Club Obi Wan

Once again, while browsing, I came across www.whipstasmania.com.au . The whip maker's name is Troy Horton. His work looks good and his prices are VERY competative. He's also a member of the APWA.

Does anyone know him or his work?

Jim, That’s the first time I’ve seen that website. Looks like he is making some nice whips. (Course a whip can look great on the outside still be no good) His work does looks pretty good though and his prices are very reasonable, definitely worth checking into further. Thanks for posting the link.

Dan

You're welcome. I'm always looking for whip makers who do good work, but aren't as well known. Someone once told me that if they are a member of APWA, that is a good sign.

A couple of years ago, I bought a whip on Ebay from a guy in NJ named Gus (can't remember his last name). His work does not remotely compare to any of the distinguished whip making artists we all know and love ...the whip was not very heavy, and the plaiting could have been tighter, but it was kangaroo and I paid very little for it. It works great for cracking (target work is out of the question), and my 10 year old daughter can handle it alot better than my Joe Strain. All in all I think he did good work for a beginner. Perhaps if he's still in the business, he's gotten even better. One of these days, maybe I'll stumble across his website again (I've gotta learn to write this stuff down!).

Cool...Tasmania. Hey, wait a minute! That's where I live! If I can help at all (Tassie's very,very small) give me a buzz. I can drive on over and check out the whips

Regards
IndyTaz

Sweet.

Like I said, his name is Troy Horton, but that's all I know. Oh...and he makes bullwhips.

I asked Simon Martin about this guy, and Simon says he talked to him on the phone one day. Simon told me that this guy spent a few days with Bernie Wojicki getting pointers on how to make whips, though I don't know how long ago that was. His work does look nice.

Jim, I'm sure if you sent Troy an email about this forum he would be more than happy to contribute and tell everybody more about himself and his work.

-Adam, www.winrichwhips.com

Can do, Adam.

I had mentioned in another thread that I've had some email correpondence with Troy, after seeing some of his work on Ebay. He seems like a decent guy, and his work does look nice. Although I've never personally handled one of his whips, so I can't vouch for quality.

Jim

I emailed Troy earlier today. I told him about Indygear and COW. If he doesn't think I'm some sort of nut case, maybe he'll get back with me or join our merry band of misfits.

Jim wrote:I emailed Troy earlier today. I told him about Indygear and COW. If he doesn't think I'm some sort of nut case, maybe he'll get back with me or join our merry band of misfits.

You probably just scared him off!

Jim

Jim, Being a member of the Australian Plaiters and Whipmakers Association is definitely a plus. It doesn’t always guarantee high quality but they will expel any one with shady business practices. Unfortunately I think we have all bought one or two "skunk" whips (cause they stink) at one time or another. It’s been my experience that while most of the well established whip makers are on the up and up and take a lot of pride in their work, there are always a few bad apples. Sometimes it’s just a beginner, whose whip making skills are not as good as they would like to think they are. They don’t mean any harm, but at the same time your not getting the quality whip you pay for. Then you also have the nasty folks that intentionally try to rip you off, so like the old Australian warning goes "Never buy a whip from someone you don't trust", cause you still need to be careful.

Gobbler posted a message here a few weeks ago wanting to know who was selling the whips on eBay under the name Whips Tasmania, I think now we know. Appearance aside, I don’t like to comment on the quality of a whip with out actually seeing it and trying it first hand, but Troy's site does have a lot of good comments on his testimonial page. Hopefully he will come over to Indy Gear and we can get some first hand information on him and his whips as long as you didnt scare him off .

Dan

Yes, I talked to Troy on the phone a few weeks ago, he origanally came from the US or Canada, I can't remember now. I told him about this forum, but I don't think he has joined up yet. If you have Troy, Hi from me. I have been supplying a couple of people good first grade quality roohides and I contacted him to see where he was getting his from. Seemed like a decent chap.

Kind Regards

Simon
www.whipmaker.com.au

Troy emailed me back. He does seem like a nice guy. He told me he learned a quite a bit from Bernie Wojcicki. He seems genuine, and yes he started out selling only on Ebay, but due to increasing demand, he developed his website.

I may just see what he has to offer. He also said he's glad to hear he caught the attention of us Indy fans, because he knows how picky we can be when it comes to our bullwhips and they're construction. He didn't say he'd join COW, though.

Jim wrote:You're welcome. I'm always looking for whip makers who do good work, but aren't as well known. Someone once told me that if they are a member of APWA, that is a good sign.

A couple of years ago, I bought a whip on Ebay from a guy in NJ named Gus (can't remember his last name). His work does not remotely compare to any of the distinguished whip making artists we all know and love ...the whip was not very heavy, and the plaiting could have been tighter, but it was kangaroo and I paid very little for it. It works great for cracking (target work is out of the question), and my 10 year old daughter can handle it alot better than my Joe Strain. All in all I think he did good work for a beginner. Perhaps if he's still in the business, he's gotten even better. One of these days, maybe I'll stumble across his website again (I've gotta learn to write this stuff down!).

Was it Gus ceadio?

http://cgi3.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?V ... d=allwhips

Sounds very simillar to your description.
I had been following his ebay auctions since he started. He recently faded off the face of the earth.
Adam

I met Gus in person at the DFW Whip Enthusiast weekend in October. I understand he used to make a living selling his whips, but when I talked with him he had a job moving bread and it didn't leave much time for whips.

-Adam

He recently faded off the face of the earth.

Well, he at least answered my emails.

Gus had a website called caicedoswhips.com. I had spoken to him w/in the past 6 months or so, but I'm pretty sure the site has expired. His site listed many things which he did; among them were acting, making whips, and I believe racing carts. Seemed like a pretty nice guy.

Yes, I think Gus' current job keeps him pretty busy. I know back in the fall he wasn't making it out too often to the whip practices (or at least not the practices I went to) due to his job. I'm not sure who the Gus in NJ is though.

I had actually been talking to him on yahoo messenger for a while.
It was just a guess though. Wasent sure if they were they same guy or not.
Adam

That's the Gus I bought a whip from. Caicedo. I don't know why I thought he was from NJ. Where IS he from? Like I said, he's a heck of a nice guy. Sorry to hear he may be out of the whip business. "He coulda been a contenda"

He's from here in the Dallas area. I think he lives in Fort Worth.

I dropped Gus a note to his old email addy. Hope he'll respond. I asked him about his whip-making status.

Steve.

I've been emailing Troy Horton of WhipsTasmania, and I'll probably order a snakewhip from him. He quoted me $295 for an eight ft. 12 plait kangaroo. Sounds pretty good to me. The shipping is outrageous, but what do you expect for a trip halway around the world?

He also told me he was going to check out our forum, and possibly join.

Gus emailed me back a lil while ago, and kinda reiterated what was said earlier here, how his job was keeping him real busy. I think ITG said that . He is still making whips, maybe one this weekend even. I sent him the link to this forum, so maybe he'll drop in and chat a bit.

Steve.

Jim, Unfortunately that shipping will get you! Look forward to hearing your impressing on that snakewhip though if you order one.

Dan

Hello everybody, I'm still here on this earth for a litttle longer. I had stop making whips for a while due to my bread job. But I'm back at the whip making for the present time. My old email was stolen online by a spoof email and in they hit up my bank and it was a mess from there on out. My new email is purewhips@yahoo.com. The website caicedoswhips.com is still out there but I now made it easier to find. www.purewhips.com. Talk to ya'll later.