Club Obi Wan

To all you Whip experts.

I recently purchased a Joe Strain 10' - 12 Plaint Roo whip. Yesterday was the first chance I had to use it. I had a very hard time getting it to crack.

My question here is do the Roo whips take a little time to break in?

I know a few people here that have IOAB whips that go out and get them to crack the first time.

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers,
G-MANN

G-Mann,

I have a 10' Strain 'Roo and there was some "break-in" (it was just the slightest bit stiff at first) but it should still crack. . That was my experience anyway.

I hard a hard time getting my first 10footer to crack - mostly because I was used to 8ft. THe timing was very different, much slower.

That said, most new whips will need a little breaking in just to loosen them up evenly. I don't think you should try to get big bangs straight away or you might get the whip loosing up unevenly.

G-MANN wrote:To all you Whip experts.

I recently purchased a Joe Strain 10' - 12 Plaint Roo whip. Yesterday was the first chance I had to use it. I had a very hard time getting it to crack.

My question here is do the Roo whips take a little time to break in?

I know a few people here that have IOAB whips that go out and get them to crack the first time.

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers,
G-MANN

Except for length you and I basically have the same whip. I've been having trouble with mine too. Mine isn't a Strain it's a Shultze but still.....

I can get it to crack pretty good sideways but I can't get anything any other way. Of course I haven't used it that much since I bought it and I'm not really that experienced with the different cracks so that may be my problem.

Yep, most new whips require a break in period, but once you find that sweet spot then the fun begins, as Whiskeyman stated, with the timeing,
after you have your form and timeing down , then the whip will do the rest.

Paul Stenhouse shows an excellent example of just that in his teaching video, along with Mike murphy and others.

I have a Strain target whip that needs breaking in aswell, a 12 strand 7 footer, but for right now I'm having to much fun with my Winrich deerhide stockwhip, .

So get out there and have some fun.

Cheers



Jim J.

What length whip were you cracking before? When I was at the QM, it was a little difficult to get a crack out of longer whips at first, but once my body got used to the timing issue, I could get them to crack. I cracked Minnesota Jones' whips, 6' to 12', and the transition is weird.

Of course, I'm one of those people who got my IOAB to crack with an overhead crack the first try ... so who knows?

I used to use an 8 footer before, it has been years since I practiced so I am positive that my skill is lacking. It is not all the whips fault that is for sure. I worked with it again today in the front yard and did a little better and the whip is breaking in quite a bit.

I appreciate all the help folks.

Cheers,
John

Glad to hear it. I've got a roo hide whip coming from EC Whips soon, so I'm going to be going through the same things here shortly!

Yes, It usually it does take a little time to break in a good kangaroo hide whip. Joe Strains whips especially as they are plaited very tightly. You shouldn’t be having trouble getting it to crack right out of the box like that though, so it might be your technique. If you are using a different style whip, or a whip with a different length then you are used to, that can throw you off a little at first. I’d suggest going slowly and focus on the basic throws to adjust and work on your timing, emphasizing on making the whip to roll out properly so you get that hairpin to make the crack. Keep at it, it will come together and that new bullwhip will be practically cracking itself in no time.

Dan

I'm guessing mine is all in my technique.

I haven't used a whip since I was 12 or 13 and I'm 34 now. The whips I used before were also those old swivel handle whips and I don't even think back then I ever tried any other cracks besides the underhand one.

I know the whip can crack because I can get it to from the side. I try the other stuff and it just doesn't want to do anything. Infact it kind of goes "wild" on me.

To be honest I am a little bit nervous with the thing because I'm afraid of getting hit with it so maybe the whip is picking up on that. I know that sounds crazy but is that possible?

Hahahah, Hey Pitfall, I know the feeling, my first whip was a 4 plait 12 feet long swivel handled one like you described, at that time the only crack I could generate with it was the side crack, but Man! was it ever loud, really fun to, in fact I use to wait until people in the back ground would walk past me and get a ways up from where I was cracking and let loose with a loud whip crack, lol, they'd practly jump out of there skin, lol, but thats another story, from my youth.

Then my first roo whip was a Morgan, I got it and bought a whip cracking videos from Anthony Delonges and wwac, that really saved my hide from getting hit, (not that it still doesn't happen) especially trying new stuff,
the thing to remember is first get the form down of the move you want to learn, dont' even worry about getting the crack, just the form and as Dan said , just take it slowly, just enough to move the whip threw the air, that way if you do hit your self it won't be a hard one.

As always , sorry bout the Fat chewing.

If you get a chance, get a video or two, they really do help .


ATB


Jim J.