Shane, You'r getting great tips and advice from these guys. While I am by no means making 12 plaits Indy style whips yet, I can say that I make pretty honest and hard working red hide & deer skin stock and bullwhips and that’s a step in the right direction. Not every one I’ve made is pretty, but they all have a good balance and crack nearly effortlessly.
I wanted to learn how to make whips because I’d been cracking them for a long time, knew how they where made and I wanted to see if I could make them. I wanted to know that I could be able to take the raw materials and make a sturdy functioning whip that worked the way it was supposed to. I didn’t feel like I could take my whip cracking to the next level until I actually started making them myself and understanding that process better with more actual hands on experience. That and it seemed like a fun challenge.
So I first started learning by learning how to do repair work on whips, by replacing falls, changing a broken strand here and there, re plaiting points. As I became more confident I started taking some junk whips apart, the leather was good so I started rebuilding them from the core up. Then I tackled some "do it yourself" whip making kits after making them, taking them apart and making them again until I was satisfied with the results, I finally bought some leather cutting sets and working from there.
I don’t know if I would call it difficult, but it can be challenging. Like any new skill you have to work at it, learn as much as you can about it, and practice and keep at it. It can be frustrating at times. There will be moments when you want to throw that jumble of leather strands on the ground and kick it across the room while cussing up a storm, but there will be other times that you get so focused you work on it all night long and not even realize it and when your done you can have something you can be proud of.
How long did it take me to get the hang of it? honestly, I’m still getting the hang of things. There’s always some new challenge or new trick to learn to improve a design to make a better whip.
I think Adam hit the nail on the head with cost, Learning how to make whips isn’t cheep but its not overly expensive though either. You need to get the raw materials, the leather, hardware and any books or videos that might help you, and a few basic tools; especially if you don’t have a whip maker you can work with to teach you. You can find most of the stuff you need at a Tandy’s leather store. Leather, Nylon sinew, Aussie leather dressing for plaiting soap, bees wax, even an Aussie style strander to cut the leather. Though I'd duggest skipping the strander and learning to cut freehand with a razor knife.
Practice on cheaper cuts of leather or even scrap if you can find it. A lot of whip makers in recent years have started out using nylon para cord for making whips, as its cheaper and doesn’t have to be cut, tapered and skived, but it presents other challenges all its own. No mater how careful or patient you are though You are going to go through a lot of materials while your learning before your really satisfied with the whips you make, especially if you ever want to sell them. But its cheaper in the long run if you can stay with it and lean to make your own high quality whips where you can sell them from time to time to support your interest. Unfortunately though I’ve never known any one who’s who’s gotten rich making whips.
Start learning as much as you can about whipmaking. Its best to have some one to teach you, but read up, There are books, videos, even websites dedicated to whip making, showing how to make them from start to finish. There is a lot of information here on the Bullwhip Forum as well. Join up with the whip plaiting groups and get the news letters. Talk to whip makers like your doing now, make connections and contacts so that you can ask questions, especially specific questions, but keep in mind that If you ask 10 different whip makers how to make the best whip best, you’ll most likely get 10 different answers. Take good notes, you’ll think you’ll be able to remember everything but trust me, you won’t.
A lot of people want to start out by being able to making whips like Paul, Adam, or Simon Martin or Chris Barr right from the get go, but there are very few who have the natural talent to do that or even come close to doing that. Consider whip making as much a learning process as actually learning how to use a whip. Learn in steps.
Personally, I’d recommend starting out basic and getting a good foundation knowledge. I know most here are interested in bullwhips, but if you really want to learn how to make a good whip, try making 4 plait stock whip first, Check out some of the kits that are sold, they come with everything you need and instructions on how to making them and give a good basic foundation of whip making. After you get those foundations, buy a strip of leather and cut the sets yourself and make another that way. After you’ve made a few good 4 plait whips, make some 6 plaits or 8 plaits and add a plaited belly, then two, and so on then move on to making bullwhips too. If your not satisfied with it, like Paul said, take it apart and rebuild it until your satisfied that you have made a good whip.
Once I get back to the states and start up again, I'm going to keep my prices back down at the same cost because I'm sure there are other cheap brothers-in-arms out there.
Paul, I take it your planning on moving back to the U.S.?
Dan
You rock, Paul! I'm glad somebody read this thing. Thanks for helping me replace that fall too, when I needed help.