Strain vs Del Carpio . . . Three years later

[DarenHenryW]

Back in Sept. of 2009 I received my 10' Strain 28th Anniversary Raiders whip, then soon after my 9' Del Carpio Raiders whip.

They were nearly twins at the time . . .



Now, almost three years later, its clear that I have used the Del Carpio more. This is no reflection on Joe's whip, but more that I think I like the 9' length better, and I more or less made a conscious decision to break the Strain in very slowly (my 8' Strain KOTCS whip gets all kind of use, FYI!)



Bottom line is that I love them both and definitely miss the way they looked and smelled when they were brand new. Also, I realize that natural tan 'roo whips just don't stay natural tan for very long . . . They all turn saddle tan after a while.

I'm expecting an order of Aussie whips from Joe this next week and I ordered them in whiskey because at least they will stay whiskey for a long time.

DHW

[riku1914]

Before I scrolled down I tried to determine which was which, del carpio vs. strain, and I was right A lot of Strain's indy whips I've seen have had very smooth plaiting, hence the strands being less wide on the strain ( only slightly ). That was mainly what led me to believe that one was the strain, but also the way he shaped the transition knot, more flat vs. the del carpio which has more of a rounded shape.

The whiskey whipswill be brandy before long, probably about the same amount of time it takes a natural tan whip to be saddle tan, a whiskey whip will be fully brandy. I'm only basing this off the one whiskey whip I've made because I haven't seen very many whiskey whips "before and after" use, so I may be wrong, but that's what happened with mine.

I've noticed that you use the 9 footer a lot. For one, it was the first whip you used when you were getting your lawn redone and you said you couldn't hold off cracking anymore ( remember the "SOC" thread you made, you took a pic of the 9 foot del carpio when it was really dusty ). Plus it seems you use that on a lot of your older videos, you seem to use the Strain KOTCS more often now.

[WildWhips]

DHW,

That is a handsome pair of Indiana Jones bullwhips you own, they look like they have movie character now. I might suggest that you replace the nylon cracker on the one Delcarpio made. It is looking very worn out. Out of the most common Roo colors the only one that i have found not to continue to darken is black. Even brandy will darken with exposure to light and use and whip grease.

Riku1914 no need to toot your own horn too loudly. It is not difficult to tell the difference in Joseph Strains and Bernardo Delcarpios work.

WW

[riku1914]

It's fun doing that sort of thing though

I'm sure Daren knows the cracker is worn out, he has been cracking whips for a while now

[DarenHenryW]

Thanks, Wildwhips, Riku.

Yeah, as far as darkening, I know that even the lightest natural tan whips will eventually turn black. I've seen pics of some the older Morgans that Bernardo has collected, and to look at them you would never think they were ever a light shade of tan.

As for the cracker, I don't know, it's partially out of laziness that I don't change the crackers more often, and partially out of conservation. I know how to make my own, but I still like the ones that I get from the whipmakers I order from, so I tend to just use them until they are really nasty looking or truly affecting the sound, whichever comes first. The cracker in the photo, I think, is in better shape than that pic would make it seem, and it will probably stay on there for a few weeks more before I bother changing it. If I have a performance of some kind, or I'm getting together with friends, I will change them, but I don't see the point of changing them all the time for just casually cracking them when I'm by myself. I mean, there's no way it can be hurting the whip. And I don't crack my whips too hard or anything, so its not like I'm cracking them harder to compensate for a worn-out cracker.

Anyway, glad you guys appreciate the photos. I agree that they have more character now, especially the Del Carpio, but I do wish they would turn a nice dark brown and just stop aging. I'm too sentimental, I guess. Plus, as they are Raiders whips, I guess I have to brace myself for the fact that they aren't going to stay SA forever. I think my Del Carpio is getting to be more of a TOD whip now . . .

DHW

[riku1914]

The reason you like the ones whip makers sent is because you didn't have to make them yourself! You know, kind of like how you have to same exact meal, two different times, just one time you made it the other time someone else did. When someone else makes it, it always seems better. At that's what has ALWAYS been the case with me

[DarenHenryW]

The reason you like the ones whip makers sent is because you didn't have to make them yourself! You know, kind of like how you have to same exact meal, two different times, just one time you made it the other time someone else did. When someone else makes it, it always seems better. At that's what has ALWAYS been the case with me

Well, I don't if I totally agree, because I usually am pleased with the food I make. Eating food made by others is always a @#$%-shoot. Could be amazing, could be lousy. But its true with the crackers. I don't mind making them myself, but I don't feel that I've exactly gotten it down how to do them just right. But, as I'm going to visit some friends in a few weeks who make whips, I'm sure I can get a lesson or two out of them and perfect my technique!

DHW

[riku1914]

Well I understand where you're coming from. What I mean is, my family has a recipe for our burgers. They never turn out bad. I love them when I make them, or when someone else does. When I make them, people say they love it. Then when one of those people make them, I thinks it's much better but they're not as happy. See what I mean?
I understand what you're saying as far as just eating something random that somebody made, but I mean the same recipe.

Sometimes when I'm in between whips I feel like doing something whip related, and since usually have about 50 falls made up, it's usually crackers. Last wednesday or something like that I made over 125 crackers in one sitting. That's on top of the 40 or so I already had made up. I include 5 extra crackers with every whip I make, plus 1 of my polypropylene tapered crackers. My goal is to make so many crackers that I won't have to make any for a long time, because it really is a drag I have enough nylon left on my spool for about 200 more.

[WildWhips]

Yes thank you riku1914. I am familiar with Darens ability and his youtube videos. While I was trying to pay him a compliment keep in mind he’s only been cracking whips seriously since 2007 and though he has become skilled in the basic methods and techniques, that is a drop in a much larger bucket compared to gentlemen like myself and his mentors. Those of us who have been doing this as a profession and sport much longer, in fact longer then you’ve been on this Earth. I do apologize if that sounds arrogant but as you are apparently a highly skilled expert whip maker and user with years of experience and knowledge under your belt, you are welcome to enlighten and explain how keeping fresh crackers on your whips and not letting them wear down to shredded nubs, helps consistency and uniformity and improves the fluidity and ease of the whips performance, including how the cracker itself is an important part of the narrowing taper design of the fall and thong.

Now Daren, I apologize for that side rant and shall step down from my soapbox. I enjoy seeing the efforts you make and your contributions. It’s clear how much you’ve learned from the experts that you’ve studied in this field and in just in the short time you’ve been participating. I hope you continue forward as I feel you have much to both contribute and learn, improve and expand upon.

Now in order to return to topic, I have found that Joesph Strains natural tan whips seem to age differently. Perhaps you have too when compared to others from craftsmen like Morgan and those known for making exacting replicas of his original bullwhips. Bernardo Delcarpio, Russel Shultz or Paul Nolan come to mind. I have several from Strain that are least 12 years old and older which came from Mark Allen when Western Stage Props in Las Vegas carried his Indy bullwhip line, as well as newer examples from Strain directly. I’ve found for some reason they gain a more orangish tinge to them before they start to even out and darken towards saddle brown. Also if you have been using these bullwhips while training in the Delongis\'s paddock, that may explain why they don’t smell as good as they used too (JK)

WW

[riku1914]

WildWhips, what my thought was, that maybe Daren was cracking his delcarpio 9 footer then decided to take the pictures. It was time for a cracker replacement but that wasn't his priority at the time. You should trust me when I say that I understand how important the cracker, and the cracker being in proper condition is on a whip. I put so much effort into every part of my whips being as best they can, even down to the cracker, because of how important I know every single part is to the whip as a whole. I'm not trying to argue with anyone, all I was originally trying to say was, when a cracker needs replaced it's obvious, there's no need to tell anybody who's been cracking whips more than a month or two when their cracker is needing changed out because they know.

[DarenHenryW]

Gentlemen, to continue the cracker discussion . . .

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Wild Whips, thanks for the kind words and encouragement. I've actually only been cracking seriously since 2008 (yes, just as CS was hitting theaters, its no big secret) though I have owned a few totally crappy whips in my time since the age of 8 years old.

As for the Strain/Del Carpio aging issue. One thing I've noticed about Joe's whips that really stands from my others is that Joe seems to use the most shellac of all the whipmakers who have made me Indy whips or otherwise. The most recent pair of stock-whips I got from Joe were uncharacteristically lacking in it (based on my experience--I've been to Joe's shop, seen a number of his whips belonging to friends, and own now 6 of his whips myself) My Raiders and KOTCS and 4' Aussie whips, all made by Joe, all have a LOT of shellac. My Del Carpios and my Morgan, by comparison, have/had almost none. It's apparent in the photo, and definitely up close, that the coating of shellac on my Strain Raiders seems almost completely undisturbed. I can't say the same for my Strain KOTCS whip, and that whip has darkened, though its already whiskey with brandy knots. But the Del Carpio seems to have, by this point, no shellac whatsover. It is my understanding that Joe and Bernardo use roo skins from the same supplier, so I'm just assuming that the shellac is playing a large role here. But, as I stated above, of these two particular whips, the Del Carpio has seen easily 10 times the amount of use, probably more, as has my 8' Strain KOTCS whip.

DHW

[J. Roed]

Since making crackers is sort of a "side hobby" of mine, I tend to keep fresh crackers on my small collection of whips because I like the way a fresh popper sounds...just my thing and my two cents. Jeremy, I currently have your EB Whipcrackers whip and...ummm, wow!!! Great work!!! Keep it up!

[thefish]

Bottom line is that I love them both and definitely miss the way they looked and smelled when they were brand new.

I love "new whip" smell and feel too, but I never miss it when it's gone, because what I REALLY love is the look, feel and smell of an aged whip. I think the patina process is part of the art. Like the Universe itself: Still "In Progress"

Just beautiful and symbolic and transformative in a way.

I have a natural tan 8 footer from Paul Nolan that was the color of the inside of my forearm when I first cracked it, (no knots or shellac at the time. Very VERY Pale. I cracked it, and was instantly in love. The story of how I fanagled Paul out of it is another story for another day.)

It turned a beautiful russet-red that almost matched my hair.

Now, we've sort of met in the middle, and we're going opposite directions now. As the years go by, the whip gets darker, and my hair gets whiter...

The whip's family. It's my favorite. It was in my hand when I kissed my lovely wife "Officially" for the first time and when our minister introduced us as Mr. and Mrs. Trout, (this was two weeks ago yesterday, by the way.) And if I wasn't going to be cremated, I'd be buried with it.

I find the parallels in color shift for both of us to be quite poetic.

All the best, and happy crackin'!

-D

[Basil]

I know I'm several months past the prime of this thread but just wanted to say how amazing they both look.

After a few years work I bet they flow like butter. I love way the strain has aged. I hope mine can age like that.