Question about whip use in real life
Moderator: BullWhipBorton
Question about whip use in real life
I can't imagine that real cowboys spend >$250 on a whip. Whatsmore, I can't imagine that they don't allow it to get wet. Do US ranchers still use them?
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BullWhipBorton
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Hi Rhalloway, First Keep in mind that in its heyday, great quality whips where much less expensive then they are by today’s standards. I do know of some cattlemen that still use bullwhips to move stock here in the US though. They don’t typically use the higher end, finely plaited kangaroo hide bullwhips for that kind of work. They are more likely to opt for well-made cowhide bullwhip or stockwhip, like latigo or redhide or whitehide , or even a nylon whip something that can take substantial abuse and still crack. The pricier whips tend to be made more for the professional performer, stunt person and whip enthusiast who require a more precision tool then for the working cowboy or stockmen who just need to make a loud noise near an animal to get it moving along .
Dan
Dan
EDITED TO ADD: Ah! Bumped by the other Dan! Well, it's nice to be in good company! END EDIT!
Yeah. They're still used in the US to some extent. Not quite as much, since "cattle drives" have been replaced by "Cattle Rides" on trucks and trains, (good thing, since those fat, grain-fed, antibiotic saturated cattle sadly found on too many US farms wouldn't survive a real cattle drive.)
When you're moving lots of cattle around, whips are about the most humane method of herding the animals. People have this idea that you hit the animal with the whip. Not so. You just use the noise of the crack to spook them. Beats cattle prods!
But yeah, whips are still used. But there's a big difference between a "show whip" like the ones we tend to talk about here, and a "work whip." Most whips that see herding use are 8 plait and under, (Aussie drovers work whips are typically done out of 4 plait red hide with a basic half-plait cane handle.) These will typically run between $60-100, and are pretty well indestructable, (albeit, not as light, accurate, easy to crack, and downright beautiful as a 16 plait scobie hitch stockwhip from Janine Fraser!)
Even so, the precautions we're talking about taking with whips on this forum are designed to keep the whip in great condition for YEARS and YEARS. If you buy a Strain, Nolan, Stenhouse, Winrich or Morgan, (et al.) and take care of it, you'll have a beautiful piece of craftsmanship you can pass on to your grandchildren.
Take one of those whips, and put it to heavy use on a cattle ranch, but keep it conditioned, cleaned and maintained, and you might have a good 10+ years out of it.
10+ years for a tool that you're using heavily is a good lifespan for $250+
Also, despite popular opinion, you can get your leather whips wet. It's just not a good practice to get into. If it get's wet, dry it out, and condition the heck out of it. If it looks like it's going to get wet, lay on a heavy coat of conditioner, and let it soak in to the overlay a bit. The oils and wax in the conditioner should act as a barrier to keep the water out.
Gery Deer has a 6' Indy-style Strain that he has used on his parents farm for moving cattle, removing brush from electric fences, etc. etc. etc. Light to moderate use. I know it's been covered in dust, dirt, mud, manure, been rained on, been shined on, been cracked on asphalt, concrete, grass, dirt, sand, etc. etc. etc. Gery just takes REALLY good care of it. That whip is about 10-12 years old, and is still his favorite whip, (it was natural tan, and it's darkened to a beautiful, rich mahogany.) He still uses it for targeting in shows, and it's the off-hand whip he uses in his two-handed candle-snuffing routine.
A buddy of mine who was a professional cowboy here in Ohio, (yes...Ohio,) then Texas and Oklahoma bought a first generation IOAB from Adam, (8' in black, when Adam was still putting texas-styled falls on them, and shot loading them,) and he beat the H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks out of it! Cattle drives, showing off, generally making loud noises, etc. The whip is still kicking around, and rolls out smooth as can be.
Whips are like cars. You can work em' hard and really stick it to them, as long as you keep a good maintenance routine with it.
Yeah. They're still used in the US to some extent. Not quite as much, since "cattle drives" have been replaced by "Cattle Rides" on trucks and trains, (good thing, since those fat, grain-fed, antibiotic saturated cattle sadly found on too many US farms wouldn't survive a real cattle drive.)
When you're moving lots of cattle around, whips are about the most humane method of herding the animals. People have this idea that you hit the animal with the whip. Not so. You just use the noise of the crack to spook them. Beats cattle prods!
But yeah, whips are still used. But there's a big difference between a "show whip" like the ones we tend to talk about here, and a "work whip." Most whips that see herding use are 8 plait and under, (Aussie drovers work whips are typically done out of 4 plait red hide with a basic half-plait cane handle.) These will typically run between $60-100, and are pretty well indestructable, (albeit, not as light, accurate, easy to crack, and downright beautiful as a 16 plait scobie hitch stockwhip from Janine Fraser!)
Even so, the precautions we're talking about taking with whips on this forum are designed to keep the whip in great condition for YEARS and YEARS. If you buy a Strain, Nolan, Stenhouse, Winrich or Morgan, (et al.) and take care of it, you'll have a beautiful piece of craftsmanship you can pass on to your grandchildren.
Take one of those whips, and put it to heavy use on a cattle ranch, but keep it conditioned, cleaned and maintained, and you might have a good 10+ years out of it.
10+ years for a tool that you're using heavily is a good lifespan for $250+
Also, despite popular opinion, you can get your leather whips wet. It's just not a good practice to get into. If it get's wet, dry it out, and condition the heck out of it. If it looks like it's going to get wet, lay on a heavy coat of conditioner, and let it soak in to the overlay a bit. The oils and wax in the conditioner should act as a barrier to keep the water out.
Gery Deer has a 6' Indy-style Strain that he has used on his parents farm for moving cattle, removing brush from electric fences, etc. etc. etc. Light to moderate use. I know it's been covered in dust, dirt, mud, manure, been rained on, been shined on, been cracked on asphalt, concrete, grass, dirt, sand, etc. etc. etc. Gery just takes REALLY good care of it. That whip is about 10-12 years old, and is still his favorite whip, (it was natural tan, and it's darkened to a beautiful, rich mahogany.) He still uses it for targeting in shows, and it's the off-hand whip he uses in his two-handed candle-snuffing routine.
A buddy of mine who was a professional cowboy here in Ohio, (yes...Ohio,) then Texas and Oklahoma bought a first generation IOAB from Adam, (8' in black, when Adam was still putting texas-styled falls on them, and shot loading them,) and he beat the H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks out of it! Cattle drives, showing off, generally making loud noises, etc. The whip is still kicking around, and rolls out smooth as can be.
Whips are like cars. You can work em' hard and really stick it to them, as long as you keep a good maintenance routine with it.
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Indiana Joe
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I talked to Rhett Kelley a few months back and he was telling me that he regularly sells and repairs his nylon whips to the Florida stockmen.
As for me, I walk about a mile or so to work, each way and there are a couple of pitbull owners along the way who do not abide by local leash laws so I carry my 4 foot Kyle Shold bullwhip with me just in case I need a quick crack to keep the dog(s) away from me. I've drawn it once--I was ready to go but didn't have to crack it. The guy thought I was going to hurt his pitbull and grabbed onto his collar.
As for me, I walk about a mile or so to work, each way and there are a couple of pitbull owners along the way who do not abide by local leash laws so I carry my 4 foot Kyle Shold bullwhip with me just in case I need a quick crack to keep the dog(s) away from me. I've drawn it once--I was ready to go but didn't have to crack it. The guy thought I was going to hurt his pitbull and grabbed onto his collar.
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J_Weaver
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That is one thing that really burns my ***. :evil: If people are going to have there dogs out they need to keep then on a leash. How the heck am I supposed to know what the dog is going to do when it comes running at me? I find the situation particularly bad around parks.Indiana Joe wrote:As for me, I walk about a mile or so to work, each way and there are a couple of pitbull owners along the way who do not abide by local leash laws so I carry my 4 foot Kyle Shold bullwhip with me just in case I need a quick crack to keep the dog(s) away from me. I've drawn it once--I was ready to go but didn't have to crack it. The guy thought I was going to hurt his pitbull and grabbed onto his collar.
Re: Question about whip use in real life
Yes, whips are used by cowboys, good whips are used here in Texas every day.rhalloway wrote:I can't imagine that real cowboys spend >$250 on a whip. Whatsmore, I can't imagine that they don't allow it to get wet. Do US ranchers still use them?
There are still lots of cattle to be moved from place to place every day.
Dog trainers like myself use whips on a daily basis. (dont think for one minute that we can train a 100 lb male retiever with a kleenex)
When I jump a pack of 8, 10 or 15 big males off the truck and a hot gyp is around they are perfect gentlemen. A whip is an intimidator as well as a good way to keep the peace.
ps. when working on breaking (a dog that leaves before he is sent) a whip over the shoulder is a good way to catch the beast and remind him that I will tell him when to I want to send him to make a retieve.
So I use a short snake whip on the line.
I use a big whip when pack is out to air.
Also has anyone mentioned mushers? There are still a fair few of those guys around and they use whips on a daily basis also. There are a couple of guys down here and they train like madmen.