Club Obi Wan

My friends


I have a question a few days. Why many whips are excesssively light?
I buy a whip a year ago,regular whip, made with kangaroo hide, 2 plait bellies, 2 core, but excesssively light.

What's happen with this whips? Whipmakers error? Bad inside leather?



Regards.

I wouldn't call it error. Some folks prefer light whips then heavy.

But if you ask why there could be few answers:
1. He used two very thin bolster, and didn't give any kind of shot loading.
2. He didn't use steel spike inside handle, and rest of the materials is light
3. He uses paper on core like jrzoe .
4. And many other things that he could done, and I don't know about it.

Regards,
Karol

Well like Karol pointed out there are many factor which might cause this; thinner leather is the most obvious one to me. A smaller spike is another, that's assuming a steel spike was even used, it may have been another material like fiberglass... Also there may not be any lead loading in the butt of the whip, this would also account for a much lighter whip.

Some people like lighter whips and some whipmakers are just used to making lighter whips; it really depends on taste. I prefer a slightly heavier whip (Morgan calls his moderately heavy...). So in answer to your question, the insides of the whip may be very well-made, but with lighter materials. This is why it's always important to TALK to the whipmaker, so everybody is on the same page regarding the whip that is being discussed...

I know a whipmaker who makes smalleer and lighter whips than I do, and he has developped his style to fit with his clientelle. I would not make my whips like his because these are two very different kinds of whips for very different kinds of use and it just woouldn't make any sense to build mine like his. So when someone calls wanting that sort of a whip, I just give them his number because he knows how to make them better than I do, and vice-versa. Neither are right or wrong; they are just different. )
Take care,

Franco

As Karol and Franco said, Some people just prefer light whips. They tend to be a faster whip better suited for certain types of uses, and many consider them more comfortable to use. The overall dead weight of a whip doesnt necessarily factor into the quality of that whip though. It’s how the whip is made that matters, a lightweight whip can still be a very high quality whip providing it was made right, with the proper taper and weight to balance ratio.

If it's an Indy style whip and light weight then it's wrong. I've looked at too many whips that people have and they're light and limp and plaited loose by supposedly "good" whip makers. The owners don't know any better. It shouldn't be a brick but there should be a good amount of weight carried down the thong. If it's a long handled Aussie whip then fine. But an American bullwhip with a short handle or snake should have some good heft to it.

Also, tannage has to do with weight. A vegetable tanned hide is usually heavier (tight and dense) than a chrome tanned one (which feels spongy and light). That is, talking about cowhide. Don't really know about kangaroo.

I think it all depends on the whipmaker, and the materials used, only because its lighter than a Morgan whip does not mean its not a good whip. I have used 2 to 3 oz veg tanned cowhide for the bolsters and I have used 1.5 oz kip hide for the bolsters and also done some whips with all roohide for the bolsters and this causes various size differences and weight in each whip "but" all 3 whips are very tight with no loose plaiting and well balanced. So even though its lighter doesn't necessarily mean its not a good whip. Of course the Indy whips should be heavier because that was the way Morgan designed them to give extra strength while in use by the stunt men and that makes an Indy whip what it is. I believe that if the plaiting is loose and the whip itself hangs like a limp noodle when you first purchase it than the whipmaker is either not experienced enough or they just wanted to quickly get it done and ship it out. All the whips that I make are very stiff and tight when they are done unless I plait them loose. The problem with getting a loose new whip is that by the time the purchaser breaks it in its very loose and already feels like half of its life is used up. I purchased an Indy whip over 4 years ago and it was brand new and felt like it had been used for a while and now the thong of the whip does not throw out as good as it should but that was caused by plaiting it loose. SO you do want to talk to the whipmaker of choice before ordering your whip that way you get exactly what you ask for.

Thanks,

Nick

I own both light and heavier whips which work well for me. Each does require a slightly different technique to get various cracks successfully though. I actually like to switch among them. There something to be learned there.
~raider 57

Raider,
I could not agree more! I have several whips that guage from light to heavy like you and I like to think it keeps the approach "fresh" as you have to adjust to each since they all have thier own little "personalities". I can't wait to see how the Indy 4 Jacka handles, hope to get it by late fall .


Crack On!
Allen