Paracord Whip Making Tutorials/Advice

[Western New York Indy]

Hello!

I'm embarking on my first paracord Indy whip build. I've made a "Bare Bones Bullwhip" based on the tutorial by Nick Schrader and Adam Winrich, which helped me pick up a few techniques, but now I want to make a real deal whip. I was wondering if anyone knows of helpful videos that I could use. I know that Nick Schrader has a number of nylon whip making videos, but none of them are for Indy whips specifically. Would it be hard to follow those and modify the design to create an Indy whip? I'm specifically hoping to make an eight foot Raiders style whip. I can't seem to find any tutorials for an eight foot, 12 Plait, two belly bullwhip.

Also, what math do you do to figure out how long strands need to be? I have 100 feet of paracord, but I have a feeling I might need more with the bellies and interior stuff plus the overlay.

-WNY Indy

[tomek9210]

You can't make a Paracord whip with 2 bellies and 12 plait overlay. The cord is too narrow. It has to be 16 plait.

Nick has a tutorial for an Indy bullwhip, 3 bellied with 20 plait overlay if I remember correctly.

[bearbeast]

Hey, man!

Nick has got pretty much all you need. As you mentioned, you can just adapt the lengths and details to turn the whip into an Indy bullwhip. If you make it out of paracord, though, the overlay will be 16 plait.

You can determine quite precisely the total paracord needed for your whip, using two formulas.

First:

1) To cover a certain length your strands need to be at least 1.5 times longer. (For safety you can go with 1.75 or even 2). Don't forget to add to this the ends of the strands (for bellies they create the tapered end, by cutting the four strands to different lengths, and for the overlay you need enough to comfortably make the fall hitch)

2) strands needed to cover a certain diameter:

Diameter x 4.5 / width of strands = number of strands

If we take just the four strands of the overlay that need to be full length (4 x 1.75 x 8 feet = 56 feet) you are already at 60% of your stocks. And there are still 12 strands in the overlay that end at various distances. Let's roughly assume:

2 strands of 2 feet
2 of 3 feet
2 of 4 feet
2 of 5 feet
2 of 6 feet
2 of 7 feet

-> 54 feet x 1.75 = 94.5 feet + the ends of the strands

So for the overlay you need 160 + feet of paracord

You can do the same calculation for the bellies.

For the knots and wrist loop you need 18-20 feed probably.

Sorry for the bad news, I hope it helps still...

Maybe Tomek will chime in, he is the paracord whip guru around here. Maybe he has more precise info.

Cheers,
Bear

[Western New York Indy]

You can't make a Paracord whip with 2 bellies and 12 plait overlay. The cord is too narrow. It has to be 16 plait.

Nick has a tutorial for an Indy bullwhip, 3 bellied with 20 plait overlay if I remember correctly.

No wonder I couldn't find anything online about a 12 plait paracord whip. Boy, do I feel silly

I have seen Nick's video for that whip, but in the description he said it was more of a build video than an in depth tutorial. But it probably will still be helpful to watch it and pick up more techniques. Thanks for the info

-WNY Indy

[Western New York Indy]

Hey, man!

Nick has got pretty much all you need. As you mentioned, you can just adapt the lengths and details to turn the whip into an Indy bullwhip. If you make it out of paracord, though, the overlay will be 16 plait.

You can determine quite precisely the total paracord needed for your whip, using two formulas.

First:

1) To cover a certain length your strands need to be at least 1.5 times longer. (For safety you can go with 1.75 or even 2). Don't forget to add to this the ends of the strands (for bellies they create the tapered end, by cutting the four strands to different lengths, and for the overlay you need enough to comfortably make the fall hitch)

2) strands needed to cover a certain diameter:

Diameter x 4.5 / width of strands = number of strands

If we take just the four strands of the overlay that need to be full length (4 x 1.75 x 8 feet = 56 feet) you are already at 60% of your stocks. And there are still 12 strands in the overlay that end at various distances. Let's roughly assume:

2 strands of 2 feet
2 of 3 feet
2 of 4 feet
2 of 5 feet
2 of 6 feet
2 of 7 feet

-> 54 feet x 1.75 = 94.5 feet + the ends of the strands

So for the overlay you need 160 + feet of paracord

You can do the same calculation for the bellies.

For the knots and wrist loop you need 18-20 feed probably.

Sorry for the bad news, I hope it helps still...

Maybe Tomek will chime in, he is the paracord whip guru around here. Maybe he has more precise info.

Cheers,
Bear

Thanks! This info is super helpful. Those formulas will be of great use!

I had a feeling that I'd need more paracord than what I had. I'd much rather have more than enough than run out halfway through.

-WNY Indy

[bearbeast]

Glad you found it helpful. It's really deceptive how much paracord can actually go into a whip. Before I knew how to calculate I was always anxious I would run out .

Hope your whip comes out awesome!!

Cheers,
Bear

[tomek9210]

300 ft should be enough for an 8 footer with 2 bellies of 8 and 12 plait and 16 plait overlay, maybe even 280 ft. But better cut too long than too short. Adding strand is a lot tougher than cutting one.

Be aware that the first whip will not be perfect. It's a trial and error path. But don't discourage yourself, make a few whips and you will figure it out. Don't be afraid to rebraid your whip if you feel you can do better. I rebraided a lot of my first whips.

[Western New York Indy]

Glad you found it helpful. It's really deceptive how much paracord can actually go into a whip. Before I knew how to calculate I was always anxious I would run out .

Hope your whip comes out awesome!!

Cheers,
Bear

It really is wild how much paracord goes into one whip. I can't imagine how much paracord must go into a longer whip or a whip with more bellies or more strands. Now that I know roughly how much I should need, I will be way less afraid of running out halfway through

Oh, one other question- is there a formula or rule of thumb as to where you should drop strands to get a nice taper? Or is there a way to figure out exactly how far apart to drop strands or how many feet you should go before dropping each one?

-WNY Indy

[Western New York Indy]

300 ft should be enough for an 8 footer with 2 bellies of 8 and 12 plait and 16 plait overlay, maybe even 280 ft. But better cut too long than too short. Adding strand is a lot tougher than cutting one.

Be aware that the first whip will not be perfect. It's a trial and error path. But don't discourage yourself, make a few whips and you will figure it out. Don't be afraid to rebraid your whip if you feel you can do better. I rebraided a lot of my first whips.

Great to know, I will have to place an order for 200 more feet sometime in the near future.

I certainly don't expect this whip to be anywhere close to perfect, but hopefully it will help me to learn. I think making small errors and learning to correct them is one of the best ways to learn a new skill.

-WNY Indy

[tomek9210]

Please let us know when you start plaiting. I'm willing to help you out.

Materials and tools you'll need:
Hook or vise
Scissors
Lighter
Lacing needle
8 inch steel rod with diameter of 6 mm
Artificial sinew
Lead (optional)
BB shot
Staples and stapler
Rolling board

Cheers!

[Western New York Indy]

Thanks for being willing to help! I have most of those supplies except for the lacing needle, which I hope to get soon. Will a 6 mm fiberglass stake work as a substitute for the steel rod? Or is it too much of a weight difference?

-WNY Indy

[bearbeast]

Glad you found it helpful. It's really deceptive how much paracord can actually go into a whip. Before I knew how to calculate I was always anxious I would run out .

Hope your whip comes out awesome!!

Cheers,
Bear

It really is wild how much paracord goes into one whip. I can't imagine how much paracord must go into a longer whip or a whip with more bellies or more strands. Now that I know roughly how much I should need, I will be way less afraid of running out halfway through

Oh, one other question- is there a formula or rule of thumb as to where you should drop strands to get a nice taper? Or is there a way to figure out exactly how far apart to drop strands or how many feet you should go before dropping each one?

-WNY Indy

Well, normally the core will determine the taper of the whip. Using the formula I showed (how many strands needed to cover a certain diameter) you determine when you no longer need so many strands. Unless you write down the exact details of a whip and remake it identical the strand drop won't be at the exact same spot. You need to measure the diameter of the core, 1st belly, 2nd belly while plaiting to make sure you do not drop strands too early.

By the way, since strands are usually paired in lengths, make sure you organize them that each strand of a pair is on a different side of your plaiting. I made the mistake that both strands needing to be dropped were on the same side and that is not nice, you end up with an uneven plait count on each side.

Cheers,
Bear

[tomek9210]

Thanks for being willing to help! I have most of those supplies except for the lacing needle, which I hope to get soon. Will a 6 mm fiberglass stake work as a substitute for the steel rod? Or is it too much of a weight difference?

-WNY Indy

Save the fiberglass rods for other whips. If you want to make an Indy bullwhip you would need a heavy handle. Steel rod is what you are looking for. And lead loading if you want it to be as heavy as leather Indy whips.

[Western New York Indy]

Well, normally the core will determine the taper of the whip. Using the formula I showed (how many strands needed to cover a certain diameter) you determine when you no longer need so many strands. Unless you write down the exact details of a whip and remake it identical the strand drop won't be at the exact same spot. You need to measure the diameter of the core, 1st belly, 2nd belly while plaiting to make sure you do not drop strands too early.

By the way, since strands are usually paired in lengths, make sure you organize them that each strand of a pair is on a different side of your plaiting. I made the mistake that both strands needing to be dropped were on the same side and that is not nice, you end up with an uneven plait count on each side.

Cheers,
Bear

Ah okay, so if I'm understanding correctly it's not so much an exact science as much as it is understanding when you will no longer need so many strands to cover the diameter. That makes more sense.

I will be sure to pay attention to which side the strands are on. Thanks for warning me about putting them on the same side, I can see how that would be problematic.

Thanks!

-WNY Indy

[Western New York Indy]

Save the fiberglass rods for other whips. If you want to make an Indy bullwhip you would need a heavy handle. Steel rod is what you are looking for. And lead loading if you want it to be as heavy as leather Indy whips.

I will use steel for this one, then. I had fiberglass on hand due to the stakes people put in their driveway at winter to mark where the snow plow should drive. A friend gave me a few extras they had and that was what I used on the "bare bones bullwhip" I made. But I think if I swing by the hardware store I should be able to find steel and use that instead for my Indy whip.

Thanks!

-WNY Indy

[tomek9210]

As for the lead loaded handle you will need some glue or epoxy to attach it to the handle.

For the core you will need a sinker cord which is a bit wider Paracord to put your BBs into it and slide onto the steel rod. Or you can use regular paracord, stuff it with BBs and use some duct tape to attach it to the handle. Then use artificial sinew to make it more rigid.

[bearbeast]

Well, normally the core will determine the taper of the whip. Using the formula I showed (how many strands needed to cover a certain diameter) you determine when you no longer need so many strands. Unless you write down the exact details of a whip and remake it identical the strand drop won't be at the exact same spot. You need to measure the diameter of the core, 1st belly, 2nd belly while plaiting to make sure you do not drop strands too early.

By the way, since strands are usually paired in lengths, make sure you organize them that each strand of a pair is on a different side of your plaiting. I made the mistake that both strands needing to be dropped were on the same side and that is not nice, you end up with an uneven plait count on each side.

Cheers,
Bear

Ah okay, so if I'm understanding correctly it's not so much an exact science as much as it is understanding when you will no longer need so many strands to cover the diameter. That makes more sense.

I will be sure to pay attention to which side the strands are on. Thanks for warning me about putting them on the same side, I can see how that would be problematic.

Thanks!

-WNY Indy

Yup, exactly: you need to be precise, but flexible. Depending on how you stagger your core strands you might need to drop strands in one point or another. But the formulas I gave you do not fail. Calculate a bit on the side of caution and round up: if the formula says you need 9.5 strands to cover the diameter, use 10.

Save the fiberglass rods for other whips. If you want to make an Indy bullwhip you would need a heavy handle. Steel rod is what you are looking for. And lead loading if you want it to be as heavy as leather Indy whips.

I will use steel for this one, then. I had fiberglass on hand due to the stakes people put in their driveway at winter to mark where the snow plow should drive. A friend gave me a few extras they had and that was what I used on the "bare bones bullwhip" I made. But I think if I swing by the hardware store I should be able to find steel and use that instead for my Indy whip.

Thanks!

-WNY Indy

For sure you can find something suitable. The original foundation for whips was a long nail spike, I think a lot of makers still use it. Just be careful of the diameter you choose, so that you can still use 8 strands to cover the whip core. Otherwise it throws the 2nd belly and overlay off. (as in needing more than 12 and 16 strands respectively)

If you do not mind a lighter whip, you can definitely also use the fiberglass. I made my 8 plait Indy whip with a very light wooden dowel for the handle and it is an excellent cracker, even though it is so light.

Cheers,
Bear

[Western New York Indy]

As for the lead loaded handle you will need some glue or epoxy to attach it to the handle.

For the core you will need a sinker cord which is a bit wider Paracord to put your BBs into it and slide onto the steel rod. Or you can use regular paracord, stuff it with BBs and use some duct tape to attach it to the handle. Then use artificial sinew to make it more rigid.

Luckily I have a whole lot of BBs on hand. I think I might use regular paracord instead of sinker cord, since I have some black scrap paracord on hand that isn't enough to make a whip, but should be enough for the core. Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it!

-WNY Indy

[tomek9210]

You need to check if the BBs fit you paracord. I used cords from various manufacturers and the width and thickness vary despite the fact that all of them were listed as 550 type III cord.

[Western New York Indy]

For sure you can find something suitable. The original foundation for whips was a long nail spike, I think a lot of makers still use it. Just be careful of the diameter you choose, so that you can still use 8 strands to cover the whip core. Otherwise it throws the 2nd belly and overlay off. (as in needing more than 12 and 16 strands respectively)

If you do not mind a lighter whip, you can definitely also use the fiberglass. I made my 8 plait Indy whip with a very light wooden dowel for the handle and it is an excellent cracker, even though it is so light.

Cheers,
Bear

I'll be sure to be mindful of the diameter so I don't end up with something too big to cover with 8 strands. I've been able to find a few steel rods at hardware stores that are close to 6mm but not quite exact. The closest I can find is 1/4 inch, which according to my calculation I think is just a pinch over 6 mm (Stupid U.S. measurement systems ) but hopefully it is close enough it will work fine.

-WNY Indy

[bearbeast]

For sure you can find something suitable. The original foundation for whips was a long nail spike, I think a lot of makers still use it. Just be careful of the diameter you choose, so that you can still use 8 strands to cover the whip core. Otherwise it throws the 2nd belly and overlay off. (as in needing more than 12 and 16 strands respectively)

If you do not mind a lighter whip, you can definitely also use the fiberglass. I made my 8 plait Indy whip with a very light wooden dowel for the handle and it is an excellent cracker, even though it is so light.

Cheers,
Bear

I'll be sure to be mindful of the diameter so I don't end up with something too big to cover with 8 strands. I've been able to find a few steel rods at hardware stores that are close to 6mm but not quite exact. The closest I can find is 1/4 inch, which according to my calculation I think is just a pinch over 6 mm (Stupid U.S. measurement systems ) but hopefully it is close enough it will work fine.

-WNY Indy

I think that will work just fine, don't fret about microns. It's good to be precise, but not that precise, or you'll go insane You can also just make a test-plait on the steel rod, to see how it goes. If it is really too big (it depends on the core you put on it and how much binding...) you can always get something thinner.

Cheers,
Bear