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!"
I have been working on this overall project for quite some time now (over a year) and with all the posts about budget whips popping up I figured that it was the perfect time to show what I have been working on. My goal was to create a fairly screen accurate beginner/budget whip that would not break the bank for someone just starting out and also was simply not just a belt hanger. This is what I have come up with.
In order to keep this whip at a budget price its construction had to be altered a little.
-Leather is High Quality Cowhide
-All Leather rolled core
-4 plait Plaited Belly
-Bolster
-12 Plait Overlay
Even with that said this whip is designed to be cracked and was constructed with that in mind. I am planning on offering this style of budget whip this fall and for a price point around $250. Let me know what you guys think.
Here is another picture of the Beginner/Budget Indy Whip. I have a few of the prototypes for sale at 20% off in the Cairo Bazaar - viewtopic.php?f=40&t=60357" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Great offering.Are these still up for sale I had my hopes up when I red "Beginner/BUDGET Indy whip but the price´s still HIGH....Why whips are so darn expensive... oh well there´s always Todd..... and Maqnolie and Wested...It´s always "low price equals bad quality" as far as whips go.What I´ve red in COW
I would be very very excited for a 10' budget whip! I could care less what the hide is, that thing looks great! Does hide make a difference in performance?
Sorry I have not had a chance to reply I have been super busy.
MARQ = I still do offer these beginner/budget whips on my site (classicbullwhips.com). As for why whips are so expensive you summed it up for the most part, you get what you pay for. To make a quality whip it takes good materials and the time put in by a craftsman to know what makes a quality whip, both of however are not cheap. I feel that these whips I am offering meet a good balance of affordability and quality compared to the other "Budget" whips on the market, plus they look the part as close as possible to their more expensive counterparts.
ChrisMD = Currently I don't plan to offer the Beginner/Budget whips in lengths longer than 8ft due to marketing it toward those who are new to whip cracking and not wanting to break the bank on a quality whip. Not to say that my beginner/budget whip would not also be a good choice for a seasoned whip cracker as well. As for anything made from materials if you go cheap on them you can have an inferior product. For leather that is used in whipmaking you want a leather that is very thin but has high tensile strength so it can be plaited tightly without breaking (kangaroo being the best). Also the thinness of the leather helps to create a smoother plait intern helping the whip to be more aerodynamic.
The overall goal for my beginner/budget whip was to create a fairly screen accurate whip made from good quality materials while not breaking the bank in comparison and is designed to be cracked (not just another budget belt hanger).
Let me know of any other questions you may have I am always happy to answer.
Like any whip if properly maintained and use it can last a lifetime. (Applying leather dressing when needed and not cracking on abrasive surfaces and/or over muscling to crack) These Beginner/Budget whips are a little lighter than there more expensive counterparts but they roll out very smooth and crack with ease.
Well now let's say I was a professional whip cracker, would this work for the act? Did I read correctly and hear that the original raiders whip was on the kip side of leather in this case COW hide is slightly more accurate? And was the raiders kip leather on the outside or in?
As some could say whips are kind of like golf clubs or tennis rackets, every one has there own personal opinion of what they like in a whip. Some people like heavy whips, some people like light whips, some prefer a certain maker over others, in all honesty it's all about ones personal preference. My budget whips are lighter than their kangaroo counterparts due to keeping them at a reasonable price while still having a high quality and functional whip made for cracking. My budget whips are constructed with the same care and detail as my more expensive whips and I would put them up against anyone's else's "budget whip".
The whips in Raiders were "rumored" to be made of cow/kip leather due to the embargo that was placed on Kangaroo hides around the time that the Raiders of the Lost Ark whips would have been made. From what I have heard from David Morgan he had a fair amount of hides still in stock during the time the whips would have constructed for the film, like all rumors there could always be possibilities either way.
In order to keep this whip at a budget price its construction had to be altered a little compared to it kangaroo counterpart.
-Leather is High Quality Cowhide
-All Leather rolled core
-4 plait Plaited Belly
-Bolster
-12 Plait Overlay
Bro...I am sure it rolls out like a dream. I see that you are trying to find the perfect low budget whip. There is no perfect. Anyone on this site sells a great whip. Pic one...try it...buy another and try it....buy another...try it....and sell the one you least like. unless you try several Chinese restaurants in your town... You'll never find the one you like the best. I recommend you buy one, and then buy another eventually, and just sell the one you don't like. you will be able to pretty much sell it for the same price or a few dollars less. Consider that the renting price of trying and whip. What you will actually be buying(renting)is experience. but as long as you pull the trigger, you will never know what will hit the mark.
Sorry for the late reply I have been away on business, wish whip making was my first job but that's not the case. The Beginner/Budget whip I offer will continue to be part of my regularly offered line of whips for the time being (always subject to change). The Beginner/Budget whip is designed to look and handle as close to its more expensive counterpart as possible.
While I think this is an amazing offer anyone who is looking into getting into whip cracking would be nuts to overlook, I did have an idea I thought I might share with you. It is not meant as a criticism or even as a replacement for this design, but perhaps as another offering. I haven't really sat down to crunch the numbers on this, so I may very well be out in left field with this, so bear that in mind.
That said, what about...
a bullwhip that had TWO four plait cowhide bellies (using the same leather as you do now), but with an eight plait overlay? The time spent on cutting and plaiting the second belly might be the same as cutting the extra four strands for the overlay and plaiting them... The point could still be the same as what you have now, the only difference would be the number of strands in the first half of the whip and since you can still do a nice herringbone with eight strands, the look wouldn't be significantly altered, but what would change is perhaps how the whip handles once broken in...
Again, just a thought. I think what you are offering now is a great product at a great price and it's something that definitely has a place in the whip world. Find that sweet spot between performance and price and you will be selling them like hotcakes!
The problem with an 8 strand overlay is that it will mess up a good and natural formula. Most people who make an 8 strand tend to taper the whole length. 12 strands should have all the taper end at the 1/2 way.point which should be the 1st drop. In theory...it would save some time cutting strands and pairing...but that is only saving about 20 min total amd it uses about the same amount of hide either way. Whip looka great and is a good deal. James makes a good whip and it is nice to have a lower budget cow hide whip available.
Wonderful job. I look forward to picking one of these puppies up. 
. Is that for an 8 footer?
The price sounds very reasonable based on the photo & the description of the whip's construction.
oh well there´s always Todd..... 
and Maqnolie and Wested...It´s always "low price equals bad quality" as far as whips go.What I´ve red in COW
