Club Obi Wan

I was wondering if anyone could give me their opinions on the redhide bullwhip I've been seeing on Mark Allen's site and the signal whip I've seen on both MA's and DM's site?

Thanks,
West

I haven't been to their sites in quite awhile, but Western Stage Props has an 8 plait 8ft. red-hide whip for $150 that I almost bought. I thought the price was very reasonable, and it seems to be styled very much like the Indy whip.
They also have a signal whip that looks pretty cool ($109-$144), but I opted for the "LI'L INDI" target whip (4ft. $175 with wrist loop, $165 without) and it is really fun.
Indiana Philip

Thanks for the reply Phil. I think my post feel through the cracks with all the problems with COW lately. I've actually made up my decision already and thanks to some info and opinions I got from some whip guys (for example KyleS) I've ordered a signal whip from DM himself. Can't wait till it gets here.

Later,
West

How's a signal whip different from a bullwhip?

Well one it's smaller than most bullwhips and it doesn't have a stiff handle on it like bullwhips do. According to DM it's main use is to make noise and scare critters. Check it out on the DM site for more info:

http://www.davidmorgan.com/proddetail.h ... ence=12726

Later,
West

Oh, like a snake whip.

Signal whips are used to drive dogs pulling a sled ... to "signal" commands. It is made short so it doesn't actually reach and hurt the dogs. It's basically a noise maker. There are other finer points in the construction and detail which I'll leave to a true whip expert. Sergei ...?

The difference between a signal whip vs. the snake whip is that signals tend to be small and the cracker is braided right into the whip. Signal whips have no fall. That is why I don't like them. When your cracker needs replacing, you have to rebraid the cracker right into whip thong. Snake whips can be just as small as signal whips, but they are like a bullwhip but with no handle foundation. They have a fall that is attached to the thong and then a cracker that is tied on.

Signals are fun. But they are terribly fast.

Let us know how you like it West.

-S
p.s.
Below is a signal whip just to show how there is no fall and the cracker is braided right into the thong.

So my question begs: Rhett Kelley also sells COWwhips...is that just another word for either a signal whip or a snake whip? I'd ask the Rhett myself, but I know he's a busy guy.

ITG,
"Cowwhip" is really nothing more than the fancy southern term for a stockwhip. Hope this answers your question...

High Regards, Indiana_Hall

Sergei,
Many thanks for posting that info.
Nonetheless, I can't help but wonder how Rhett braids a 12 plait overlay over a 10 plait core. I just spent the weekend toiling over a still unfinished whip. I had difficulty plaiting the overlay over a 4 plait core (that's without the BB filled core center). Who knoes, though? It could just be that the whip I was attempting to braid was too short, or I could have cut the strands too short. There's any number of explanations as to what I might have done wrong. I suppose this sort of thing will come with time and experience.
High Regards, Indiana_Hall

Well I like the distinction Rhett Kelly makes. The following is straight from his website:

WHAT'S A COWWHIP?

Cowwhips are the most common whips used among the cattlemen of the state of Florida. I grew up in Florida and lived on a ranch, at young age I learned to crack and make these whips. The cowwhip is normally used in herding cattle on horseback. It is very common for a Florida "cracker" to use a whip 12 feet long and sometimes longer! It is built for durability and reliability.

WHAT'S A BULLWHIP?

Bullwhips are the most common whips used among the cattlemen of the rest of America. The bullwhip was normally used in herding cattle on horseback. It is also the whip used most often by movie characters such as Lash LaRue, Indiana Jones & Catwoman! It is built for durability, reliability and to be easily carried in saddle bags. They are not intended for swinging with though. Whips used in that capacity in the movies generally had a cable inside & where mounted in place before the stuntman "swung" with it.

WHY NYLON?

This is a very good question to start out with..... My nylon cowwhips are made of weatherproof nylon parachute cord. In my home state of Florida this type of whip began to replace "buckskin" and leather cowwhips in the 1970's. It gave the cattlemen of Florida a worry free whip to use in the swamps and during the fowl weather conditions in which they had to work their cattle. The use of nylon in bullwhips is a much more recent occurance. Nylon whips are generally less costly than whips made from natural materials, and do not require as much care either. If you are into whip cracking as a hobby and use natural whips, you often have to wait on the right conditions to crack those expensive whips.... not with these!! You can crack them when YOU want to crack them!! I don't think twice about cracking my whip in the morning dew!

CONSTRUCTION

I plait my cowwhips using a 12 plait. I begin the belly of a whip with a hollow nylon cord in which I stuff with BB's. This gives the whip weight and it helps it to crack better. I plait a small 10 plait whip around the BB filled cord, then I plait another 12 plait whip around that whip. When I get done plaiting, I dip the whip in paraffin wax and attach a cracker and a hardwood handle. I turn my own handles on A lathe.

The bullwhips are cunstructed using 16 plait overlay with as 10 plait belly and BB filled cord core.



-Sergei