Club Obi Wan

Let the roast begin!
This is my first attempt at a bullwhip. It is as finished as it is going to be because I have abandoned all hope of ever tying a gaul darn turks head.
It is just over 6 ft, and fullfilled my one wish; it cracks rather loudly.
It was really fun learning the different plaits, dropping strands etc...
Special thanks go out to the following members
Cracker and Pyrimid Blaster

Looks really good. I think you did great for your first whip. The turks heads for me are still the hardest part.
Be cool.









Gus Caicedo Jr.
www.purewhips.com

It's funny how all the books on whipmaking say the turks head knot is the easy part bit i agree with you i had the hardest time with it. Loie Foxx showed me and i hope i can repeat it when i make my next whip.

Good job rj !! It looks better than my first one. In fact I didn't even count my first one. I just figured it was practice The first one ended up as the belly for my second whip. Keep at it. Each one gets better as you learn. The turks head knot was a BIG frustration for me also until I got a book called "Introduction to Turks Head Knots" by Tom Hall. And then Tony gave me some hints on using pins to hold the nylon in place when tying. The way the knot works finally clicked with me then. He takes you through leaning to tie simple base knots and works up to more complicated ones. The base knot is the foundation for the more intricate knots. If your interested you can contact Martin Combs at http://www.knotstuff.com/ That is the only source I could find for the book.
Jim

Hey, you're welcome. Now you've got the first out of the way, it's time to ponder what you could have done differently...And apply it to the next one! You know what they say...Any whip you can walk away from...Er, um, Where there's a whip, there's a way...Nevermind. Congratulations!

I haven't done a turk's head since my first whip. I've always done a solid pommel and ring knots---which were also a pain, but got a lot easier after I started using a mandrel---basically an oversize dowel with a band of leather glued around it to braid the knot on. It really, really helps....We'll see if it works on Turks-heads!

I just ordered the materials for my 'premiere' whip---a 16-plait, rust-brown, 12' nylon 'Indy' special. Won't be long now! I'll try to take pictures this time! And video if I REALLY get Wikki....

Thanks for the encoragement guys...
As soon as I get the turkshead down, I am ready to move on to my next whip. PB I have notes...
Next time plait tighter, better bolster to stiffen things a bit, and I started dropping my strands a little to soon leaving a couple of gaps...for starters.
There is certainly more.
After spending ANOTHER hour on the turkshead,I think I am going to try to track down that book.
Thanks cracker.
Ron

I was recently very stupid, a guy sent me an email asking about turks heads, after exchanging about 20 emails with him he really wasn't getting it so I got the wife to take photo's of me tying one in nylon, made up a word document and sent it to him with step by step photo's and all the up and down unders and overs.....now the stupid part I deleted it off my PC

The knot I showed him was a 7 x 6 with the pinapple interweave, I guess you guy's on here would be more interested in a 5 x 4...

I will try and do it again in the next few weeks time permitting and post it...

Good first effort on the whip by the way.....keep going

Tony

Good effort, There is room for improvement but as long as you enjoying the challenge and learning, Keep at it.

Turkshead knots are challenging and the fact that Nylon lace slips around more makes tying knots with it a bit trickier. You might want to get some leather lace and practice with that a bit so you get a better understanding of how it all weaves together. The pin idea is a good one too though.

Dan

Well...it's just got a facelift
I un-plaited the handle and core, re attached the core to the spike to smooth it out, then re-plaited the handle. Finally a 16 plait overlay and tied new knots.
Still not as good as #2 and #3.
But it was my first whip, and I LOVED it. In spite of all it's ugliness, as only a creator could.
It works great, and will be a good yard whip to knock around with. Now I don't feel as though I have to hide it in the bottom of the closet.
Here she is...version 1.2

Big improvement !! Congratulations, your on your way

I think your first whip was actually pretty good! My first whip was a big leather sausage that could rip your arm out of its socket just by trying to swing the darn thing. Yours actually has a decent taper, so feel good about it.

My first functional whip (number 3 I think) still holds a place dear in my heart. I don't know why, but I saw it as something almost mystical and magic at the time (OK so I was 11), so I completely understand your attachment to it )

Turk's head knots are not easy at first. Just practice with a book and you'll get there.

Practice, practice, practice. THAT is the only real secret.