Club Obi Wan

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I like Ron Edward's book and David Morgan's has a lot to offer. But let me say this: Whip Making is extremely difficult to learn on your own. If all you want to do is build just one whip for your Gear collection then don't be disappointed when your first one turns out like @#$%. Seriously. Be prepared to devote a lot of time, thought, money, energy and ocasionally blood to building whip after whip after whip...




-Kyle

thanks kyleS Im glad you recomended the book by ron edwards because thats the one I bought. Just got it today. I plan on using nylon to make them and I wont make just 1.
Thanks-molorom

And don't forget David Morgan's new book coming out in around August/September. That one will be the best of all.

-S

KyleS wrote:I like Ron Edward's book and David Morgan's has a lot to offer. But let me say this: Whip Making is extremely difficult to learn on your own. If all you want to do is build just one whip for your Gear collection then don't be disappointed when your first one turns out like @#$%. Seriously. Be prepared to devote a lot of time, thought, money, energy and ocasionally blood to building whip after whip after whip...




-Kyle

The Ron Edwards book is very good, but I found the bullwhip section left a lot to be desired once I started making whips, and the David Morgan book does have a lot of good info. Kyle really hits the nail on the head in his post. I can't even count how much money I spent on kangaroo hide and how many hours I spent making whips before I made one where I actually thought it looked okay, and I still learn something everytime I make a whip. And yes, the blood...there are quite a few whips out there cracking away that have my actual blood within the whip's bellies, and I've also noticed that my pinky fingers are getting just a little bit crooked at the first knuckle.

Regards,
Jim

Kyle/Jim

excellent points. I often wonder if people understand how much work goes into the making of a whip, not to mention the patients needed to tackle such a project. I think we are very fortunate to have whip makers who are members of our community that are willing to share information and provide such great products to us.

Yes I do understand how much work goes into each whip thats made . I am willing to try also. Do you think that I will not even try?

Molorom wrote:Yes I do understand how much work goes into each whip thats made . I am willing to try also. Do you think that I will not even try?

Oh, definitely go for it if you have any interest! I don't think any of us were trying to scare you away from the idea of whip making. It's an extremely rewarding hobbly to learn, but it can take a lot of time and can be very frustrating in the beginning. If you are thinking of trying to make a whip rather than buy one out of financial reasons, it may not be the best way to go. You'll probably spend much more in leather and time trying to make a good one than you would if you just bought one. But if it's something you really have an interest in learning to do, and have a lot of patience and the ability to forge on through some frustration at times, you will be greatly rewarded by the results.

Good luck!
Jim

Molorom,

My post was not directed at you, it was a general statement. If you have the talent to attempt such a project, then you are a better man than I.

Good Luck!

IndyMo

Yes, Ron's section on bullwhip construction is not the best approach to making a well constructed bullwhip. I think you can build some nice stockwhips using Ron's book though. In fact, and I'm going to sound like David Morgan here, I really recommend starting out building stock whips before moving to bullwhips. You can learn a lot building stock whips because they are easier and faster to make. Plus you can switch out handles and thongs to see which ones work better together.

Moloram,

Nobody is trying to discourage you so take it easy. Go out and start making whips! But do yourself a favor and buy a professionally made whip and learn to crack before you start making your own. You'll be a much better whip maker if you understand how and why a whip cracks. You'll also have an example of what a good whip looks and feels like.

Jim,

When I was learning to skive strands I would slice my fingers up every time. I'd have two or three bandages on by the time I was done with a set. Then by the end of braiding the final overlay I'd have huge raw blisters on at least six fingers. That first crack of a whip made with my own hands is what makes it all worth while.

-Kyle

Thank you for all your input it helped a lot !

...to those who make whips, to those who TRY to make whips, and even those who WANT to try to make whips, you have my admiration. This, from one who just likes to USE them. It's a craft that takes concentration, strength, and patience....MUCH more than I have, but wish I had. I tip my fedora to you all. HIGH regards. Michaelson

I decided that i will make a stock whip first , cause you all said those are not as hard to braid as a bull whip. I ll tell how I did when im done , and thanks Michaelson.

Two things that will really help you out are:

1.) Take notes on everything!
I can't stress this enough. Write down every measurement and what it was for. The more detail the better. What size hide did you use? Belly and overlay lengths loose and braided. Bolster and strand widths and lengths. How much weight was used in the handle? How long and wide was the strand you used for the Turk's knot? Etc. You'll be surprised how easily you'll forget. One day you'll make a whip that turns out exactly the way you like and those notes will help you build it again. I was constantly referring back to the notes I took while building Sergei's Pocket Bull when I was building my own. It saves a lot of time on R&D the second time around.

2.) "If you're happy with the final product then who gives a f#@!" -Paul Stenhouse
Case in point: The bullwhip I built a little over a month ago is much less than perfect. I had trouble getting a good taper and ended up adding an extra bolster under the final overlay. So now there is a bit of a bulge coming right off the handle. The shape still isn't great and I probably could have pulled tighter at the handle/thong junction but...I use this whip more than any other. If you were to get this whip from DM you'd send it right back. But I built it for a fraction of the cost and it cracks great. The next one will always be better. Just have fun learning and cracking.

Once again I'd like to thank Paul for his generosity in teaching me this addictive hobby.

-Kyle

Rember I am using nylon to make the whips so it wont be as costly and I dont have to cut anything, but all the feedback I got overloads my brain.
thanks-molorom