Club Obi Wan

Been going a bit nuts practising recently with my new (drumroll) Joe Strain (its so beautiful) and inevitably the cracker has come off. What i am curious about is whether its is better to purchase a set of poppers for future eventualities when this happens again or to make them myself as i realise you can do (and if following this route, how essential is it to get bailing twine, or will any type of old string do?)?

So I turn to you the great masters in your esteemed wisdom for advice in my hour of need.

Ken

Ken,

Baling twine is not essential for poppers. It is just so readily available, and since it is the part of the whip that is most often lost, and the part that wears out the quickest, a handy supply of crackers is mandatory.

You can use braided carpenter's string, or even chalkline - available at Home Depot/Lowe's etc.

Nylon kite string also makes a decent popper.

The old timer's used horsehair, and that makes a great sounding popper, but due to the brittleness of the hair, they don't last long.

Silk thread, and even dental floss will make excellent poppers, just a bit more work.

Experiment with different materials and you'll find one that you like.

But one you learn to make them, you'll never have to be without one. Because those little rascals can sure hide good. I usually find them with the mower, but they have been up in the trees, and on the roof too.

Jerry R

I find them all over the place in my yard. The crackers last a long time, it's just that the fall usually brakes before the cracker does....or at least thats the case with my whips.
-Scott

I have used dental floss and it makes good poppers,
but there are very small and that thing will hurt even
more when it hits you. It will sting like a scorpion.
Theirs also a synthetic baling twine that works well
and you can find it at home depot. Nylon twine also
works good just make sure its braided not twisted.
Mola

Ken, I'd use something with nylon (don't use cotton string; it's not very strong). You might even shoot ecwhips an email and order some from him. I'd even get a good supply of falls while you're at it. Did your JS come with falls? I've heard on the JS whips it's better to get falls from him because falls from other makers tend to be a bit to fat to get through the hitch knot when replacing.

Ken,

There is a great link on the EM-Brand whips site.

http://www.em-brand-whips.com/makepopper.htm

It tells you how to make poppers.

Pyro.

Get a hold of Paul Stenhouse's Maintenance DVD. He's got a great technique that's simple, easy, and will make you an expert at making poppers in no time. They are way too easy to make to ever think of buying them.