New 6 ft. Stockwhip by Joe Strain w/ Pics (video links now)

ksteryous · Post by **ksteryous** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 9:23 pm

Hi Guys,

Shortly after Christmas I received my 6 ft. Stockwhip from Joe Strain in a whiskey color, and wow, what a gorgeous whip. I can tell that the whip itself is extremely well made, with very tight plaiting and absolutely awesome balance.

Now this is the first time I've worked with a Stockwhip, and as some of you know, my only other whip is a 10 ft. Indy Bullwhip, and the differences between these two in terms of feel and handling is huge. So much so, that I'm actually having a little difficult time getting the "crack" on some of the techniques. I'm certainly beginning to understand that a 6 ft. Stockwhip requires a little more wristy, snappy motion compared to the behemoth of the bullwhip I have.

But of all cracks, I'm having the hardest time with the very simple cattleman's crack (the easiest with my bullwhip). I can actually do multiple cracks easier, but for some reason when I try to do a single cattleman's crack, I'm not feeling how to get a tight enough curve on this whip.

I may need to post a video so some of you can analyze me. The whip feels beautiful, and I really enjoy working with it. Enjoy the pics.

Kenton

Canuck Digger · Post by **Canuck Digger** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 10:14 pm

Goergeous! Joe's the Man no doubt about it! Congratulations!

Cracker · Post by **Cracker** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 10:49 pm

Amazing looking whip ksteryous, congratulations !

Shagbd · Post by **Shagbd** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 11:08 pm

good heavens that beautiful!

congrats!

WhipDude · Post by **WhipDude** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 11:16 pm

Take care of it. I have a strain whip in whiskey. It's a bullwhip though. If you take care of it real well and use it, it's going to become a very nice color. Mine's darkened up nicely and it's looking awesome. Good choice of color.

Your right, stockwhips require more grace. Less arm and more wrist and faster reaction time. Cattlemans crack isn't easy to do with stocks especially that short but you need to be quick reflexed about it. You'll get it within time. The more you use it and it's not as new, it'll be easier to do certain cracks.

hollywood1340 · Post by **hollywood1340** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 11:20 pm

Good points, but I've always thought it was the other way around. Grace for bulls, robotic for stock. The big thing to remember is the whole goal of the motion is to form the loop, or hairpin if you will. Don't worry about the crack. If you can for a good loop, the whip will crack every time. Start from the foundation, your feet, move to the whips, then shoulder, arm, wrist, whip. Follow it through and it'll never set you wrong

Imahomer · Post by **Imahomer** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 11:26 pm

That sure is sweet looking.

kooniu · Post by **kooniu** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 3:46 am

beautiful whip (I love stock whips

) congratulation

Imo , stock craking easy than bull , but your is still to stiff

. You and your whip need some practice

;-)

LemonLauren · Post by **LemonLauren** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 5:15 am

A 6ft is a great length IMO, and actually a little on the longer side for the stockwhips most people choose to use for competitions and the like (keep in mind the handle is in addition to the 6ft thong). I'm sure once you get a feeling for it, it will be one of the easiest whips you'll own to crack - stockwhips take almost no effort, and sometimes that'll throw you off if you're used to bullwhips!

Try to imagine that the long handle is your arm, and that your wrist is a little more like your shoulder joint - you don't need half as much power or movement from your own arm for a stockwhip. Make the handle do what your whole arm used to do with a bullwhip. Does that make any sense, lol?

I first learned on a bullwhip as well, and it took a little adjusting when I switched over and started working with stockwhips. It's hard at first to realize just how much of the work a stockwhip will do for you! Joe Strain braids tightly too, so I have no doubt you'll need to work with it a bit to break it in. I'm sure you have a very fine whip that you will grow to love even more than you do now!

Lauren Wickline
www.midwestwhips.com

ksteryous · Post by **ksteryous** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 1:11 pm

Thanks, guys and gals, for all the comments and suggestions. Today was even better than yesterday, and I really am starting to 'feel' the difference in how to handle a stockwhip.

Kooniu, you mentioned the whip still being too stiff, and I think I agree. It's only a couple weeks old, and I haven't come close to being able to crack it every day. So I think sometimes the stiffness along with still learning the right technique is prohibiting the tight loop needed.

Thanks Lauren, for your suggestions as well.

I've posted two short videos, and I would love to get your tips, suggestions and comments. Thanks in advance.

6 ft. Stockwhip Video

3 Crack Pattern Video (need help)

WhipDude · Post by **WhipDude** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 4:34 pm

Your loops are rather slack for your forward crack. It's going to take a bit of time of using the whip to get the feel and for the whip to relax.

The breakaway looks completely wrong. I think Adam originally taped it at an angle giving the appearance that he was doing it the way you were trying. You will be able to loosen up a bit on the trick and do it at slightly different angles when you get real good. Adam of course has that liberty because he's a higher skill level. To put it simply, the breakaway is a fast figure 8 followed by a forward crack. That forward crack needs to fly counter block wise after the crack has happened and then it can land back to your side.

Shagbd · Post by **Shagbd** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 8:58 pm

the breakaway is basically a fast fig 8 followed by a throw...
you can do that throw overhand, sidearm etc depending one what your setting up next...

I think the video you mentioned that adam did, he did a changing planes fast fig 8, with the first crack overhead, 2nd crack in the side plain, and then a sidearm flick...

heres an (old) video and a few cracks in, i do a breakaway, i also use a half breakaway to set up the wrap finish
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=211Fqew1 ... annel_page

winrichwhips · Post by **winrichwhips** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 9:11 pm

With the breakaway, ideally you want the rhythm of the three cracks to be spaced evenly apart.

With the crack in the front, you're not really throwing the whip to the front. After the crack behind, allow the whip to follow through underneath the handle and form a loop that points backward. Once you've formed this loop, you get the crack by sweeping your arm across your body.

You'll know that you've got it right when the whip starts cracking towards you.

Now, the way you're doing it is pretty much how I started doing it, and you could get the front crack with more practice and experimentation with how hard and fast yout throw the whip forward. However, the classic two-handed whip routines that involve the 'breakaway' need the 3 cracks spaced evenly apart (Kahona, Roseview Special) and this is best done with the method I outlined above.

-Adam

winrichwhips · Post by **winrichwhips** » Sat Jan 10, 2009 9:14 pm

I just watched the video where I did the breakaway, and with the camera angle it's not too obvious what's happening.

I'll try to make a video about the break away in the next few days.

-Adam

IndyWhips · Post by **IndyWhips** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 5:44 am

LemonLauren wrote:A 6ft is a great length IMO, and actually a little on the longer side for the stockwhips most people choose to use for competitions and the like

Lauren Wickline
http://www.midwestwhips.com

I agree 6 foot is a nice length, as to it being a little on the long side that must be yet another of those UK/USA things, I'd say 6 and 7 footers were the most common over here across the pond....

Tony

ksteryous · Post by **ksteryous** » Sun Jan 11, 2009 2:02 pm

Shagbd wrote: heres an (old) video and a few cracks in, i do a breakaway, i also use a half breakaway to set up the wrap finish
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=211Fqew1 ... annel_page

I liked that routine...thanks.

WhipDude wrote:To put it simply, the breakaway is a fast figure 8 followed by a forward crack. That forward crack needs to fly counter block wise after the crack has happened and then it can land back to your side.

Aha! I get it now, and can't wait to try again (wet outside right now).

winrichwhips wrote:With the breakaway, ideally you want the rhythm of the three cracks to be spaced evenly apart.

With the crack in the front, you're not really throwing the whip to the front. After the crack behind, allow the whip to follow through underneath the handle and form a loop that points backward. Once you've formed this loop, you get the crack by sweeping your arm across your body.

Thanks, Adam, I definitely see what you mean about the 3 cracks being evenly spaced...your video certainly shows that. Can't wait to see your new video of the breakaway if and when you get around to making it.

I'll try some more with the breakaway, and post a new video when I can so you guys can track my progress.

I'm definitely loving this stockwhip, though. Thanks Joe Strain!

Kenton

ksteryous · Post by **ksteryous** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 12:08 pm

All right, I practiced a little more yesterday with the breakaway, and now I'm having a problem where the whip wraps around my leg after the second crack before I bring it forward for that third crack. This is with me trying to do the fast figure 8 by my side followed by the forward crack. If I do it in the somewhat overhead plane, I get the whip to go forward cleanly (without hitting me) on the third crack, I just don't get it to crack very often on the third crack.

Any tips as to how to keep it from wrapping my leg? I'm obviously not drawing the whip back straight on the second crack which is why it's following through and wrapping my legs when I bring it forward.

Thanks,
Kenton

ksteryous · Post by **ksteryous** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 2:39 pm

Here's a video so that you can see what's going on with it wrapping my leg. Half way through, I tried to really slow the whip down, and I think I got a little lazy.....

Breakaway Take Two

WhipDude · Post by **WhipDude** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 3:39 pm

Very sloppy to say the least and therefore I see lots of things wrong. It's rather difficult to explain without me making a video. There's snow outside otherwise I would.

Your not "dipping" your hand enough on the fast figure 8. Do fast figure 8's for a while. Just do that and only that. After you got those down, practice a forward crack. Have it lay to your side and then practice your forward cracks, then as it cracks in front, swing it around counter clockwise. Have everything nice and neat. Everything needs to be at a for sure angle.

Like I said, don't try imitating Winrich until he gets a video of him doing it. Then I'm sure he'll keep it all nice and neat instead of taking advantage of his higher skill level by doing it at different angles.

If you are still struggling with forward cracks like you mentioned before, the breakaway won't be any easier to attempt either. I don't see any loops. Keep trying. The only way I got good was keep asking questions and experimenting. Take your time of course.

I'll see if I can pull off the breakaway in my living room and if I can, I'll post it.

ksteryous · Post by **ksteryous** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 6:12 pm

WhipDude wrote:Very sloppy to say the least and therefore I see lots of things wrong. It's rather difficult to explain without me making a video. There's snow outside otherwise I would.

I agree it's completely sloppy, and I probably shouldn't have even posted it...by the time I turned the camera on, I had already been cracking for a while, and my arm was about to fall off....anyway, let's back up like you say and just focus on the fast figure 8 for now.

I just posted this video....very short and only the fast figure 8...let's critique me on this before I try to add the third crack. After seeing it on video, it doesn't look like it was quite straight enough. It felt like it was at the time, so I'm not sure if it's the camera angle or if it really is a bit off.

WhipDude · Post by **WhipDude** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 9:28 pm

Not bad there. Looks like your arm wasn't falling off there. I see that specific "dip" that I'm looking for. I'm seeing proper usage of the leverage that you get with stocks and not on bulls. You seem to be adjusting your timing better as well.
Continue to practice your fast figure 8's.

When you can do them continuously at different speeds, stopping and starting, then you ought to feel comfortable.

Now, start with your fast figure 8. Just like what you were doing, don't be concerned with the 3rd crack. So you do the fast fig. 8....now typically if you go for another you would have that underhand sweeping motion to go to the next one. Right? That's not what you want. You want to go from that reverse forward crack to a forward one. It will be like casting a fishing rod. If you nail the fast fig. 8 then you should have set your self up. So once again....forward..reverse..immediately cast it out in front and bring it counter clockwise around your body.

Go back to Adam's video here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYZgQqy3_fI

and see what I mean by casting? That 3rd crack is like he's casting it out and letting it fly around him. Not in a perfect circle overhead like you would an overhead crack, but much like a fishing rod.

Keep everything on good, clean planes! Not slack or over hesitate. Give a good clean fast figure 8, go for that forward casting crack and give yourself the around the body follow through.

winrichwhips · Post by **winrichwhips** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:39 pm

I finally got around to making a video about the breakaway.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ri9SJmvefo

ksteryous, let me know if it helps you.

-Adam

Indiana County Jr. · Post by **Indiana County Jr.** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 7:11 pm

Adam,
Awesome as always!!

Hope one day i can do that ;-)

Crack On!
Allen

ksteryous · Post by **ksteryous** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 8:01 pm

winrichwhips wrote:ksteryous, let me know if it helps you.

-Adam

Adam,

Yes, I think that is going to help me tremendously...I'll let you know for sure tomorrow when it gets light enough to go outside. The third crack is the one I'm having difficulty with, and I saw something in your video that was a new concept to me....correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I saw that the third crack almost had the same concept as half a coachmen's crack...only in concept, though. Obviously the coachmen's looks different, and you do it in a more vertical plain, but that is the crack that came to mind when you were slowing it down.

Thanks a lot for doing that video, and I can't wait to try again tomorrow.

Kenton

DanielJones · Post by **DanielJones** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 1:34 am

Man, that is a beautiful work of art. Fantastic!

Cheers!

Dan

gsolideogloria · Post by **gsolideogloria** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:51 pm

BEAUTIFUL whip. I was just looking at Joe's whips today. Right now I'm trying to decide between Joe's and Louie Foxx's. I want a quality whip that I can use for some sport-cracking. I think I'm going to aim at a 6-footer. Yours looks great.

Happy cracking,

Ryan

ksteryous · Post by **ksteryous** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 10:03 pm

You can't go wrong with a Joe Strain whip in my opinion...he's definitely made me a loyal customer. Not that I won't experiment with other whip makers at some point, but I will certainly go back to Joe for another whip as soon as I can afford it. He will also be around for a while, and stand behind his work. Unlike my first whip which was a 10ft. Indy style whip. The week after I received it, the maker 'retired' from whip making, and I have still not been able to get a response to a few questions I had regarding the plaiting.

Regards,
Kenton