Club Obi Wan

I have picked up some extremely limited knowledge by browsing posts on this site already (it took me quite a few searches to find what IOAB meant).

I recently purchased a Wayne Grady "bullwhip" which, according to some of the postings would actually be a snakewhip because of the way the handle is plaited integral to the whip itself.

Dumb Questions:

1) What is the difference between a bullwhip, snakewhip, and a stockwhip?

2) Knowing almost nothing, are there instructional sites/publications for use and safety of whips.

3) Is there recommended safety gear for beginners to prevent loss of eye, limb, shin, etc?

4) What is the difference between Australian and US made whips? (I do know the difference between a Kangaroo and a Cow).

Thanks for any input!!!!!!!

Look at www.murphywhips.com. He sells and describes all the types of whips you're curious about and he answers most of your questions in his FAQ section.

For safety gear, wear long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, a hat and saftey glasses/goggles.

All whips vary from maker to maker, and there has been a lot of communication between whipmakers in the States and in Australia, so it is better to consider the differences between individual whip makers instead of just differences between Aussie and American whips. In general cowhide whips are coarser and heavier than kangaroo whips, though there are whipmakers out there who make whips from cowhide that are better than kangaroo whips by other makers.

Good luck with your Wayne Grady whip. Check out my site, www.winrichwhips.com, for more information on the Indy-on-a-Budget bullwhip, aka the IOAB whip.

-Adam, www.winrichwhips.com

No such thing as a dumb question.

Welcome aboard.

I just had to look up IOAB myself. I had no clue, either.

Thanks to Adam for his reply(Website is excellent). Lots of good info on Murphywhips!!!! And also to RandallFlagg for being lead to search for IOAB.

I was referring to www.winrichwhips.com as the excellent site, although Murphywhips is also.

Are you going to try making your own? This place has tons of information and a lot of friendly, helpful folks who've given me links and advice.

No, I don't think so. I'm not too mechanically inclined.

Jamtwo, Welcome to Indygear. To briefly answer your questions

1. Bullwhips have a stiff handle section directly attached to the thong (main body of the whip); sometimes the handles are braided over, sometimes not. The handle on a bullwhip can be stationary or swivel. Snakewhips do not have a stiff handle section, the whole whip is flexible. Snakewhips are typically shot loaded for weight, meaning there plaited around a long narrow bag filled with lead shot. Stockwhips have a long handle, but it is attached to the thong or main body of the whip with a leather hinge called a keeper.

2. The Bullwhip FAQ www.bullwhip.org is a good place to start; there are also many instructional videos available through various vendors.

3. Safety goggles are a must. Long sleeve shirt, long pants, shoes, leather jacket, wide brim hat, motorcycle helmet, face shield, gloves are all good ideas. Ear protection wouldn’t hurt either if your cracking loudly.

4. Australian made whips are made in Australia and U.S. made whips are made in the U.S. Though I don’t think that’s the answer you’re looking for. The answer your looking for is a bit complicated as there are no set rules that distinguish one from the other, its more the person making them and the materials and style of whip making he/she prefers. As a broad generalization, Australian style whips generally tend to be a finer crafted whip, well balanced with a fast action. While they can be made from cowhides etc they often made from thinly cut kangaroo hide lace and plaited (braided) over a series of plaited cores, to build up the whip. Australian Bullwhips like stock whips also tend to have longer handles. The American bullwhips tend to be more robust whip. They are a heavier whips with a slower action. Which are usually made from cattle leather like Latigo, cut into wider lace with out the finely detailed plaiting you see with Australian whips. One of the things that tends to define the American Bullwhip is that its made with a short handle, which are sometimes made to swivel.


Dan

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Nice. Eight footer or ten? How's she crack?

10ft 8in haven't received it yet, and couldn't crack it yet if my life depended on it.

Thanks BWB for your input!!!!

Well, it's been a few decades for me, but I always practiced all my moves in slow motion to see where the whip would travel and adjust the motion accordingly. Same thing with any weapon that can harm it's user.

I know absolutely nothing about whips. I bought this one based on:

Post Deleted..............Wasn't trying to start a war. I am not a proxy for Wayne Grady............just happened to buy one of his whips as my first.

Since Wayne Grady isn't on this forum (and probably not on the internet aside from his proxy on Ebay) I can probably say exactly what I think of his whips:

For starters, they are not all leather. Most of the length of his whips are braided over a non-tapering nylon or cotton rope core, making the whip way too light to crack properly. A decent whip should at least taper from one end to the other, and if it's a leather whip the core should also be leather, though it can also have some lead shot in the core as well.

The knots on the butts of his whips usually don't have a solid foundation and tend to come off. I had a customer in Wisconsin bring me two Grady whips to have new falls put on and one, which was new, was already falling apart. The customer sent that whip back and got a refund, so at least Wayne Grady's proxy is a stand-up guy in that respect.

In general, if an owner of a Wayne Grady whip as hopes of cracking it, the first thing to do is cut it in half and put an Australian style fall and cracker on it. The reason I say cut it in half is that his whips are way too long for their weight, and shorting them helps improve the balance and handling of the whip (though it still leaves much to me desired when compared to a proper whip). I actually did this to a Grady whip that a customer of mine bought, but at least he only paid $35 for it, which wasn't too bad of a deal.

You know, I sell 4-plait bullwhips with LEATHER cores and full-length tapers for $10 a foot, and they are made to crack. With the kind of 4-plait whip that Wayne Grady sells it makes me sad when somebody pays more than $100 for one, especially when compared to what I make. It's even worse when someone buys one as a first whip and hopes to learn how to crack it, when they would by just as well off to try cracking a piece of rope from the hardware store. Yes, I have tried throwing ropes like whips, and some ropes actually throw better than Grady whips.

Sincerely,

Wigged out in Wisconsin

It's always nice to see two different points of view on a product...I'm sure you yourself Adam have been scrutinized for your quality of workmanship at some point. Goes with the territory.

Can I ask, the IOAB is that leather cored also?

Regards,

Ignorance is Bliss...............and costly!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Harrison Davies,

Yes, the IOAB has a leather core.

Yes, my work gets scrutinized, though most of the time I go around asking for it to see if I can get tips on how to become a better whipmaker. There's a lot of whipmakers out there, and since whips are complicated items to make, there is no whipmaker out there making a perfect whip each and every time.

Within whipmaking and among whipmakers opinions vary widely. There are really no right answers, except I think most can agree that a western style lash whip should be durable and crack easily. The Grady whips leave a fair bit to be desired in both of these basic, but important, considerations.

-Adam

Then I'm glad I went IOAB

BTW just call me Harrison...

winrichwhips wrote:Sincerely,

Wigged out in Wisconsin

You wouldn't happen to be a fan of MST3K, would you?

I didn't know 3k was still on tv

It's not, but there's lots of folks selling the seasons on Ebay. I have seasons 2 and 7.