Club Obi Wan

Drove south for an hour today to spend a few hours with Royce Vallejo, a Morgan trained whip maker, now known for his handmade saddles. We talked about everything and it was amazing to see a master craftsman at work. Taking raw leather and turning it into saddle bits, very cool.
I brought with me my IOAB KotCS 10' by Adam, my 4' by Louie, and my 5.5' stock by DeSaye. I told him I would never throw a rope cord whip if I could help it. He had comments and praise for all of them, and commended me for getting quailty products.
I spoke to him about my desire to create my own whips and to teach others to use them. He told me about his time with David and how he was trained and taught. And why he doesn't follow David's pattern exactly. Out of respect for the man who taught him. This struck me. It wasn't for screen accuracy, or that he could make money doing Morgan clones. It was because David Morgan is still out there making the whip HE created and that will be his legacy forever.
Royce does Royce whips. Working whips designed for use off of a horse in the bush of Idaho and Montana. Whips you can beat to heck and back and keep using them. He could make a Morgan clone, but he doesn't.
So I didn't order a natural tan ten foot whip. Because when I want a David Morgan whip, I'll order one. I ordered what I wanted, for what I want to do with it. An black eight foot with a 10" handle. Done in the Royce style.
I'll be back to see him when he's working on my whip. If not before. Look him up. But you'll get a whip you want. Don't ask him for what is already out there.

I know Royce. I met him when he was working in David's shop. Did a bit of cracking with the man as well. I haven't spoken with him in years so it is nice to read that he is still out there furthering the craft.

Cheers, Hollywood! Not just to you for selecting to use a different looking whip than an Indy, approaching it as a tool and a personal item, rather than a prop or replica, but also to Royce Vallejo for taking the Tutelage that David Morgan gave him, and going his own way with it.

I've owned a couple "Indy Style" whips, but not because they were "Indy Style." I owned them because I loved how they handled.

However, In defense of the whip makers who go for "Screen Accurate Morgan Replicas," Mr. Morgan doesn't make them the same way anymore. Hasn't for some time, and as someone who has handed a Morgan whip from the 80's and one from today, the differences are pretty big. They're not just cosmetic.

I personally don't really care for the way new Morgan's handle, but I know other people who love them. Hey great! To each their own! Just not my thing. I have been fortunate enough to crack a couple Morgan's from the 80's and really liked them for their weight, flexibility, ruggedness, and heft.

Owning one would be nice, but I just don't want to go to the trouble of tracking one down from that era, nor having to sell a kidney to be able to afford it. Therefore, I'm seriously considering giving Bernardo Del Carpio a call some time in the future.

Not only are his whips as close as you can get to a period Morgan in appearance, but also fairly close in the way they roll out and behave, (and with his prices, I can keep my renal system intact.) David is aware that his designs have changed, but he refuses to go back to what he considers an "less efficient" design. And Bernardo's work has not only filled that niche, but stand up on their own to the scrutiny of whip artist and maker alike. Good on him. And he does things differently than Morgan does as well. His whips are distinctly "Bernardo" whips.

But, in general, I'm with you. I could personally care less about how many parts/bights the knot is, or about transition knot placement. All I care about is "Does the whip go where I want it to go in a way that makes me happy."

My current ONE Indy whip, (an 8' from Paul Nolan. 12 plait natural tan roo,) I had to have because I cracked it, (he'd just finished the overlay, and rolled it. Hadn't even put the knots on it.) It had NOTHING to do with how much it looked like a Morgan, (it doesn't. Overlay strands are skived and beveled, so the plaiting is much smoother, knot is different, thong is lighter and thinner with a more pronounced taper. Other than the color, general construction, and handle length, not a Morgan.) So rather than think of it as an "Dave Morgan Indiana Jones Bullwhip Replica," I prefer to think of it as a "Genuine Paul Nolan Dan Trout Bullwhip."

And to paraphrase a French Archaeologist; who knows? Maybe in a couple decades even it will be worth something!



All the best, and happy cracking!

-Dan