My David Morgan Tale
Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2005 9:30 am
After reading many posts from you guys at the forum about the whips you own and how good they are I convinced myself to make a step forward and expand my collection of Indy gear. The first step was made about five years when I bought a lamp leather jacket, Last Crusade style, from Wested. This jacket has been proven an excellent choice of clothing and that’s not only because every time I wear it makes me feel special for my own personal reasons, it’s really a well-made coat that keeps you safe and warm in the winter. I owe to Peter Botwright many thanks for making this wonderful jacket and an apology for my response to him when he told me on the phone that the jacket had been sent to the wrong address! 
At the time of purchasing the jacket I was convinced that this would be the only Indy gear that I owned. Still, six months ago I found myself buying a Mark VI canvas bag from eBay, which reminds me that I haven’t bought a leather strap yet. The idea behind this purchase was made when I suddenly remembered a bag my late grandfather used to carry around his home tools (saw, hammer, screwdriver etc.) at his country side home. Although I had seen this bag before in the past I never had given it much thought. It was a light green, very weathered canvas bag with a black leather strap to it. The strap didn’t match with the bag but it seems that it had replaced the original strap because it had been torn out. “Why not incorporate Indy’s style in indoors activities?”
After many thoughts and visits to this forum I decided to make another purchase and go after what I saw like a Holy Grail for me and my pity income: a whip. As a screen accurate freak that I am I couldn’t go for anything else than the original whip and that is, of course, David Morgan’s. Despite my screen accuracy obsession the price of $700 for 10 footer was prohibiting, so I settled with an 8 footer following most people’s suggestions on this issue. So, on August 21 I made my payment to David Morgan through Western Union (a company which I never intend to work with again because they are big time CROOKS) and on September 6 I received a note from my post office service that I had to go to their premises to collect a package. The next day I went to the post office I paid my custom fees and I took my brown, cardboard box and left in owe. I got in my car and in my excitement I used my car key to rip the tape of the box. When I opened it I found a bunch of brown, light paper dominating the inside. I pulled it out, unfolded it and then I saw the whip coiled in a plastic bag. Along with it was a Pecard leather dressing and a whip fall with two crackers. There, as I was in the driver’s seat I put my hand in the plastic bag and took the pale colored whip out. As I looked at it in my hands I thought: “So that’s what a whip feels like!” It was really strange to have this baby in the palm of my hand. Not only for its significance to me but for the way the elaborate leather felt like. It was great. The only thing that made me a little worried was the handle that looked shorter. I put the whip back into the package, started my engine and went to work. When I got home later in the afternoon I took the whip out of the box and hold it up with my right hand. It was so stiff that it remained coiled for a while. I decided to ask for help from you guys before doing anything since this is my very first whip and I am very thankful to those who responded. The most strange moment I had was when I tried to crack it. It was the first time ever and I made a clumsy and slow movement with my arm. The whip made its course but nothing happened. I made another this time putting a bit of a force and the whip talked back. It was then that I remembered Pagey’s words: “When you crack it once you get addicted”. I felt like Luke Skywalker trying to blow up the Death Star listening to Obi-Wan’s words, but since I had never heard the guy my mind married his face with the voice of the great Alec.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b14/S ... Morgan.jpg
At the time of purchasing the jacket I was convinced that this would be the only Indy gear that I owned. Still, six months ago I found myself buying a Mark VI canvas bag from eBay, which reminds me that I haven’t bought a leather strap yet. The idea behind this purchase was made when I suddenly remembered a bag my late grandfather used to carry around his home tools (saw, hammer, screwdriver etc.) at his country side home. Although I had seen this bag before in the past I never had given it much thought. It was a light green, very weathered canvas bag with a black leather strap to it. The strap didn’t match with the bag but it seems that it had replaced the original strap because it had been torn out. “Why not incorporate Indy’s style in indoors activities?”
After many thoughts and visits to this forum I decided to make another purchase and go after what I saw like a Holy Grail for me and my pity income: a whip. As a screen accurate freak that I am I couldn’t go for anything else than the original whip and that is, of course, David Morgan’s. Despite my screen accuracy obsession the price of $700 for 10 footer was prohibiting, so I settled with an 8 footer following most people’s suggestions on this issue. So, on August 21 I made my payment to David Morgan through Western Union (a company which I never intend to work with again because they are big time CROOKS) and on September 6 I received a note from my post office service that I had to go to their premises to collect a package. The next day I went to the post office I paid my custom fees and I took my brown, cardboard box and left in owe. I got in my car and in my excitement I used my car key to rip the tape of the box. When I opened it I found a bunch of brown, light paper dominating the inside. I pulled it out, unfolded it and then I saw the whip coiled in a plastic bag. Along with it was a Pecard leather dressing and a whip fall with two crackers. There, as I was in the driver’s seat I put my hand in the plastic bag and took the pale colored whip out. As I looked at it in my hands I thought: “So that’s what a whip feels like!” It was really strange to have this baby in the palm of my hand. Not only for its significance to me but for the way the elaborate leather felt like. It was great. The only thing that made me a little worried was the handle that looked shorter. I put the whip back into the package, started my engine and went to work. When I got home later in the afternoon I took the whip out of the box and hold it up with my right hand. It was so stiff that it remained coiled for a while. I decided to ask for help from you guys before doing anything since this is my very first whip and I am very thankful to those who responded. The most strange moment I had was when I tried to crack it. It was the first time ever and I made a clumsy and slow movement with my arm. The whip made its course but nothing happened. I made another this time putting a bit of a force and the whip talked back. It was then that I remembered Pagey’s words: “When you crack it once you get addicted”. I felt like Luke Skywalker trying to blow up the Death Star listening to Obi-Wan’s words, but since I had never heard the guy my mind married his face with the voice of the great Alec.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b14/S ... Morgan.jpg
I slowly progressed from using things that really don't deserve the label of "whip" to the finest 8 plait mexican peice of junk you can buy for $50. But 8 years ago when I saved up my money and had David Morgan custom make me a 14 foot version of the Indy whip, I realized I was just learning what a whip was. Back then he charged me only $620 for it for adding 2 feet to his usual 12 foot design. Now it would be too much for me to get one that long again from him. It took him 6 weeks to get it to me because he didn't have a 14 footer already made. That whip is still my favorite one. It isn't nearly as stiff anymore, but still cracks without great effort. Also it is turned dark brown in color. People say that a long whip isn't good for target work, but this 14 footer can trim trees one leaf at a time! My next whip will probably be a 10 or maybe an 8 foot one though. I want to learn some trick cracking that can't be done with a whip as long as mine. 
