Club Obi Wan

I'm now ready to make my first and only Indy whip purchase. I just got my bonus check at work, so I think that the cost is not an issue right now.

What whip should I order? Is Joe Strain the original maker or a great copy? What is recommended?

Thanks,

david morgan whips were used in all the movies. very pricey but you're paying for the history.

As IG said the original maker is David Morgan, I have an 8 foot Morgan that I'm very happy with. It's pricey alright but you get a piece of history as well.

Best regards,
HAL 9000

I know that this opinion isn't gonna be popular, but here goes.

I think that the cost of a Morgan is a high one for a now inaccurate piece of "history".
I say go with Joe Strain. You'll get twice the whip at around half the price.

Don't get me wrong. I have a Morgan that I love. It's the first great whip that I got, but it's over 15 years ago. The current Morgan's just aren't the same either in look or quality.

Just my 2 cents
Chris

your exactly right canasta. if you need the name associated with the movies (kinda like how i need HJ hats regardless of how they rate for quality and durability)....then definitely get a david morgan.

if you want a whip that was just like in the movies, you can ask bernardo (a member here) to make you a replica with the same materials and craftsmenship as what was done by david morgan back then. bernardo knows his whips and he also received the honor of meeting david morgan and getting some mentoring from him.

bernardo's work is considerabley less for top shelf quality as well. just my 2 cents as well.

I don't write on this site very often but I couldn't help but reply to this post. I have had the pleasure of owning (2) Joe Strains 10' and 15'...(1) David Morgan 10'...and (1) Bernardo (8'). All are great whips. Here is what I think...

Morgans are by far heavier then the other two brands and considerably more expensive...over $700! Cracks well, rugged construction, and on a scale of 1-10 on the original Indy look, about a 6.

Strains are very tightly braided and almost seem like they were constructed by a machine! Highest qaulity of the other two but with much thinner strands. More resonably priced than the Morgans at about $450-$350. Scale of 1-10 on Indy look, about a 7.

Bernardos are easily as equal in quality to Morgans, thick strands and just as rugged. Because he did not make them for the original movies, they won't be worth as much as a Morgan to collectors once Morgan quits making his. Very reasonably priced at $350-$300. On a scale of 1-10 on Indy look, perfect 10. I have never seen a better looking Indy bullwhip. I have been at it since I was 10, and I'm 36 now.

If I had it to do all over again, I would buy the Bernardo, save a ton of money, and have the best looking Indy whip currently on the market.
I have sold both of my Strains and still have the Bernardo and Morgan.
Hope this helps.

Great Review by Kriegfeld jr.

Just to add my input, I agree with Chris. If your interested in buying one of the series 450 bullwhip from David Morgan for the purpose of having an accurate Indiana Jones bullwhip you will probably be a bit disappointed especially for the cost of the whip. I've seen a few in recent years that looked really good, but for the most part they just aren't the same whip anymore. He makes them differently, the stands are cut wider, the handles are stocky and shorter, but he does it for a reason and they a are still a very well built whip that will stand up to a lot of use and a little more abuse. So if your looking for a tough well made whip, and want the name to go along with it, that thats something to consider. Older Morgans do come up on eBay every now and then too, so it might be worth waiting.

Joe Strain in my opinion is one of the finest working whip makers in North America and considering the quality of whips guys like Adam Winrich, Paul Nolan and Jack Perry, etc. are doing thats not a statement i make lightly. His work as said before seems almost machine made and i have rarely seen a whip plaited more tightly. The ones from Western Stage Props are good, but make sure you specify you want one of Joe's bullwhips. He also makes a more screen accurate one though his company for around the same prices as his lone star series bullwhips. They are bit lighter then Davids, but still perfectly weighted and balanced. They aren't quite exact in every detail to the movie whips, but they well make up for it in quality of the whip.

I think if your looking for a very good quality Indianan Jones style bull whip right now and its important that its screen accurate, then i really think Bernardo is the way to go. Thats his specialty and hes put a lot of effort into capturing the look of the Indiana Jones era Morgans, Especially now that he's plaiting in kangaroo hide too and has spent time up in Washington working with David Morgan. His prices are very competitive and his work just keeps getting better and better.

Dan

Thanks to all of you who replied. I appreciate the information. Although I could afford a Morgan right now, I'm opting for a lesser cost and more screen accurate look. And I can relate to the thought process of original makers. I have an HJ hat, along with my new AB, and soon I will order my Wested jacket to go with my Aldens. and I've both a replica MarkVII bag with a Todd's Costumes deluxe strap, and an original issue MarkVII with it's original fabric strap. So you could say I'm a mixture of original suppliers and great copies. Now I just need some button fly Indy pants and and Indy shirt though doesn't blossom on me the way my WPG shirt does.

This Indy costume habit is a hard habit to break and it definately puts a dent in my wallet. This 'wearable costume' is comming in a close second in cost to my Capt. Jack Sparrow outfit.

Indy MarkVII

If price is no issue David Morgan would be my first choice.

If price was no object at all, then I would get one Morgan for the authenticity factor, and then go and order another whip from Bernardo for the screen accuracy factor...but what everyone else here has said about all the whipmakers was pretty much spot on...

~Jace