Club Obi Wan

I am trying to make a whip but my book keeps talking about the belly of the whip! WHAt is the belly?

That's frustrating. You think the book would tell you.

I found this on http://www.cowwhips.com .

Rhett's Whips - Info wrote:I begin the belly of a whip with a hollow nylon cord...

I would guess it is the center core of the whip like we were talking about on a post in the classified forum.

Pyr.

I'm pretty sure that Ron Edwards book goes into the concept of cores and bellies. A plaited belly means that under the outer layer of plaiting, the overlay, there is another layer of leather plaited over the core of the whip. It adds durability and accuracy, balancing out any weaknesses in the individual strands. So you have a core construction, one or two plaited bellys, with 2 being more typical and then a final overlay.

I hope that makes it clearer.

-S

The belly of the whip(depending on the quality of the whip)is what is inside of the whip. I say depending on the quality because you will find all sorts of different types of bellies in a whip depending on the quality. If it is a good kangaroo hide bullwhip, made by a quality whip maker, the bellies will be made of kangaroo or another suitable leather, each belly being a smaller braided whip. In a cheaper or poorly made whip, you will usually find a rope in side the whip.

If you have a copy of or access to a copy of David Morgan's book, "Whips and Whipmaking", you will find a picture of a bullwhip which has been unbraided to show the inner construction.

Jim

Welcome, Darth V.A.D.E.R.

Hi VP!You have very nice page!

Go to http://www.em-brand-whips.com/bulltutorial.htm and you can read all about it.

I could be wrong, but I believe they are called bellies, because it's that part of the animal that is used to create them. In other words, the skin from the belly is not as tough/strong/clean as the part from the back. So, to clean up the hide and not be wasteful, these parts of the skin go into the smaller whips which make up the diameter and taper, hence the bellies. It's what one finds on the other portions of the kangaroo skin. Not great for the overlay, but more than suitable for the bellies (smaller whips inside) that one will never see.

It's those crazy Australians and their lingo!
Example:
Kangaroos loose in the top paddock : Intellectually inadequate ("I've got kangaroos loose in the top paddock")

I'll drink to that!

Best Regards,

Paul Stenhouse

Cool insight, Paul. I never thought of it like that.

-Adam

Having two skins to make whips from is nice, but I never do it. Cleaning up the skins and using that to make the bellies is a good way to keep from wasting a bunch of roo skin. It's the way I learned from David, who in turn, I'm sure, learned it from a few Australians when he was there learning the trade. He told me one time of a whipmaker that made whips during the very competitive times of the trade. What was left over from the skin, that didn't go into the whip, could blow away in the wind in the palm of his hand!

I choose the size of the skin to make a whip of a certain length. And since there aren't too many kangaroos running around the Seattle area, I try not to waste any of it.

Best Regards,

Paul Stenhouse