Darken a Whip in a Tanning Bed?

[Texas Raider]

O.k., first of all, I'm not interested in doing this, but it may be an option for those folks who want to quickly darken a natural tan whip. What do you whipmakers/leather folk think? Seems plausible to me. Lay the whip in a tanning bed (whichever UV level, maybe even the nicer, more expensive [supposedly less damaging] beds) for 30 minutes or so? This way you have no drying damage from leaving it out in the sun to do the same thing. Maybe?? We all know that the sun does darken it, so this should work and is a bit more controlled.

TR

[Texas Raider]

Makes me even think Aldens could be darkened that way too..hmm

TR

[IndianaJack91]

I guess it could work

[McFly]

The only problem I can see is having half the whip tanned, or just two sides. You'd have to go in every once in a while and rotate the whip, and it would may or may not be tough to get the underside and top sides of the whip (the sides that don't directly face up when laying coiled on the table).

Shane

[Texas Raider]

I dunno, the beds wrap around pretty good, and we're not talking a thick body, like a human, needing to turn to get the sides. I think it'd be o.k. just layed in there, but it wouldn't be hard to turn it every now and then (the image of frying bacon comes to mind) ;-)
I'm starting to think about this with a pair of Aldens, though, see if it does anything...

TR

[nammann]

I was just wondering why one must alter a work of art instead of letting it naturally age and darken on its on over time? a Tanning bed, Seriously? Maybe I am missing something here but tanning beds are known to be harmful to the human body, I mean you are basically sticking yourself into a low powered microwave to cook yourself like a turkey at a high rate. Remember there is also lead and a metal nail depending on the way the whip was made and I am not sure if I would want to be sticking that stuff into a radioactive container so it will darken quicker. This is just my opinion but I think if you want to get a darker whip just save the money and buy a darker whip. Whips are made that way for a reason I suggest leaving it outside the tanning bed and let it naturally darken with use. I have had plenty of whips that I have handled from new to old and they do darken with use, I would suggest to let it run its Natural course.

Take care,

Nick

[BendingOak]

I was just wondering why one must alter a work of art instead of letting it naturally age and darken on its on over time? a Tanning bed, Seriously? Maybe I am missing something here but tanning beds are known to be harmful to the human body, I mean you are basically sticking yourself into a low powered microwave to cook yourself like a turkey at a high rate. Remember there is also lead and a metal nail depending on the way the whip was made and I am not sure if I would want to be sticking that stuff into a radioactive container so it will darken quicker. This is just my opinion but I think if you want to get a darker whip just save the money and buy a darker whip. Whips are made that way for a reason I suggest leaving it outside the tanning bed and let it naturally darken with use. I have had plenty of whips that I have handled from new to old and they do darken with use, I would suggest to let it run its Natural course.

Take care,

Nick

[gsolideogloria]

I really like darker whips but went with a natural tan. I am looking forward to it getting darker, but I want it to do so naturally. I can't imagine putting it in a tanning bed. But, to each his own. Also, to me it would seem that any attempt to "unnaturally" speed up the aging process would not be healthy for the whip. My next whip will probably be a darker KOTCS color.

Interesting thoughts.

Happy cracking,

Ryan

[Texas Raider]

Some folks just don't want to wait, just like aging/weathering a jacket or boots or bag or whatever. Same thing.
Also, a tanning bed is not even CLOSE to a microwave. A microwave uses microwave energy to heat things from the inside out and outside in. A tanning bed use UV light, of varying degrees, to darken your skin only, not heat you up and cook you. It would work if the bed was ice cold too. The lead and metal in a whip would have zero affect on anything. You could climb in a tanning be wearing chainmail and it wouldn't make a difference (although it'd tear up the clear acrylic panels of the bed).

Some beds even filter out almost all damaging rays to tan your skin. I know this sounds way off the wall to folks, but the relation of skin cancer and sun damage aren't as related as people think. Like I've said, it's the advent of SUNSCREEN that all the skin cancer problems of MODERN society have surfaced. Why has it increased over the last few decades. Back in the day, before all these chemicals they didn't have problems with skin cancer that we have today.

Think about it Sunscreen-manmade chemicals-cancer-promote sunscreen because of cancer-make more money.

I've seen what this stuff does to inanimate objects- it fries 'em, dries 'em and destroys 'em. Just think what it does in our bodies...

TR

[nammann]

You also have to put into consideration the oils and greases that are put into the whip? not everyone uses 100% safe chemical free harmless oils? Kero, Motor oil, fuel, etc are some of the chemicals that have been used in leather plaiting soap and conditioners. When you go into a tanning bed you do sweat, right? and those oils combine with sweat mix together therefore putting those chemicals into your body, and due to the fact that Leather is skin? I mean you can easily Harm yourself in a tanning bed I don't care how safe they might say they are 10minutes in a tanning bed is like 6 hours in direct sunlight and I have seen first hand at the dangers of using tanning beds for 10 minutes with the help of unknown chemicals used to tan and due to a chemical reaction to the skin let me tell you it is not a pretty site, People are unaware of what is put into their whips and You have to be cautious when recomending this to anyone.


"even better the sunless tanning beds, stick the whip in and just spray on the tan "

Take care,

Nick

[Canuck Digger]

Part of me is thinking maybe I ought to stay away from this one, but I just can't.

Asside from potential damage done to a whip in the process of accelerating the aging process, there is another point I would like to raise; what ever happened to working with the new item (be it a whip or a pair of shoes or a new car) until you reach a state of comfort on your own? I may be bordering on the esotheric here, but there is something to be said about infusing enough of your energy or your self, into a whip while working it so that it eventually does become a natural extenssion of your mind and will. No amount of tanning beds or motor oil or Fuller's Earth can do this. Unless you are making a film where it is CRITICAL that an item look a certain way (and BTW, if you are making an amateur film, it probably isn't), I say just work with it and learn the dicipline that is required to master it. In other words, learn to master yourself in the process, and sorry to say, but there is no shortcuts for that.
All the best,

Franco

[ksteryous]

I like Franco's take on it. If you only have a whip for a costume piece and that's it (meaning, you're never going to use it or crack it), then maybe natural tan isn't the right color for you. Just start off with a darker color to begin with. And if it's only a costume piece, then you will probably never grow to really 'love' your whip, and so the fact that you didn't get a natural tan whip won't be that important to you.

However, if you're going to use your whip, and master it, then you will grow to appreciate it very much. Just like with anything that you spend enormous amounts of time with, whether an object or a person, your affections for it grow in direct proportion to the amount of time you spend with it (okay, so sometimes it doesn't work that way with people, but you get what I'm saying). And there is just something really awesome about watching a natural tan whip darken with use and time. And besides that, if you spend a good deal of time with it, as opposed to it just sitting in a corner, it really doesn't take that long for it to start to darken. Mine is only a couple of months old, and it is already turning into an awesome caramel color. But I use it a lot.

Regards,
Kenton

[nammann]

This post caught my mind because I am a whipmaker and I do not agree with speeding up the process of darkening or even breaking in a whip un-naturally because I know how much Quality Time,Patience, and Experience goes into making these works of ART, and yes, they are Art Pieces. Whipmakers create Inexpensive Darker whips for this reason so you do not have to Alter the whip that you have, OK maybe you need to wait a little and save up some extra cash but the wait is well worth it, you do need to naturally break in a whip so that you can appreciate it, even the Inexpensive whips and I am not talking about (John Doe's) Ebay whips that are really inexpensive. I own an Adam W. IOAB and I have taken good care of it ever since I purchased it but I use it all the time and I can appreciate that whip, yes it is less expensive than most of your higher priced whips but thats because it is made to be less expensive and affordable and made from darker leather to give that already used look.


Take Care,

Nick

[bernie47]

Oh Dear! I find it hard to stop laughing. I keep getting this vision of a bull whip laying on the tanning bed with sun glasses on.

[nammann]

Here you go Bernie, Just to Humor you!

Take care,

Nick

[bernie47]

Thanks Nick, much appreciated. Nice looking handle by the way in under two over two. Turns out a nice pattern when done in higher plaits.

[nammann]

Bernie,

I couldn't help myself, after I saw your post I had that image in my head and had to put it on here, Im Glad you liked it and Thank You very much for the Comment I do agree the look of the under two over two is a nice pattern.

Take care,

Nick

[gsolideogloria]

Nick, I guess your whip won't have any tan lines.

Ryan

[bluzharp]

Here you go Bernie, Just to Humor you!

Take care,

Nick

LOL! I'm glad to see that humor is still alive and well in these dark economic times!

[Indiana County Jr.]

LOL! I'm glad to see that humor is still alive and well in these dark economic times!

I agree, I like'ta cracked a rib laughing at that!


Crack On!
Allen

[BullWhipBorton]

That was a pretty good one Nick!

[eaglecrow]

I wouldn't do this to a new whip when it isn't broken in yet. I think the plaiting soap insinde the whip would simply evaporate to some degree. I don't think this would be good for the later breaking inn process.
Regular sunlight is quit strong these days anyway and I have seen very good and fast results with sunbaking the whip.
And as allready mentioned in here you could allways go for a darker whip anyway

You would also enjoy your whip a lot more if you can see it slowly aging by using it, by having it laying in the sun next to yourself on sunday afternoon, by packing it into the backpack when going onto a weekend trip, accidently hitting the ground while cracking. That's all part of the process.
But Canuck Digger allready sayed it best

[Indiana Texas-girl]

Interesting question, TX Raider. I wonder if anyone will try it for trying's sake. Can you imagine going to the tanning salon and walking in with a whip? LOL!

[Wade Egan]

Love the whip in shades photo! Very creative! I haven't tried the tanning bed, but I did put some leather conditioner on my 8' Natural Joe Strain and hung it in the sun for about three or four days, turning it occasionally. Here's the result:

Three days old:


Three months old:


There's some more photos of the whip color in this thread about the belt:
http://indygear.com/cow/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=39682
I am quite happy with the color in it's present state, which is much darker in person than in this photo. I have been comparing on my 80" TV to the Raiders screen shot when Indy holds his whip up and says 'Stay out of the light!' I think it's there now. Also, the heat from the sun really helps loosen up the whip strands and makes the whip more pliable quicker. I like to hang the whip up in the sun for a bit prior to practicing my targets to loosen it up.


Just my 2¢. I don't care for 'fake 'n bake' tans on women or my whip. My girl in high school turned herself orange.

Interesting concept, but I'd just let 'em age like fine wine!


W.E.

[Indiana County Jr.]

"Stay out of the light!....." and "Stay out of the tanning bed!..."


Crack On!
Allen

[Wade Egan]