Can a NYLON whip support weight for a swing?

Magno · Post by **Magno** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 5:41 pm

Okay, so we all know that any type of leather whip will be damaged by an adult hanging from it. It stretches the leather out of shape, it rips the fall off, etc. etc.

What about nylon? This seems like an area that has yet to be experimented with. We saw Snakewhip Sables' video, but that didn't really prove much, because my leather whips can support me on an incline as well.

Nylon is a material made for strength...I'm a bit intrigued.

IndianaBogart · Post by **IndianaBogart** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 6:08 pm

I've been curious about this too. I've never been a big fan of nylon whips (then again I've never used one

) but i just didn't feel like they were very Indy-ish. However, if it was discovered that you could swing on them without ruining them, then I would be much more interested.

Kentucky Blues · Post by **Kentucky Blues** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 7:27 pm

Because Indiana Jones did!

-KB

Magno · Post by **Magno** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 7:33 pm

I wouldn't necessarily, I'm just trying to get a sense of the strength properties of nylon.

hollywood1340 · Post by **hollywood1340** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 8:29 pm

I will NEVER understand this obsession with swinging. No, not that kind, the whip kind. WHY WHY WHY?

Cracker · Post by **Cracker** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 8:44 pm

I will NEVER understand this obsession with swinging. No, not that kind, the whip kind. WHY WHY WHY?

I totally agree!
Will a nylon whip hold you? Most certainly. Will it mess up your plaiting? Most certainly. So why do it?????? A whip is not made to swing on, it's made to crack!

Kentucky Blues · Post by **Kentucky Blues** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 8:51 pm

Well, that's what he's wondering. He may or may not want to actually swing on it, but he'd like to know if it's strong enough, which it most likely is. It was my understanding, and I could be wrong as I know about this aspect of leather whips but don't know if he does, that he wanted to know if nylon could be swung on without messing up the plaiting, unlike leather. And seeing as he's ASKING, the best thing to do would be to ANSWER the question at hand. It does seem that the answer has actually been addressed, but not without a bit of criticism

-KB

Cracker · Post by **Cracker** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 9:06 pm

Sorry, in that case, yes you can swing on it with no problem at all. The tensile strength of nylon is much greater than leather. Will it ruin the whip, most likely

IndianaBogart · Post by **IndianaBogart** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 11:34 pm

C'mon, were not rying to be dumb about the swinging thing. I would never try to swing on one, unless I knew FOR CERTAIN that it would have no negative effects on the whip. Which it is clear that it would on any kind of whip, even a nylon one. So basically the case here is closed.

With that said, I think what Magno and myself (or maybe just me) were getting at was that IF you could swing on a nylon whip (with absolutley NO adverse effects) why wouldn't you? Would it be unneccesary? Absolutely. Impractical? Definitely. But IF it could be done, then why not? It would be a cool thing to be able to do.

IndianaBogart · Post by **IndianaBogart** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 11:47 pm

Shagbd, I know exactly what you're saying, and I'm not trying to sound stupid. I just saw the thread come up and put in my two cents. I know (as I'm sure most everyone else on here knows too) that bullwhips aren't meant for swinging. But it was just a simple question from Magno, that I saw and also inquired about. I don't think either of us were trying to be dumb or turn this into a big deal. It was just a question that needed a yes/no answer.

Magno · Post by **Magno** » Tue Aug 05, 2008 2:18 am

Gee whiz you guys. It's a simple question that I THOUGHT others would be interested to hear the answer to.

Personally I don't have ANY intentions of swinging on my whip like a 5 year-old playing Indiana Jones. I was just curious...

jason10mm · Post by **jason10mm** » Tue Aug 05, 2008 1:42 pm

I have a nylon 8" from rjallen. He specifically stated that the whip COULD support the weight, but that the stretching would ruin the cracking ability of the whip. Nylon will certainly stretch and the braiding would probably loosen significantly. Of course if you only wrapped the fall that single strand of paracord probably would either snap under the weight of a swinging adult male or seperate where it is secured to the main body of the whip.

I bet you could make some sort of hellaciously thick leather whip that could support an adult, but I don't think it would crack well. Getting a secure wrap would be a challenge as well.

enigmata_wood · Post by **enigmata_wood** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 9:47 am

unless your whip, nylon or leather, is specifically made like the stunt ones for Raiders with a core of steel safety cable or high-shock climbers rope dont swing on it.
Yes a nylon rope will hold a man's weight -- when it's stationary -- once you start swinging, the load can multiply manyfold -- there are sudden stops and centrifugal forces, it will eventually break, as will you.

BroadSword · Post by **BroadSword** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 11:32 am

If the whip is made with what is known as "550 Cord", then in theory is should support your weight. The intent of that type of cord was for parachute rigging and is specifically designed to hold cargo loads in place for air drops and for parachute lines. What it will do to your whip...have no idea.

Shagbd · Post by **Shagbd** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 3:25 pm

BroadSword wrote:If the whip is made with what is known as "550 Cord", then in theory is should support your weight. The intent of that type of cord was for parachute rigging and is specifically designed to hold cargo loads in place for air drops and for parachute lines. What it will do to your whip...have no idea.

Alright, ive been thinking about this.... YOUR RIGHT, UNALTERED 450 or 550 paracord IS strength tested around that... BUT the way a whip is made it will stretch it blah blah blah... right?

BUT....
I have a CHALLENGE to ALL nylon whipmakers...
MAKE ME a Nylon whip that CAN be swung from and still crack!

I had an idea about this.
It would HAVE to have a cable core, but not neccessarily a steel core.... it would be a heavier strand of WHOLE paracord... meaning.. not gutted.... running from the butt all the way out the fall hitch.... in fact, make the core BE the fall! maybe even a heavier type of Nylon or Polypro cord, but with bellies and an overlay over it so it LOOKS like a whip, but has a single core running end to end....
If such a whip is made, i will gladly put my life and possibiltiy of embarassment on the line to test it out!.... what the heck right? might be fun...

enigmata_wood · Post by **enigmata_wood** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 7:02 pm

Shagbd wrote:
BroadSword wrote:If the whip is made with what is known as "550 Cord", then in theory is should support your weight. The intent of that type of cord was for parachute rigging and is specifically designed to hold cargo loads in place for air drops and for parachute lines. What it will do to your whip...have no idea.

Alright, ive been thinking about this.... YOUR RIGHT, UNALTERED 450 or 550 paracord IS strength tested around that... BUT the way a whip is made it will stretch it blah blah blah... right?

BUT....
I have a CHALLENGE to ALL nylon whipmakers...
MAKE ME a Nylon whip that CAN be swung from and still crack!

I had an idea about this.
It would HAVE to have a cable core, but not neccessarily a steel core.... it would be a heavier strand of WHOLE paracord... meaning.. not gutted.... running from the butt all the way out the fall hitch.... in fact, make the core BE the fall! maybe even a heavier type of Nylon or Polypro cord, but with bellies and an overlay over it so it LOOKS like a whip, but has a single core running end to end....
If such a whip is made, i will gladly put my life and possibiltiy of embarassment on the line to test it out!.... what the heck right? might be fun...

I am currently making a nylon whip with a single solid nylon rope running all the way through, but I wouldn't risk swinging on it nonetheless

Shagbd · Post by **Shagbd** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 7:32 pm

hmmm... could it be modified?

enigmata_wood · Post by **enigmata_wood** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 4:22 pm

I suppose it could but I see no point in it. you still couldn't do Indy style stunts, all the stunt whips in the films were securely fixed before hand not just 'flipped round' as we see in the films. And I am pretty sure most scenes where Indy swings or drags behind a truck the stuntman would have had a hidden safety line, padded clothing and a crash mat and trained catchers off camera.

crismans · Post by **crismans** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 10:26 pm

enigmata_wood wrote:I suppose it could but I see no point in it. you still couldn't do Indy style stunts, all the stunt whips in the films were securely fixed before hand not just 'flipped round' as we see in the films. And I am pretty sure most scenes where Indy swings or drags behind a truck the stuntman would have had a hidden safety line, padded clothing and a crash mat and trained catchers off camera.

Next you're going to be telling me that wrestling is fake and I have no business trying to do the same stuff in my back yard.

Texan Scott · Post by **Texan Scott** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 10:34 pm

...no, some believe that the moonshot is fake and wrestling is real!

Shagbd · Post by **Shagbd** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 10:43 pm

enigmata_wood wrote:I suppose it could but I see no point in it. you still couldn't do Indy style stunts, all the stunt whips in the films were securely fixed before hand not just 'flipped round' as we see in the films. And I am pretty sure most scenes where Indy swings or drags behind a truck the stuntman would have had a hidden safety line, padded clothing and a crash mat and trained catchers off camera.

between me and you.... i see no point in it either lol...
but some myths never die

McFly · Post by **McFly** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 10:56 pm

The question is... can you swing from your whip the back of a truck that's driving around 30 mph.

Shane

Texan Scott · Post by **Texan Scott** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 11:19 pm

I think the point of it is that occasionally the whip was a multipurpose tool, sometimes used for protection, occasionally as a rope. If Indy was in a jam, he used the whip to avoid falling into the pit, for instance. If a leather whip was used as a rope, it might not crack again, so when he got back from the big adventure, he just bought a new one. Small price to pay for the value of a life, given the trade-off.

The stunt whips had steel cables in them, did they not? Nylon's tensile strength is stronger than leather. Leather strength depends upon its newness, lube, brittleness, etc. Any cord of three strands is not easily broken, but after swinging on it, might not pop again, regardless of the material.

enigmata_wood · Post by **enigmata_wood** » Sun Oct 12, 2008 6:14 am

crismans wrote:
enigmata_wood wrote:I suppose it could but I see no point in it. you still couldn't do Indy style stunts, all the stunt whips in the films were securely fixed before hand not just 'flipped round' as we see in the films. And I am pretty sure most scenes where Indy swings or drags behind a truck the stuntman would have had a hidden safety line, padded clothing and a crash mat and trained catchers off camera.
Next you're going to be telling me that wrestling is fake and I have no business trying to do the same stuff in my back yard.

What you do in your own back yard is of course none of my business. You should be able to get some pretty Indyesque scars, maybe even put your back out and spend 6 weeks in agonizing treatment like Harrison Ford did in Temple of Doom

Dutch_jones · Post by **Dutch_jones** » Sun Oct 12, 2008 7:14 am

McFly wrote:The question is... can you swing from your whip the back of a truck that's driving around 30 mph.

Shane

This would be a great item for Mythbusters