Just got my Gus Caicedo whip in the mail...

bigrex · Post by **bigrex** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 1:03 am

and it looks amazing. I haven't even shellacked it and it already came pretty shiny and a nice golden brown. I'm no whip expert but it has really nice movement and is a tightly braided, well weighted whip -especially when compared to my eBay whip thingy. Pictures will be forthcoming...hopefully tomorrow.

;0

maboot38 · Post by **maboot38** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 1:20 am

Welcome to the Caicedo owners club. You will not be disappointed. I cracked mine for everyone at a party tonight, and they loved it!

maboot38 · Post by **maboot38** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 1:21 am

Here's a pic of me wearing mine.

scot2525 · Post by **scot2525** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 2:10 pm

Congratulations!!! I am also the proud owner of a Caicedo. I need to to get a few pics up of how the whip is weathering naturally.

bigrex · Post by **bigrex** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 6:05 pm

Here you go, three shots:

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n237 ... icedo4.jpg

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n237 ... icedo3.jpg

moses · Post by **moses** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 6:19 pm

Hmmm

I hope that's a budget whip. The quality of the leather and the cutting and braiding look to me to be passable at best.

bigrex · Post by **bigrex** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 6:55 pm

moses wrote:Hmmm I hope that's a budget whip. The quality of the leather and the cutting and braiding look to me to be passable at best.

It's cowhide...I did use the sharpening tool on Photoshop which added fine detail and may have somewhat exaggerated any specks, threads, or roughness you may see in a macro (close-up) photo.

I'll post a new photo after it has been administered a teaspoon of Pecards and given a couple coats of shellac.

bigrex · Post by **bigrex** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 8:25 pm

Ok, three more with one coat of shellac, by the way, it's the 8 ft. 12-plait dark whip model:

bobm2004 · Post by **bobm2004** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 8:39 pm

I too have just received a whip from Gus, a nice 8 footer. It is a great whip and a good value. It cracked right out of the box. Tonight I gave it a nice coating of Pecards.

Question: What is the reason for putting a coat of shellac on the whip? Is this a common thing to do?

ps-my second whip this week-I now have five!

bigrex · Post by **bigrex** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 8:46 pm

bobm2004 wrote:I too have just received a whip from Gus, a nice 8 footer. It is a great whip and a good value. It cracked right out of the box. Tonight I gave it a nice coating of Pecards.

Question: What is the reason for putting a coat of shellac on the whip? Is this a common thing to do?

ps-my second whip this week-I now have five!

I'm no expert, but coating with shellac is fairly common from what I can tell. I think it helps seal in some moisture and may act as a protectant for the leather and possibly help extend it's life...not to mention it looks cool with a coat as well, IMHO. On my next coat I'll hang the whip on something, which hopefully will make the finish better since it won't be in contact with as large of a surface while drying.

maboot38 · Post by **maboot38** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 9:17 pm

You should always hang your whip on something. Ideally, it should be hung by both strap and fall, but at the very least, by the strap.

bigrex · Post by **bigrex** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 9:38 pm

maboot38 wrote:You should always hang your whip on something. Ideally, it should be hung by both strap and fall, but at the very least, by the strap.

I normally do hang my whip up uncurled inside, but since it was dripping shellac I laid it outside on a white garbage bag.

WhipDude · Post by **WhipDude** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 9:43 pm

I'd say no more. You don't want to over do it. It looks fine now as it is.
The last thing you want to do is trap moisture in your whip. That promotes fungus and other things that will destroy the leather over time. It doesn't do a whole lot other then looks and finished up raw edges such as seen on your whip there.

bigrex · Post by **bigrex** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 9:51 pm

WhipDude wrote:I'd say no more. You don't want to over do it. It looks fine now as it is.
The last thing you want to do is trap moisture in your whip. That promotes fungus and other things that will destroy the leather over time. It doesn't do a whole lot other then looks and finished up raw edges such as seen on your whip there.

Whipdude,

Thanks for the assessment and advice.

maboot38, scot2525, & bobm2004,

Thanks for the congratulations!

scot2525 · Post by **scot2525** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 5:24 pm

moses wrote:Hmmm I hope that's a budget whip. The quality of the leather and the cutting and braiding look to me to be passable at best.

BR took a very good closeup of his whip and it may look like imperfections to you in the cutting and braiding. I see a very well manufactured whip in cowhide with a little bit of the family pet/s hair clinging to it, another example of how detailed the photo is.

A couple photos of my Caicedo whip, I chose natural tan and BR chose to go dark.

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/9859 ... 002so8.jpg

Canuck Digger · Post by **Canuck Digger** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 11:56 pm

I know cowhide doesn't cut as clean as kangaroo, but I see the same thing as you do...

DR Ulloa · Post by **DR Ulloa** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 12:02 am

Where can I get some shellac for my Caicedo and how do I apply it?

Dave

Post by **BullWhipBorton** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 1:08 am

Dave, I think these two threads will answer your questions about shellac…

viewtopic.php?t=25897
viewtopic.php?t=31914

Typically a light coat of shellac is put on a whip to offer some protection to the leather, to seal the edges and to give the whip a finished look. The idea is to apply a light even coat, not too much to where it makes the whip look plastic or artificial. Normally the whipmaker does this, not so much the new owner.

Dan

Soup · Post by **Soup** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 12:51 pm

Nice looking whip, Big Rex. I just received a 8' 12 plait from Gus a few weeks ago, a birthday present for my soon to be "13" year old son. Yours looks good with the shellac, I will probably only go with the Pecards myself.

Regards,

Soup

techrtr · Post by **techrtr** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 1:26 pm

I shellaced one of my whips but didn't like the way it looked. Too shiny and plastic looking. I prefer mine naturally polished through handling.

purewhips · Post by **purewhips** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 5:58 pm

Hey Big Rex glad you like the whip. Man I'm really sorry I didn't put more shellack on it. I just put on very little. It was either shine it up or get it to you in time for 31st.

At the same time I have ups and down with shellack on my whips. Some like it and others really don't care for it. So I do a happy medium to the whips and just give them a small amount of shine. Really hope this isn't a deal breaker for anyone wanting to get a whip from me in the future.

The whips I make are very functional and are made to be cracked. I am using 4oz hides which is really thick compared to the 1oz roo's.

Roo does finish up alot cleaner then cow.

As always I look at anything thing of the whips that I make and work on improving them. I have had no complaints on any whips that I have made from anyone who has purchased them.

Guys and gals thanks for all being so cool with waiting on the whips. I know I was about 8 to 10 weeks on some orders. There was only 2 whips that I didn't get to in time for the 31st and I have talked to them and it's all cool.

I am not making any whips untill the 6th. Gonna take a moment to chill out my hands and eyes from whip making. Working on my bread route, wife, kid and her after school sports has been a lot of work but I truley enjoy it with all my heart.

Um I think I miss spelled a few words so don't kill me on that.

Thanks,
Gus Caicedo Jr.
www.purewhips.com

TurnerME · Post by **TurnerME** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 10:56 pm

I have six of Gus's whips. I love them. As I always have to say I also have two Joe Strain whips. I love them too. When I ordered Gus's whips I was not expecting a Strain it was only a fraction of the price. I ordered Gus's because I could try whips of different styles lengths and builds that would aid me in my efforts to learn. I did expect the whips to perform and to be of quality build. I was not disappointed. For the dollar it is very hard to beat Gus's whips. Plus the fact that Gus is a super nice guy and will do everything possible to deliver what you request.

Nice looking whips by the way

I have all three colors from Gus dark natural and the Medium. I am not sure which is my favorite.

I know I sound like a broken record.

bigrex · Post by **bigrex** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 11:47 pm

Thanks Soup,

I do think the whip looks slightly more mat in real life. Sounds like your son will have a good birthday.

Soup wrote:Nice looking whip, Big Rex. I just received a 8' 12 plait from Gus a few weeks ago, a birthday present for my soon to be "13" year old son. Yours looks good with the shellac, I will probably only go with the Pecards myself.

Regards,

Soup

Thanks Gus,

It did arrive 11am on the 31st. I just put extra shellac on it since I figure it will wear off anyway while in use. I can understand only putting on a light coat as some may prefer the more natural cowhide look. I agree with everyone that for the price you charge and the work you put into the whips, they are a great value and we're lucky to have of a great functional, good looking US cowhide whip.

Rex

purewhips wrote:Hey Big Rex glad you like the whip. Man I'm really sorry I didn't put more shellack on it. I just put on very little. It was either shine it up or get it to you in time for 31st.

At the same time I have ups and down with shellack on my whips. Some like it and others really don't care for it. So I do a happy medium to the whips and just give them a small amount of shine. Really hope this isn't a deal breaker for anyone wanting to get a whip from me in the future.

The whips I make are very functional and are made to be cracked. I am using 4oz hides which is really thick compared to the 1oz roo's. Roo does finish up alot cleaner then cow.

As always I look at anything thing of the whips that I make and work on improving them. I have had no complaints on any whips that I have made from anyone who has purchased them.

Guys and gals thanks for all being so cool with waiting on the whips. I know I was about 8 to 10 weeks on some orders. There was only 2 whips that I didn't get to in time for the 31st and I have talked to them and it's all cool.

I am not making any whips untill the 6th. Gonna take a moment to chill out my hands and eyes from whip making. Working on my bread route, wife, kid and her after school sports has been a lot of work but I truley enjoy it with all my heart.

Um I think I miss spelled a few words so don't kill me on that.

Thanks,
Gus Caicedo Jr.
www.purewhips.com

WhipDude · Post by **WhipDude** » Tue Nov 04, 2008 12:03 am

Gus, why not ask customers what they want? That way they are completely satisfied. (Not ment in a snobbish sense) I'm looking at that whip thinking, that shellac really made it look much better by cleaning up the edges and gave it a nicer color.

monolith21 · Post by **monolith21** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 3:08 am

I love the whip I got from Gus. It cracks like a dream and has an impressive heft! I do like the look of the shellac but is definitely NOT a deal breaker. I almost don't want to shellac it since it looks so great!

Oh well. Guess I'll have to get another...

Billsid29 · Post by **Billsid29** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 3:27 pm

Hey Gus! Feel free to shellac mine if you want!

Really looking forward to my first real whip. The anticipation is killing my kids!