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!"
So, when I first received my Jacka Indy IV, since it took me almost 9 months to get, and since Terry doesn't require payment up front, I went ahead and told him I wanted another whip (thinking it might another year before he got back to me!) Well, a short 5 months later and Terry writes to me and says, "Your whip is done. Do you still want it?"
I was like, "uh - oh . . . "
But of course I still wanted it and so here it is . . .
It's a 16 plait, 6' Jacka with a straight 10" handle. I asked for it to be Saddle tan, though it seems more like whiskey to me. Regardless, its an awesome whip!
And here it is squeezed between my Jacka Indy IV and my Jacka "DeLongis" whip with the 13" handle
And finally, here is another video: This one compares all three of my Jacka whips! Enjoy!
Another wonderful Terry Jacka whip.
The braid really very seems to be pretty and consistent.
Congratulations my friend !!!
Ps: I tried a contact with Terry to buy a whip, but it said that he could not declare $50 in the total value of the whip, and this was the only problem hindered that me to carry through this purchase unhappyly. When the total value is over $50, I have taxes in my country, and have to pay %60 in real value of the product.
Hey Daren,
Awesome new whip You really have a great collection. The color of the new whip looks spot on for the CS whip we see on screen Graet vid also
Graeme
G-Roberts wrote:Hey Daren,
Awesome new whip You really have a great collection. The color of the new whip looks spot on for the CS whip we see on screen Graet vid also
Graeme
Thanks, Graeme!
Yeah, it's a really fun whip! It kind of makes me wonder how in the heck Terry and Anthony designed the Indy IV with such ridiculously large specs, though. Terry does great work, its no mystery why Anthony recommended him for the job, but the Indy IV whip is sort of silly. I would love to know what HF's personal feelings are on it. A whip like this one is very comfortable, as are most 10' Morgans or Morgan style whips. But the Indy IV Jacka is NOT comfortable. The more whips I collect, and the more I throw Terry's Indy IV whip, the less I understand its use for the film.
Maybe I'll feel differently when I really get it broken in. We'll see . . .
tomek9210 wrote:By uncomfortable you mean it is too stiff and too heavy?
I mean too heavy, too thick around in the thong and handle, and too hard to break in in the transition zone. I suppose it will happen over time, but in the meantime, its a pain. I think Dan Borton broke his in pretty well, but my understanding is that its takes a toll on the body. I've personally hurt my arm using it. Let's face it: its fun to crack because its a monster, but I wouldn't drive a monster truck to work . . . the darn thing just isn't practical (not that most bullwhips are for the way we use them, but you know what I mean).
DHW
PS Yes, kwad, there are leaves on the tree, but their days are numbered!\
Sorry if I sound snarky, but does anyone read the main IG site? Anthony wanted to add more to Harrisons whip skills and felt Terrys whip would be a better choice. I'm on my Blackberry so I can't qoute directly but it's all there. Personly I would have gone to Nolan or DelCarpio and asked for a more SA whip with the extra leverage built in. In the end we have a different whip from a different maker. If we really want the answers why not ask the source, Anthony or Mary? I'd say the answers were already given.
hollywood1340 wrote:Sorry if I sound snarky, but does anyone read the main IG site? Anthony wanted to add more to Harrisons whip skills and felt Terrys whip would be a better choice. I'm on my Blackberry so I can't qoute directly but it's all there. Personly I would have gone to Nolan or DelCarpio and asked for a more SA whip with the extra leverage built in. In the end we have a different whip from a different maker. If we really want the answers why not ask the source, Anthony or Mary? I'd say the answers were already given.
I know Anthony, and he explained it to me in person. It's just that now that I've got one for myself, and have so many other whips, I just don't get it. Even with all the tips and training I've received from Anthony (if I have ANY talent with a whip, its because of him), I still don't quite understand how Terry arrived at these specs for the Indy IV whip. It's not like Anthony uses it; he has very different tastes in regards to performance whips. To answer your question, Whipdude, the "De Longis" whip is quite a bit lighter than the Indy IV whip, but still heavier than the 6' 10" handled whip I just got.
What I'm getting at is, the Indy IV whip just doesn't make a lot of sense to me. EVERY other Indy whip I have from four different whipmakers (Morgan, Strain, Del Carpio, and Nolan) seems like it would have been JUST FINE for HF to use in Indy IV. The Indy IV whip is THICK, HEAVY and AWKWARD. At first I liked it because its sort of a monster whip, but its just exhausting to use.
I understand your view Daren. I've never used an Indy 4 whip before, but would love to try it out. From photos alone, I can see how beefy the whip is. I thought a Morgan was heavy enough, but it makes me wonder how heavy the Indy 4 bullwhip is.
It does seem redundant honestly. They could have used a weight and diameter similiar to the old style (Morgan) with a stiffer thong....or something simliar to Darens new (and nice!) Jacka.
I totally forgot about that Hollywood. Also a very good question. I don't know De Longis personally but I know many here do. Anybody up for asking him these questions?
Anthony wasn't satisfied with the Morgans that were provided to HF. It was his idea to suggest that Terry design a whip for the film. I feel bad bringing this up, because I consider Anthony a friend and I'm not trying to criticize him. He made a recommendation that he felt would be helpful; there's nothing wrong with that.
I guess what I'm trying to ask is not why they went with a different maker, I already know why. The question is why is the whip so thick and bulky? I'm looking for opinions from people who have the Indy IV made by Terry and who also have a Morgan or a Morgan style whip for their opinions of the Indy IV whip.
That still doesn't answer the question Daren. Even if I owned a Indy 4 whip, it doesn't answer why they went with a thick and bulky whip for the film. Unless a close friend (maybe Dan?) knows, then the only way to find out is to ask De Longis himself. I don't feel right doing it because he's a busy man.
I think the Indy IV may end up as a whip dead end. The facts are it was an untried design from a maker that does not make an American style bullwhip. I'd like to know more about those first Morgan whips. I have read that Harrison was not a fan of Anthony s usual whips hence the Morgan used for training. Either way Harrison was superbly trained when he walked on set and had a tool he could put to use. And we will never know how well the full extent of that training would have looked on screen. So for the whip work seen and unseen (The Graveyard wrap) the Jacka was adequate.
Hey guys,
I have one of Terry's Indy 4 whips and also agree with questiong why this thing is so thick. When I first got mine, I was in awe of it, but once the magic feeling had worn off and I set out to begin "training" it, I noticed that I had to readjust my hand position since the butt of the whip felt like a leather wrapped door knob in my medium sized hand. It came out of my hands a couple times while getting used to the weight of it, so I found out that gripping it just below the turk knot worked for me and I could crack it pretty cleanly and do my usual routine. One major side effect was getting used the burning in your forearms after using it. After multiple weapons training and several years of cracking different whips, I never thought I could feel a sensation like that on that level! When compared to Morgans, Strains, and Del Carpio (I have the CS version) whips, it dwarfs them insanely in comparison, to me I was used to Terry's aussie style whip and figured the whip would be similar in size but maybe just a bit bigger, I had no idea how thick it was going to be until it showed up and I unboxed it. Don't get me wrong, I am glad I do own one, I like others would have liked to see it a little smaller in diameter. It does work well, it is just a little too big in my opinion. Makes my others feel like "nothing" when cracking them.
Harrison was indeed superbly trained. And apparently Harrison insisted that he train on a 10' whip, which is why he didn't use some Anthony's normal whips. Anthony had a 10' Morgan which he loaned to HF until a Jacka prototype could be provided. Clearly, HF was okay with this whip; he uses one in the film. It's hard to say what Anthony felt about it. After my first training session with him, I told him that I ordered one. He didn't seem like he was glad for me; he was trying to persuade me to invest in something a little more practical (shorter whip, longer handle). Well, I invested in both: a 10' Indy IV from Terry, as well as "DeLongis" 7' whip. I hadn't recieved either one of these whips by the time of my second visit to Anthony's ranch. I will clearly be bringing these with me and my next visit over the summer. And I will certainly ask Anthony again about the bulky design.
But I'm going go ahead and write to Terry and see what he says. When I first got my Indy IV, it didn't seem as massive as it does now because my first whip was a 10' Bernie Wojcicki whip. While not as heavy, Bernie's whip featured a similar diameter and bulkiness. I have since sold that whip, and all of the other whips I have since added to my collection are noticeably thinner and lighter than both the Bernie Wojcicki and Jacka Indy IV.
So what's the answer? To be honest I'm not sure what the question is. I'm just expressing a frustration and looking to ask people to share their impressions of Terry's whips in general and/or their Indy IV whip. I LOVE my Jacka "DeLongis" 7' and my Jacka 6' whips! They are beautifully made and handle wonderfully. I'm just saying, now that I have more experience, I'm looking at my Indy IV and I'm scratching my head . . .
DHW
Last edited by DarenHenryW on Tue Mar 16, 2010 7:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Daren, Nice looking bullwhip. That is saddle tan; it just darkened from the plaiting soap.
Regarding Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Harrison Ford trained with a David Morgan bullwhip because, one the Terry Jacka whips weren’t ready in time and two Harrison didn’t like the long handled whips Anthony De Longis had and didn’t want to use them. The David Morgan bullwhip Harrison trained with is one of Anthony personal whips. That whip is over 20 years old and if you compare it to those made by the David Morgan co. in 2007 for the film, the newer whips where different. When Anthony saw them, he wasn’t as pleased with how they behaved for him or for what he wanted to do for the film. Granted 98% of that never ended up being utilized in the film, but that wasn’t known when filming began. None the less he went to Terry Jacka, who's whips he knew well.
How Terry Jacka arrived at those specs? First he was never told what these whip where going to be used for when the order was placed. It wasn’t until after the fact, that he learned that they where to be used for an Indiana Jones film. So essentially what Terry did was to take his standard 10-foot Australian bullwhip design, which is a thick heavy bullwhip to begin with (more so then his shorter bullwhips or the De Longis model) and alter it as required, but in such a way that would still allow it to perform favorably by his standards. The order required him to shorten the handle (and increased the size of the turkshead knot), which was done to better match the look and design of the original David Morgan bullwhips. Due to the leverage lost from shortening the handle, additional binding and reinforcement had to be put into the thong to help compensate for that, but in doing so it increased the diameter and mass of the thong in the first two feet up from the handled giving a more robust feel and appearance. He felt the transition needed to be ridged so that the whip had a spring to it and flexed gradually, he will also tell you though he didn’t make these whips to be coiled up and worn on a belt, dispite that being the way they were used in the movie.
The thing is, even thought these are heavy robust whips, that wasn’t a big deal in the design. It's true that most Australian bullwhips are typically though of as light weight and fast whips, but thick, heavy robust bullwhips are not uncommon among the Australian whip makers either. Terry’s 10 and 12 ft whips are like this, though to a lesser extent then the Indy 4 model. Look at one Bernie Wojcicki’s bullwhips for example or some of New Zealand’s Peter Jacks bullwhips, even one of the Cecil Henderson bullwhips Paul Nolan is brokering is comparable in mass to Crystal skull whips. So it’s not that out of the ordinary, it’s just not used to being seen with in Indiana Jones community.
Daren, as I understand it Harrison Ford was very pleased with the bullwhips Terry Jacka supplied and ended up keeping one after filming wrapped. As for me, I like the Indy 4 bullwhip. I have a couple of them and enjoy using them and find them to be a unique, fun whip to work with. In my opinion they are a better whip once they are well broken in and that firm tension is taken out of the first few feet of the thong, but that does take time and alot of use to break in to same consistency and condition that Anthony had them in for the film. Probably more so then the average Indy fan will do with their whip for a long time. I know John Leonetti likes to make mention of the fact that I used mine so much when it first arrived that I developed tennis elbow LOL and that is partly true but it was also aggravated by the wear and tear from my day job (Though Tennis /Whip elbow is not that uncommon of a complaint among sport whip crackers, especially as we get older)
Are the Terry Jacka Indy 4 whips a heavy whip? Yes… they are long and they are robust, they pack a punch and for some they are just going to be too much whip. Are they an awkward whip? I don’t think they are, I actually find them very easy to crack but I do feel that they are better suited for an advanced whip cracker as they do take skill to be able to properly use to their full potential. Where they needed for the film? Personally, I don’t think they where. I know Anthony likes Terry Jacka’s whips and so do I for that matter, but I also strongly believe that there are a number of us here who could easily do any and all of the things required for that film and more with any number of Indy style bullwhips available today.
Thank you for chiming in, Dan. I definitely could not have said it better myself. I'm sorry if you felt you needed to chime in and straighten this thread out.
I agree with everything you said. I think my problem is that my whip is just far from being broken in. I would like to think that I will break it in one day. As I said above, I'll certainly take it with me on my next trip to Anthony's ranch and have him help me with that, but I know first and foremost it will just take time and use.
I have such a growing collection now that I only take the Indy IV out when I feel its being neglected (awww . . . poor whip ) The whips I enjoy the most are my Strains, Del Carpios and other Jackas.
Anyway . . . I didn't mean to open a whole can of worms here, just wondering what people's thoughts are.
I wonder, if Terry had known what they were for would he have built them differently?
That is, if he knew they for an Indiana Jones film, and that the Morgan was the predecessor and that Harrison Ford would be cracking them, and exactly what sort of cracks/stunts they would be used for, might he have built them at all differently?
Thanks Dan! This confirms what I have thought all along, that this is an Autrailian bullwhip. Many are used to the American style but the whip world is so large nice to see some new hide in the Indyverse. Maybe it will let some try out new and different whips.
Thanks Dan!
For those of us who have them, would you care to list (via PM maybe?) the techniques you used to break it in? As always, thanks for the information.
Leave it to Dan to have the answer.
Sounds like a real domino effect. Very nice to know about how it all happened. I do believe that it fits the fantasy side of Indiana Jones. A big whip with a lot of power behind it that seems rugged.
Tennis elbow from the whip? Wow! Now you really have me wondering what it'd feel like to use one of these. I'd imagine that the 8 footer you got would be much easier on the arm compared to the 10 footer.
This poses another question: Why the differences in the handling of the Morgan whips? The changes in construction have been cosmetic ie ring knot placement. At least as far as I understand it. How deep does this rabbit hole go?
The Terry Jacka Indy 4 whips aren’t for everyone and that’s ok. There are certainly many other whips available that are much better suited for more practical whip work, for me though they are fun whips to use. One of the great things about whip cracking is that while preferences are very personal, there is a wide enough range of product available that you can find whips you really like, as well as ones you don’t. It doesn’t always mean it’s a bad whip if you don’t like it, (though sometimes they are LOL), it just means its not for you.
Good Question though, Terry might have done things differently if he had known what it would be used for, but knowing Terry I can tell you this. He doesn’t like short handled bullwhips and he doesn’t like making whips specifically for movies, he would rather they go to real whip crackers. He will not make belt hangers and he won’t compromise on what he feels is right when it comes to how a whip should be made, as long as he feels it results in him making the best possible performing whip that he can.
Allen, As for how I broke mine in. Basically I used it, a lot. I worked with it for probably about an hour a day for several weeks straight after I first received it. I also rolled and flex it a bit in my hands to help work it in. I would not typically recommend doing that with any other whip, but I wanted to help this one flex more readily. I’ve seen Anthony do that with his, though he tends to crank them back and forth too aggressively for my taste so I was a little more gentle, going with a way Mike Murphy told me about (and mentioned in his maintenance DVD). I gave it a try, it helped but just be careful not to over do it. The whip still has enough tension in the thong to have a good spring to it, but it's been conditioned enough to whereit’s to the point of how I like my whips and pretty much to the extent the film whips where also.
I've noticed a couple of you mentioning discomfort in your forearm after using the Indy 4 whips a lot too. So I would like to comment on that. I suspect that comes from the fact that there is just so much weight and rigidity in the first 3 feet of the whip when its new, that as you start to throw it and let it roll out straight it starts to put a great deal of strain on the muscles in the forearm and on the tendons connecting to the elbow. It’s not to bad if you have forearms like _, but for those of us with a less then Herculean build, it’s easy to overdo it so you do need to be careful. Make sure you streach a lot prior to starting and take frequent breaks, switch hands and stop if it feels at all uncomfortable, Dont try to work though it. A lot of whip crackers I know deal with Tennis Elbow at some point, so when it happened to me, I had to take it easy for a while and I wore an aircast brace on my upper forearm. The discomfort eventually went away, for the most part. Sometimes it flares up, but I found once the whip was broken in and rolled out from the handle rather then sticking straight out like a baseball bat, I didn’t seem to have that problem anymore and no longer experience that strain or discomfort. Sometimes I’ll still use the brace though if I’m doing a lot of cracking though just for precaution. The 8ft is a little lighter, the most notable difference is the taper starts more quickly so the whip doesn’t have quite as much bulk to it in the first few feet, which I do like.
James, I'm sure you and I have discussed the Indy 4 whip in detail, back when you originally planned to get one from Terry and you wanted to know more about them. Despite that it came from Australia though, I’d really consider it more of a Terry Jacka bullwhip, then an true “Australian” style bullwhip. Terry has his own way of doing things and his own views of how a bullwhip should act, that doesn’t really fit the typical Australian style bullwhip of most whip makers make.
Regarding your other question, why the differences in the handling of the Morgan whips? With experience in dealing with many David Morgan bullwhips produced over the last 30 years, that question sort of answers itself. The change in the placement of the knot was for all intensive purposes cosmetic, but there have been other changes that have slowly evolved over the years. Changes that seem subtle and unimportant, but that do effect the over all feel and performance of the whips. For example, the sets for the overlay had become considerably wider and heavier then they where. This makes for a more rugged whip, but it also results in rougher whip with overlapping in the strands, more bunching and a less tightly compressed & fitted overlay. Second, In 2007 David was on the verge of handing the whipmaking reigns over to Meagan and Alex. He was still making some whips but he physically could not pull the sets near as tightly as he did 10 or 20 years early. As a result a many of the David Morgan bullwhips where plaited loosely and where overly limber especially towards the point. The bullwhips still cracked well in the manner they where recommended to be used, but those where not qualities everyone likes in a whip, especially when they are used to something else and looking for a whip ideal for precision and control. So in comparison the whip Anthony had made 20 years ago, was a better bullwhip. Now with Alex doing most of the heavy plaiting (and having gotten very good at in the last couple years) that’s isn’t so much issue anymore, but a few years ago it was.
BullWhipBorton wrote: Second, In 2007 David was on the verge of handing the whipmaking reigns over to Meagan and Alex. He was still making some whips but he physically could not pull the sets near as tightly as he did 10 or 20 years early. As a result a many of the David Morgan bullwhips where plaited loosely and where overly limber especially towards the point.
Hi Dan,
Thank you so much for clearing alot of this up! This makes perfect sense! My 2006 Morgan whip started out pretty tight on it's overlay but near the hitch, it is just like a loose noodle. I had suspected that this was the problem, but was not sure when I first got it since I was getting used to cracking a whip again. Like for instance doing the arrowhead, I had no problems with my Strain or my Del Carpio, but the Morgan would just about beat me silly! I finally stopped using it for cracks like that since I got tired of looking like a zebra. I had thought that I ended up with one of the whips made by Alex and Megan, but who knows, I may actually have one of the last generations of whips made by David!
On the subject of the forearm issue, thanks for addressing that as well. I too use an aircast just in case, it helped me alot as well since I started back with whips. Oddly enough, I can do quite a bit of multiple cracking routines with the Jacka. I was surprised actually given the weight. Also, thank you for the tips on breaking it in, mine unfortunately is still in the "ball bat" phase, But I will get it there one day lol!
Thank you, again, Dan for bringing so much info to this thread. I feel kind of bad for opening up this can of worms, but it seems about time for it, now that many more of us COW whip crackers have a Jacka Indy IV. I haven't seen many threads discussing it since I became very active here over the summer.
By the way, I wonder how many people have the Indy IV whip. I asked Terry to make mine one of the "J" series (for no particular reason) and mine is #10. At least its the 10th of the 10 footers, anyway. I wonder how many regular non "J" series he has made. It wouldn't surprise me if there are less than, oh I don't know, say, 50 of these "Indy IV" whips both in 8 and 10 feet, "J" series and non- "J" series around the world.
Daren,
I think it was a great idea to start up this discussion!
I agree, since these whips were sent out, not much has been said about them. I seem to remember only 6 other mentionings about people getting theirs. Mine is a "non" J series 10 ft and it came with the plain white certificate.
Thanks Dan! One thing driving the Indy IV is that no true replica exists. It may be because it is to early on or replicating the action of this whip isn't worth it. I remember early on there was a "How SA will Terrys whips be?" thread. To get a true Indy IV whip today you have to go to the source. IMO as with the Morgan there are certain things that make an Indy IV an Indy IV.
I'm aware that people offer them, but I have yet to see a true from the hide up SA version of Terrys whip that includes the unique handling in production. I knoe Bernardo has done a few but its not his usual production whip. Most offerings I've seen are in the Morgan construction in Indy IV colors and shape.
hollywood1340 wrote:I'm aware that people offer them, but I have yet to see a true from the hide up SA version of Terrys whip that includes the unique handling in production. I knoe Bernardo has done a few but its not his usual production whip. Most offerings I've seen are in the Morgan construction in Indy IV colors and shape.
Agreed. My Joe Strain Indy IV whip has the right SA colors and turkshead/ringknot patterns, but totally has the weight, size and handling of Joe's other whips, which is to say, that it more or less follows the Morgan style. It's NIGHT and DAY when compared to the Jacka Indy IV. They are almost completely different.
I know Louie Foxx has made Indy IV whips, and so has Bernardo, and others, but I've only seen photos, never handled theirs.
Daren Henry W
Last edited by DarenHenryW on Wed Mar 17, 2010 4:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
To me it handles like a early Morgan, but it looks like a Jacka, and rolls out straight as an arrow! It does not have the rigid stiffness nor the elongated thong that the Jacka has. I will put up some comparison pics of them together.
At the moment, these are the only comparison shots I have:
What a great thread Daren! it's been a while since last time I enthusiastically read a thread on Cow. And congrats on your new Jacka! it looks awesome. If I were to order another whip from Terry, I think it would be one like that.
I wanted to chime in before, but I decided to wait until Dan posted his thoughts, as he can explain things so much better than anybody else.
I have one of Terry's Indy 4 whips in my collection. I am very happy with it, although I have yet to crack it. Before it arrived, I was expecting a very heavy and thick bullwhip. I had converted a couple of Terry's standard 10" handled bulls, so I thought I knew what to expect. Wrong! The thing is massive! it feels so heavy! It is much thicker than those Jackas I converted. Here is a picture of it, next to some other whips, all in saddle tan:
From left to right: Del Carpio 5ft LC (actually Daren's), Joe Strain 8ft Indy style, Mike Murphy 7ft, 16 plait Aussie pattern (the skinniest whip I've handled), and of course, my new 10 ft Indy 4 Jacka. I asked Terry to tie black knots on it, and he kindly agreed.
When I finally decide to use it (I like to keep my new whips in like-new condition for a while), I will do what Dan suggested above: work the thong with my hands to bend it and make it less rigid. I am sure that will make the whip much easier and fun to use.
Since my Indy 4 whips were mentioned, I'd like to add that I followed only the external appearance of Terry's creation. The construction, balance and handling are the same as my regular Indy whips. In other words, there's no extra binding at the transition zone, there's a heavy spike as handle foundation, and lead at the butt.
I don't do the thong on my Indy IV bullwhips like Jacka's for a couple of reasons.
One: It's a pain in the butt.
Two: Jacka doesn't use kangaroo bellies
Now with a belly inside the whip and at 4 plait it doesn't take too much stress. However using split leather like Jacka would leave me with a lot of wasted kangaroo. This is the outside stretchy stuff of the skin. Sure I could cut it very wide, stretch it and then even it out, but that skin is different from the roo skin closer to the center. With roo not being cheap I try to use up as much as I can.
Also I'm personally not a fan of how the my 8' Jacka handles (mine is a "regular" jacka that I got from David Morgan). It's just not my cup o' tea. Here's a picture of it when it was new:
That's a great comparison shot Bernardo. I like your Murphy whip! Would it be possible to see some more photos? Maybe PM them to me so we don't derail the thread? I am very close to possibly buying one of the same model.
Thanks Whipdude, I thought it would be fun to photograph all the saddle tan whips I had on hand. The difference in diameter between the Indy 4 Jacka and the Murphy is huge. I'll PM you more pics of the Murphy.
Murphy whip looks like the diameter is less than 20mm and Jacka's over an inch. That buttknot looks very funny, like whip for kids, when comparised to Indy 4 bullwhip.
Hi Tomek, good guess! The diameter of the thong in the Murphy is 18mm, and 29mm(a little over 1" 1/8) in the Jacka. The heel knot on the Murphy is extremely small. That whip is better held by the handle. On the other hand, the heel knot on the Jacka is quite big. As Indiana County Jr. said, it feels like a leather wrapped door knob.
DarenHenryW wrote: But the Indy IV Jacka is NOT comfortable. The more whips I collect, and the more I throw Terry's Indy IV whip, the less I understand its use for the film.
DHW
Daren,
Do you find it hard to crack your Morgan after cracking the Indy IV Jacka? Maybe it's just me, but after cracking my Jacka and then going to the Morgan, it is really hard to get it down because of the huge weight difference... It feels like I'm throwing air. Any thoughts?
Now that I own an example of a Jacka whip, as well as a proper Indy whip I can see where Harrison was coming from with regards to what he wanted to be trained on. The fiberglass core and extended transition of my Jacka DeLongis, albeit negated for a large part in Anthony's whips, doesn't really lend itself to trying to throw even an eight foot Indy whip. The balance, the leverage, the set up and the weight are all off. Knowing I had a finite time in which to work and knowing the world would see my efforts if I had to train someone to use an Indy whip, I'd use an Indy whip. If I'm teaching whipcraft and it's use for screen or combat to a student on a continuing basis then my longer handled whips would be appropriate IMO. I guess it's in knowing the tool and the job, which Indy IV is an excellent example. And a crossing of genre's for whip users. I wonder how many people cracking Indy whips pick up a stock whip, or a longer handled bullwhip for any length of time? Of course with the company here on COW I'm guessing the number is quite high but I'd wager in general that is not the case. As with many the Indy whip is THE whip and that satisfies them. Same on the other side of the whip aisle. So I guess we all can get along!
Funny you should say that James, when I first got back into whip cracking, my first roo was a Jacka standard 10ft with 10inch handle. I used it for about six months and decided to buy another whip, this time a David Morgan 10ft, I did not think there would be too much difference, but boy, was I mistaken LOL (took time to get used to the shorter handle). Once I got used to it and bought a couple more different whips, picking up others did not call for too much of an adjustment to my technique as I switched between them. That is, until I picked up the Jacka Indy IV! It makes all my others now feel like paper weights, but it seems easier to work with (despite the heaviness) since I guess I first got used to the Jacka style of handling. I know it sounds odd, but it works for me . I realize now that I am more content with longer handled whips. Congrats on the 7ft by the way!
To paraphrase a well known pirate "Where did all the leverage go?" Right now my whip is five foot of on a two foot spring loaded handle. Figures that you can take for granted with this set up are much more difficult and hazardous with the eight inch Indy style whip. Not something I'd train with for an Indy whip. So I guess it all makes sense. Wonder what will happen in Indy V? (That should be a new thread)
](./images/smilies/Indy_wall.gif "Brick wall"){kind=small}
) The whips I enjoy the most are my Strains, Del Carpios and other Jackas. 
. I realize now that I am more content with longer handled whips. Congrats on the 7ft by the way!