Club Obi Wan

Y'know, I don't think anyone's really broached this subject.

A couple of years after I started making my own whips, I decided to make a really solid all-around whip to carry in my vehicle. When I made it, it became my favored whip, and I did bring it with me on occasion...But since I was poor and I really liked it, I didn't want it to get stolen or ruined by carrying it daily.

Shortly thereafter, I ended up giving it to my best friend as a wedding gift and hadn't thought about the concept of a daily-carry whip until recently...

Now that it's easier to make them and I have a surplus (not to mention, I don't have to worry about nylon as long as it's not exposed to the sun)...I've decided to start 'packing' one or two in the car again. I've picked a couple of my nicer-handling whips, a lightweight 8' and an Indy-style 12'. I'll be keeping them in a black nylon bag with a flap closure, tucked away out-of-sight.


Anyone else keep a whip with them daily? I suspect only a few who have been livin' by the whip for years like myself would even consider it....

Why would you want to carry it daily? Only time I see the point of carrying it is if you are planning to go out and crack at which you are very well aware that you need to bring it.

I carry one with me during the week cause I like to go crack at lunch time.

I don't really consider it as a defensive weapon, so I'm not treating it like one... Like Michaelson and others have indicated, a whip isn't a substitute for a CCW and the proper 'tool' for the job in that regard.

I have found, however, that a whip is a great conversation piece, especially in the hands of an experienced whiphandler. People typically don't believe me when I say, "I've been cracking a whip for 21 years, and making them for 14"....Sometimes the opportunity presents itself. Nothing like being able to say, "Wait a minute, I have one in my car". The legend continues....

The whip has been a part of my life for a long time, and will continue to be so. I just like having one around.

Thanks for explaining. That makes sense then.

Funny! Anytime I mention bullwhips everyone automatically assumes S+M Stuff.

Funny! Anytime I mention bullwhips everyone automatically assumes S+M Stuff.

I get that a little less, living in Florida (we have a booming cattle industry many don't know about...It's where the term 'Florida Cracker' comes from---From the Florida cowboys and their particular style of stockwhip)...

But it's natural for people to scoff at something unfamiliar to them. Education is the key, and I always make it a point to explain as much as possible to those who will listen.

I actually got approached once at a Whip Enthusiast's meet, with the question: "Hey---Are you in the lifestyle?" to which I responded with a jovial "Ah, no...I'm pure vanilla." To each his (or her) own.

i say if your going to keep one with you in case the opportunity arrises to show someone a representation of you passion, then its probably best to carry the BEST whip you have....

Blaster, I don't recall ever seeing any of your work. With that many years for whip making, I'm sure you have to be fairly good at it. Show us some of your work and preferably a variety to see what you are capable of doing.

I've posted a couple of them before. I'm not a vendor, just a hobbyist...Let's just say that after I'm done with a whip, I just can't seem to part with it.

Here's the last one I made (the one I wore to the premiere, and cracked in the theater!!!) is really sweet. Just can't get over it.

It's a nylon 10', with billet aluminum handle, Stainless ball, and Aircraft cable core. The cracker is made from Spectra. It's only one belly, but dual bolsters...

No, it's not leather. But it is a darn fine whip, if I do say so myself.



I started with Cowhide and Latigo, and tried my hand at Nylon a couple of years ago...I really enjoy making nylon whips---They've really helped me hone my craft and perfect my formula. I'm really thinking the next will be a long-awaited Kangaroo model, however.

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj73 ... ials-s.jpg

I made some nice whips, but nothing less than 10'. The first ones were one-offs, made without a real formula...And with hardwood pommels. They actually turned out OK, but since they were cowhide they weren't very durable. They're in semi-retirement now. My next whips were heavy latigo models, with a brass pommel.

My leather days ended with a troublesome 20' monster. I stepped away from whipmaking to raise kids for a year or two, and revisited the whip afterwards to rework it. It's still a monster, but it's much better now. It still takes my whole body to crack it!

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj73 ... 0010x7.jpg

Here's some rough video of some of my older whips---and I was rusty AND sick, too!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 0415096422

As soon and I opened that video I thought "I've seen this before!" Probably ran into it during one of the boring days at work where I decided to search the net for any whip cracking video's I can find.
How long ago was the video taken?

I think that was March, before most of my final gear came in...Also before a fairly major redesign of my whip formula......

Post some more pics of your whips if you have them of course

OK...So everyone wants to hear the story again. I'll rehash.

I don't think I've ever posted all of my whips, but since there are a few in other people's possession, I'll just post the ones I have pictures of.

I got my first 12' Cattle Baron bullwhip at the tender (trust me, after three months of teaching myself in the backyard---this term is spot-on) age of 16. I began making whips in 1994, and have paid close attention to each result, experimenting with the formula, materials, etc. for years.

My first whip, circa 1994---following a recipe from a veritable pamphlet of a book from Tandy Leather: "Whipmaking: A Beginner's Guide", by Dennis Rush...Homely, ain't it? Hand-cut laces (as opposed to a lacing tool), nail foundation, epoxy pommel, leather-core...8-plait overlay over a 4-plait belly...

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj73 ... 9410x7.jpg

My second---a 16' cowhide with 3/16" aircraft cable. Almost a snakewhip, but cracks like a shotgun blast...Circa 1995. I think it's 14-plait.

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj73 ... 9510x7.jpg

#3---A 12'. This one started as one for the wife...Circa '95-'96. Cowhide.

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj73 ... 9510x7.jpg

These first three were complete stand-alone one-offs...Afterwards, I would get a little more serious, change from Cowhide to Latigo, and start trying to actively tweak my own formula. These all featured hollow brass handles mated to a solid brass pommel. The first whip I made was the 10' 12-plait whip designed to be my 'main' whip--which it was, until I gave it to my best friend on the occasion of his wedding. I still miss it...But it was for a good cause! I have yet to snap pix of it...But eventually I will.

My friend then commissioned me to build a whip to his specs---similar to the 10', but it was in the neighborhood of 15'...and 14-plait. Need a picture of this one, too. These have held up very well, and are nice whips aside from being pretty heavy.

The last leather whip I did was similar to the two I made for my friend---but it was a monster. I used leather that was a wee bit too thick, and the unfortunate choice of a 6" handle foundation. This was circa 1999-2000. It was uncrackable, but I revisited it in 2005 and did much to improve it. Not my favorite, but at least it's finally acceptable for what it is.

So, after getting married, changing jobs, starting a career, and having kids, I laid off of the whips for a couple of years--I still cracked them, and I still had some ideas bouncing around in the back of my head... But I didn't build any. I had yet to produce the 'formula', but I was getting closer.

In April of 2006, during an Internet search for a whip-enthusiasts group in San Francisco, I discovered that there was a branch within driving distance of my town--so I went. I didn't know what I'd find.

That first meeting totally opened my eyes.

Not only did I get lots of great, knowledgeable feedback on my designs, but I got to get a feel for others' work---including a number of David Morgan whips. I also noticed most people in the group were using high-quality nylon whips...Something I scoffed at as a purist over the years, but using these whips changed my whole outlook.

So, I began building whips again---This time experimenting in nylon.

My first Nylon whip was an experiment from the beginning---But I made a very active effort to figure a few things out, and finally nail down the 'formula'. I used a lot of the feedback I got from the elders at the Whip Enthusiasts meet. It came out well, but there were still a few flaws in the design. I noted this and adjusted my recipe.

10' Nylon, circa 2006: 16-plait over 10-plait, dual-belly, 3/32" cable-core, billet aluminum handle, stainless pommel...

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj73 ... 0610x7.jpg

Next I made a shorter whip-something new for me. Apart from the first whip (which worked OK, but wasn't a daily user--more of a learning experience), I'd never made or used a whip less than 10'. So, I tweaked the formula and came up with a 6'--

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj73 ... 0610x7.jpg

It was an interesting whip, and closer to what I wanted---So I made more notes and moved on. I thought I was beginning to be on to something!

My next whip, an 8', I incorporated many of the tweaks I'd learned over the years, and added yet more experimental touches. As with the past two, the entire process was documented. What resulted was a very smooth and accurate whip. It got great feedback with the 'elders'. I felt I was really getting somewhere:

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj73 ... 0710x7.jpg

This is actually one of the whips I'm talking about carrying in my car. It's really a good balance, and pretty lightweight without being too light.

So...Only one problem remained. None of my whips looked anything like Indy's! I set about making a couple to fill that need, but in Nylon. My next whip was semi-experimental, building on the success of the formula for the last 8' black nylon--So I dubbed the 'new' formula 'Version 2'. The handle, core, and pommel were all the same---but I added some different filler materials around the core, and stiffening around the transition area. As a result, I also brought the final overlay to 18-plait.

The result was my 12' 'Indy' whip. The only quibble I have is that the wrist strap is not SA length, being instead built shorter to fit around my wrist in use. Here it is:

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj73 ... cial08.jpg

Note that in this picture, the turk's-head still has gaps---it being my first since the very first whip i'd made 14 years earlier. I've since completely remedied it---it's on the left in the picture below, with its 10' brother...

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj73 ... ials-s.jpg

My last whip was built as a 10', to give me options when deciding what to wear to the premiere. I built it with a SA length strap, and got the Turk's Head right the first time. It's currently the first one I reach for, whether cracking in the yard or attending an event. An overall very, very nice whip.

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj73 ... cial-s.jpg

I've started of late to make my own crackers, as well---I was braiding waxed nylon shoelaces into crackers for a while, but now I make classic-style crackers with Spectra line...I like them an awful lot.....

Up to this point, only myself and my best friend own these whips---Many have suggested I sell them, but up until now, I have relegated them to the 'experimental' category, and would not want to offer them until I feel they're ready.

In truth, I've always just made them for me--making a whip is such a labor-intensive experience, it's almost not even worth it unless you can charge a premium for your work. And by the time I'm done with one, I'm ready to name it and raise it as my own!

My next project? I think I'm finally ready to apply the formula to Kangaroo. I'm no stranger to leather, as I've been doing leatherwork for years. It's what originally brought me to whipmaking in the first place. I recently made ALL of my leather goods for the premiere of KotCS--Gunbelt, holster, whipholder, bag strap.

The 'Roo whip will probably take a little while to percolate, but I can already start to feel the bug again......