help folks. That's why I don't mind playing guinea pig and posting my mistakes. We have such a wealth of knowledge here.

That pin thing totally rocks! I may try that next.

And I was a bit suspicious of how big I built up the foundation for the knot, so I'll probably take it down and even it off a bit.

It does crack pretty well. not quite like my 10' roo, but not bad, all things considered.

Onward and upward.

Dalexs

ST · Post by ST » Mon Sep 15, 2008 2:46 pm

You could put double stick tape on the butt foundation to keep the lace from slipping.

Post by **Dalexs** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 8:39 pm

ST wrote:You could put double stick tape on the butt foundation to keep the lace from slipping.

Yeah, thats basically what Steve was recommending above (flex wrap tape.)
It's lightweight and self adherant. (SP)

Maybe I'll just take a picture of a really good knot and paste it on... nobody will notice!

louiefoxx · Post by **louiefoxx** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 10:39 pm

I'd imagine that double stick tape would made it difficult to pull the strand under other strands. Electrical tape is very slick, maybe gaffer tape would work.

I was just performing at a club, while I was waiting to take the stage I was looking at a roll of gaffer taper and thinking about its texture.

xoxo

Louie
http://bullwhips.org

ST · Post by ST » Tue Sep 16, 2008 8:53 pm

Yeah, thats basically what Steve was recommending above

Oh. Missed that.

KatyBuckeye · Post by **KatyBuckeye** » Sun Sep 28, 2008 11:53 pm

I've attempted the turk's head a few times, no luck so far. I'm liking the idea of pasting a picture on there, but I'm sure someone would notice.

Good luck.

IdahoJones · Post by **IdahoJones** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 1:33 pm

I couldn't understand the THK until I found this tutorial. It was linked to in the thread over at the RPF. So I made the knot on my fingers then I slipped it over the whip and tightened it down. The one with the pins looks interesting I may need to give that a try. Im getting ready to start a 8' brown nylon whip using Ron's tutorial. I picked up the spike today.

http://rs308.rapidshare.com/files/12393 ... ksHead.pdf

How "NOT" to make a NYLON Whip!

How "NOT" to make a NYLON Whip!

Turk's head knot