Thanks guys. Basically I stopped about a year ago anyway. The thing is, I really couldn't afford to keep going on a small part time scale. The taxation meant that I barely made a profit on my whips and in fact, if I had worked the same number of hours in a supermarket I'd have made much more money!
But of course I wasn't in it for the money and was just privellaged to have enough customers willing to buy my work and thus finance my continued work. I learned so much along the way. But I also have a full time job and a family so investing more time and money in making a bigger go of the whip work was always out of the question. Fortunately there is a great choice of fine whipmakers now - more than when I started - so it won't make much difference to Indyfandom.
Regarding this particular whip... I had intended not to use it and keep it mint. Seems my daughter thought differenty - as she sneaked out with it to show off with her friend and try and crack it in the garden. After being initially furious about the scuffs and dirt (she was whacking it on the concrete pavement!!), not to mention the disobediance and potential injury factor... I realised she had sort of done me a favour in forcing me to use the whip. And I have been using it, and enjoying it too. I als switched the saddle tan knot to a natural tan. I just prefer the look.
To end this rambling.. one of the reasons I had to make myself this 10ft was that I still really hope I can visit David Morgan next summer (assuming Mr. Morgan is in good health) and I'd love to show him my whip and have him crack it. That would be the cherry on the cake of my whipmaking career. Bending Oak was kind enough to take one of my whips along on his visit to Morgan a couple of years ago, and I've spoken on the phone several times - but it's not the same as being there in person! I hope I'm lucky enough to yet have the chance.
