Spring steel for handle?

[ST]

Hey, It's been a while since I posted anything but I have a problem. I'd like to make a full plait stockwhip handle, I found a place to get toheti cane but I can't find any spring steel. My question is, dose anyone know where I can order some spring steal rods?
Thanks in advance.
ps. I live in BC Canada, if that matters.

[louiefoxx]

Just do a google search for "spring steel, canada" and you should be able to turnout something. The thing with spring steel is that it's expensive (compared to a spike)...and to make it worthwhile you need to get a lot of it. The place I get it from I pay more in labor to have the guy pull it off his giant coil, cut it and straighten it than I do for the spring steel. So to make it more worthwhile I have to get something like 30 or 36 handles (of varying lengths) to get the cost down to about $3 -$4 per handle.

Spring steel is different from a steel rod you get at a hardware store. If I recall the process correctly the guy that I get it from pulls it off a giant roll, cuts it to size, straightens it and puts it into an oven that's over 600 degress to cook it. Once that is done the steel will always return to its straight position, unless you get it to over 600 degrees and bend it. Where a steel rod you get at the hardware store you can bend with your hands and then it's bent.

Did you find Toheti Cane in North America? I've never found it here, I've found Rattan Cane which from what I remember is different from Toheti (I could be wrong about that).

If you need shorter lengths of spring steel (8 -10 -12 inches) and just need one or two I have some kicking around, but nothing long enough for a stockwhip handle.

Louie
http://bullwhips.org

[ST]

Thanks that's very helpful. I haven't had much luck with google but i'll try your suggestion. There's a few machine shops in my town that I plan on calling today and hopefully they'll know a place where I can get some.
As for toheti cane, I found a place in Australia that will sell cut lengths. http://www.baysidecane.com/raw-material ... aking-cane I haven't contacted them yet so I don't know any prices.

[Canuck Digger]

Hi, well even though we are at opposite ends of the country, it is equally hard to find here too.

If you are only planning on making a few handles, you might want to ring Mike Murphy and have him send you a few cane handles with the spring steel already inserted. Then again, if you are going to make a lot then it's best to figure out your own suppliers.

Franco

[Eloquent 1]

You might be able to contact Mr. Benjamin Scott (aka The Whip Artist) if you haven't already; from what I understand he uses spring steel as the handle foundation in the bullwhips he makes.

[ST]

Canuck Digger, I think I mostly just wanted to try the hole process but if I can't find any then I'll get one from him. I might have to give Mr. Scott a call.

Thanks

[Marhala]

You might be able to contact Mr. Benjamin Scott (aka The Whip Artist) if you haven't already; from what I understand he uses spring steel as the handle foundation in the bullwhips he makes.

As far as I am concerned, Ben uses a pipe (hollow) loaded with lead to balance the whip and a STEEL SPRING (that is, steel in the form of a spiral), not spring steel, for the transition between handle and thong in his bullwhips.

Just to be clear.

Aldo.

[ST]

Oh