Club Obi Wan

I just got my first whip, and Indy Budget. I have a tub of Pecard's ready and waiting. What I need to know is how to apply it to the whip, in what areas, and how often. I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I don't have much spare time these days to read through everything. Sorry. What little time I have I'd like to use for actually cracking the whip! So, please... help a Newbie.
Chewie

You don't have to slather the pecards on there. I just put a little dab on my fingertip and work that in until I need more. A little goes a long way. Also, the thong of the whip doesn't need to be pecarded save for once every so often if you're just out cracking on dry grass. Normally, the pecards comes out if you start cracking it on pavement or wet surfaces/grass, which are both a big no no. Extended periods of pavement cracking will ruin it, and extended periods of cracking under wet conditions will increase the chance of water getting into the plaiting and causing it to rot over time (this chance only increases the looser the plaiting. And I believe the IOAB is a 4 plait whip..bad idea to crack when it's wet out). When you DO pecard, give the thong a nice light coating of the dressing, and let it sit. Once it's dry, I run a cloth over it a couple times, and she's good to go.

The fall, however, that's another story. I pecard that every time I am done cracking.

OK, I'm confused. I thought the "thong" and the "fall" were the same thing. What's what? Also, what about the rest of the whip and the handle?
Chewie

The handle will be oiled up naturally by the oils in your hands. No need to Pecard that. If you hold the whip out in front of you horizontally, right where the whip bends is the start of the "thong". It goes all the way to the knot at the end where the fall starts. The fall is that long piece of leather that starts at the knot and goes all the way out to where the popper string is. Under normal conditions, I'd only pecard the thong once every couple months or so.

Thank You Strider. You've been a big help!
Chewie

This question comes up here a lot so it’s always worth the occasional repost. Strider gave you good advice.

The Thong is the plaited section of the whip, from the end of the handle to the fall hitch. The Fall is the long narrow leather strip attached to the end of the thong, its designed to take the brunt of the wear and tear of whip cracking and is replaceable for just that reason.

If you’re just cracking your whips in your yard out on the grassy lawn it's probably not getting too dirty. Usually just wiping your whip down with a soft lint free cloth after most practices is fine to keep your whip in good shape. You can also dampen the cloth slightly if needed. If your whip gets dirty, You can clean it with saddle soap once or twice a year if needed. Some products are better then others, however as long as the saddle soap you chose does not contain any solvents, salts or harsh chemicals, it should be fine to use on a whip. There are always exceptions so carefully test it first in an inconspicuous spot to be sure its safe to use, this is especially important with colored leathers. I usually use fiebings saddle soap, there are others that work just as good, but that was the brand recommended to me way back when, it works well. Avoid using saddle soaps with glycerin, Glycerin acts as a humectant which means it tends to attract and hold atmospheric moisture that supports mold growth in leather. After your whip has been cleaned and allowed time to dry, give it a light coat of your leather dressing to finish. Saddle soap tends to dry out the good oils in leather so its important to add them back by using a good quality leather dressing. Pecards and Fiebings Aussie leather dressings are two popular American brand choices, but there are others that work good too. Avoid using light oils like Neats foot oil or mink oil on your whip. If you find you just have to then at least them sparingly. Many whip crackers around the world also recommend using animal fat products like kidney fat and tallow to grease their whips but there is a concern that these fats have the potential to go rancid over time and or grow bacteria that could attack the leather that is its worth mentioning. So its usually best to stick with a professionally manufactured brand.

Be sure the whip is clean and dry before you apply the leather dressing. Work it in to the thong with your hands or a clean soft cloth, allow it a chance to absorb and then wipe off any excess. With a stock whip, carefully open up the folds of the keeper and get some leather dressing in there as well. Treating them every 6 months is a general recommendation for whips in storage or for the casual whip cracker; you just don’t want the leather to dry out. You can grease them more or less depending on how often the whip is being used and the conditions you’re working under. You may find that the last two or three feet of the plaited whip may need more dressing then the handle end of the whip as the belly acts as a reservoir for the oils in the whip. Pay particular attention to the area just under the fall hitch the last few feet towards the point where the whip is more likely to come contact with the ground and experiences more stress and sharp flexing as the whip rolls out and cracks. Don't load up the point of the whip with dressing though, it can throw your whip off balance and make it feel like its kicking back or bucking when thrown. It is also best to keep your fall well greased at all times, after every practice session or two is a good rule of thumb. Its equally important not to over treats your whips either. A whip should not feel greasy or sticky after its been wiped clean.

Don’t treat the plaited handles or the knots and fall hitches on a whip. A very light wipe on, wipe off is ok just to give it a little shine, but don’t let it absorbed into the leather. You want to keep these areas on your whip tight and secure, so that the overlay on the handle doesn’t start to shift, or that the knots start to come loose over time. The natural oils in your hands will usually be enough to keep the handle treated and you can use a little shoe polish on the knots from time to time, to polish them up if you like. With stock whip handle, just wipe them down with a dry cloth, they don't usually get to dirty. Avoid getting them overly wet as moisture will warp cane handles, and often plaited handles are traditionally built up with paper to the form the desired shape, you don't want to get the leather damp to where it would soak though. Also Be sure to check on any spare falls that may have come with your whip every so often to make sure they don’t start to dry out on you. Treat it with your favorite leather dressing, like you would your whip. This especially true for white hide, which tends to dry out faster then the heavily oiled redhide falls. Dry falls are weak falls, and if they dry out too much they can start to deteriorate resulting in early breakage.


The basic Do’s and don’ts of whip care.

Do keep the fall constantly conditioned

Do condition the thong maybe every 6 months but don't over do it.
The six-month rule is general. Some people live in dry climates, and whips being used more regularly will require more conditioning.

Do crack your whip on smooth non-abrasive surfaces like dry grass, wood floors, tile floors, and carpet when ever possible.

When the whip becomes muddy, clean the whip with saddle soap and after drying condition it.

When storing the whip over long periods, store the whip by hanging it on a wooden peg or by laying it flat in a loose coil in a place that is not too dark, and a room with indirect light.

After each whip cracking session check your whip for dirt and wipe it down clean with a soft cloth or lightly brush it down with a toothbrush to remove any bits of dirt or muck. Its ok it use a damp cloth for this. This is also a good time to check it for any damage or wear.

Get a good set of instructional tapes. Learn the basics, like the 4 basic cracks featured in the "Whip Cracking Made Easy" tapes made by Alex Green and Mark Allen these are the fundamentals that you will build on. There are a lot of great instructional videos and a couple books that are worth getting. The internet is a great source of information and video clips too.

Take safety seriously. When starting out, wear a wide brim hat, safety glasses, leather jacket and long pants. Whips can easly cut skin and break bone, so protect yourself especally your eyes from serious injury.


Don't

Don’t crack the whip on abrasive surfaces like driveways, concrete surfaces, asphalt areas, muddy ground, gravel area, etc. The hard rough texture will act as a serious abrasive and will scrape and tear at the leather. This is more of an issue with kangaroo hide whips where the strands are cut very thinly towards the point and not such a concern with the thicker cowhide whips.

Dirt and sand can also sometimes get inside the braid of the whip. Sand particles in particular are abrasives that can wear at the strands from the inside out over time. If you suspect this has happened and it is causing a problem you can carefully wash the dirt out in warm mild soapy water then rinse it. DO NOT SOAK the whip. Stubborn dirt, sand you can use a toothbrush dipped in saddle soap to rid the sand from in between the laces. Then let it dry properly and completely either in a hanging position or flat in a loose coil. Then give it a good heavy coat of grease or leather dressing . While I normally recommend getting a leather whip too wet, (if you can avoid it) this is one rare case where it is necessary, however this is not something you want to do often.

One of the quickest ways to damage a whip is to hit it against hard or sharp objects like walls, fences, rocks, concrete and gravel. So don't hit those things.

Cracking a whip with excessive force can stretch the thong affecting the taper as well as cause the fall to break. With a good technique you should not need excessive force to crack your whip. If you going to be doing a great deal of cutting or smacking objects out of the air with your whip, Let the fall and cracker (popper) take the brunt of the wear. They are replaceable for just that reason.

Don’t over condition the thong.

Don’t store the whip where rodents, dogs, cats or other vermin can chew up the leather

Don’t put the whip in an oven or microwave to artificially distress the color of the hide from light to dark brown - don't laugh it has happened. Also avoid long periods of just sunbathing the whip in trying to darken the whip.

Don’t swing on your whip. Whips were not designed to do this. All the scenes you see in movies are stunt whips, made with cable cores.

Don’t over muscle the whips. Less is more. It is pure pleasure to crack a whip with very little effort. That means you are doing your technique correctly.

Following these guidelines should keep your whip in good shape for a long time to come! Good luck and all the best.

Dan

Maybe there should be a 'sticky' at the top of this forum about whip care and terminology. Dan, you up for it?

-Adam

Good idea Adam, I’ll put one up there shortly. Thanks

Dan

Thanks Guys. Much appreciated.

Very informative.