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New to cracking I am hooked,oh man am I hooked!! PIX ADDED

Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 10:23 pm
by bobm2004
Hello to all. I am definitely a newbie here. I have had the good fun of lurking here since being directed to this forum for over a week. First, this forum is awesome and full of a ton of great information and I have learned a lot. That said here is my story:

I had the pleasure of seeing Adam "Crack" Winrich for the first time this past June at the Chippewa Falls Renaissance Faire. I became enthralled with the whip. I was fortunate enough to talk with Adam at some length then. What a friendly guy. My wife and I also attended the Bristol Renaissance Faire every weekend and Adam was performing again. After watching his show for the second time on the first day I knew I had to have a whip. It seemed a natural addition to the Black Prince sword and assorted knifes and daggers I wore. Adam mentioned I should start with a 6 or 8 footer and he would make me one, but he had about a 90 day wait list. I am not a patient person, which is when Adam mentioned
that he did have an older whip of his that he had made and could let me have for a deal, however it was a 14 footer. What the heck did I know and I agreed. The next weekend we exchanged some cash for my whip.

I went home and started tossing it like Adam had described to me and managed to do everything but crack it! I hit myself in the back of the head so many times it was not funny! I watched Adam's video's and a few others found on the web and started to get the hang of the forward flick. Then, all of a sudden it came to me and I was getting good solid cracks.

I vowed then and there to work out everyday with my big ol Brown Bruiser (named so after my first week of attempted cracks) for 30 minutes. Within a few short days I had and was getting satisfactory cracks with almost every throw. Another week and even better results. Another week a crack every time! I even tried an cattleman's crack-not recommended with such a long whip-it falls on your head. I also tried the overhead crack and hit my neck so many times.

Well its been ten weeks now and I can throw this 14 footer and get the massive loud crack every time with my dominant right hand, and about 75% of the time with my left hand. In the last week I have re-watched some of the overhead crack videos (especially Adam's) and I gave it a try again. The first try I made a crack so loud I scared myself and caused every dog in the neighbor hood to sound off! I am now getting pretty proficient at it, with cracks about 80% of the time. But I tell it takes a lot out of me to sling that 14 foot whip all the way around. I just love overhead cracking this beast!

I always do what ever I like to the maximum extreme, all the way or no way. And I think I have been bitten by the bull whip..........and this makes me very nervous. And its all Adam's fault-he is an evil man!! (just kidding Adam). I look forward to growing my cracking and being a member of the forum.

:D

Bob
www.bobscranes.com

Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 10:31 pm
by Magno
Welcome to the forum!

That's a really unique way to start off with the whip - coming from another with a similar start. I got a 10 footer when I was 7 years old and learned with that. It's never recommended to start with a 10 footer, but considering my height at the time makes it more unbeleivable to me now (although back then I thought absolutely nothing of it).
Sounds like your tale is the exact same thing! Just goes to show you that when you are determined enough, it doesn't matter how hard your path is.
It's definitely a good story to tell to people. They are usually impressed to hear it, too!

Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 11:50 pm
by BullWhipBorton
Hi Bob, Welcome to the Club Obi-Wan, great story of how you got interested in whip cracking, welcome to the fray. I agree That Winrich character is nothing but trouble. :lol:

Get us some pictures of your whip when you have a chance.

All the best

Dan

Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 12:19 am
by Cracker
Welcome Bob, and great story :)

Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 12:41 am
by Shagbd
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

you are LEARNING on a 14 footer??

not to menion that, but a 14 footer made by ADAM is no doubt a quality whip......

this means that should you ever get a shorter whip, you are gonna be even more awesome with it!

Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 9:49 am
by WhipDude
Oh hey, your in Illinois too but you are 3 hours from here.
That's a really long whip to be learning with. But fun at least.

Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 4:16 pm
by ichnob
Welcome to the forums. Awesome story and hope you enjoy it here. And I think you were very lucky to get to meet Adam.

P.S.
I've noticed that most members here rarely stick with just one piece of gear. So here's looking forward to hearing about your next whip. Also, got any pics of the Brown Bruiser?

Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 4:26 pm
by Solent MKIII
Congrats on the whip, bobm2004 - a 14-footer? Wow. You must have
Hulk-sized arms by now after practicing with that sucker! Glad you're
enjoying your new toy, but be careful - it's hard to stop at just one whip. :wink: :junior:

Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 8:06 pm
by bobm2004
Thanks for the welcome and support. Just came in from my work out with the whip. I was grinning the whole time as I made louder and louder overhead cracks. Of course my shoulder is a bit tired, but it was worth it.

I also did my first wrap with a side arm crack, using one of the neighborhood twins, Jason. Did about a dozen or so practice moves on a stationary target (mailbox post) and then Jason stepped in. Pretty straight forward and worked pretty well. WHat fun and he thought it was cool as all heck!

And per some above requests, pictures of the whip, again obtained used from Adam Winrich, and made by him.

Image

Image

Image

Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 8:30 pm
by bobm2004
Today I had to crack at lunch at work. Even got a few wraps in!

Image

Image

Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 8:36 pm
by ichnob
Oh man...even better for giving us a picture of the whip unfurled. That thing's huge!

Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 8:54 pm
by BroadSword
That's a monster!! You'd never think that whipcracking would be so much fun.


Raise your hand if you got into this for a cool costume and then found that it turned into a whole hobby!

1...2...3....4....... :wink:

Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 12:23 am
by BullWhipBorton
Great photos, Looks like you are having alot of fun with your bullwhip! :D

Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 4:36 am
by AnubisScales
*raises hand* :lol:

Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2008 4:21 pm
by ichnob
BroadSword wrote:That's a monster!! You'd never think that whipcracking would be so much fun.


Raise your hand if you got into this for a cool costume and then found that it turned into a whole hobby!

1...2...3....4....... :wink:
Hahaha...I'll have to raise my hand as well. Luckily, I've been cutting down on the impulse purchases. :lol:

Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 9:08 am
by bluzharp
Wow, that's cool! I was cracking my 8ft at a park recently, and ran into a guy with a 14ft. It was beautiful, but I felt like my beard grew a little waiting for it to roll out. lol! The extra length took some getting used to, but what fun!

Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 1:32 am
by TurnerME
Welcome aboard. I am late on so many posts. That is a monster whip. I imagine a real joy though.

Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 12:03 pm
by Satipo
Wow! 14 feet! That sounds ideal for removing hot pokers from Nazi hands.