Club Obi Wan

This may seem like a silly question but, where is the best place for one to practice whip cracking? I have been using the web to find out what the law restrictions are on whips and where they may be used but, have found nothing on the subject. I have just received a new whip and want to be able to use it so, where is the best place for this sort of hobby to be done? Any advice is appreciated.

It's not a silly question, and there's lots in the archives about this. But here's what I can tell you in a nutshell.

First of all, I would say KNOW YOUR LOCAL LAWS, but it's really rather hard to know them, because there's not much in the way of actual MENTIONING whips in anything.

Essentially, the only way you can get in trouble for cracking a whip is if there is a noise ordinance in the area, (and that typically is restricted to certain times of the day,) and if someone feels you are "menacing" them with a whip. HOWEVER, what that ordinance is and what "menacing" is gets a little blurry in the eyes of the law, depending on circumstances.

Now, in Ohio, I can tell you that the bullwhip is classified as an agricultural tool. But ALSO in Ohio, any item that can be USED as a weapon BECOMES one in the eyes of the law if it's used in such a manner, (i.e, I stab you in the neck with a #2 Pencil and it is assault with a deadly weapon, even though the pencil is not otherwise considered a weapon.) Most other states are the same way.

So, going out at practicing with an agricultural tool shouldn't be a big deal, should it? As long as you're not going around smacking people, right?

Well, on paper yeah...But the reality is a different story altogether.

Basically, it's the luck of the draw. If a person calls the law because you're cracking your whip, and they're annoyed by it, then it's a problem, and you will be asked to stop, (even if they play their stereo at STUPID volumes at all hours of the day.)

If a person calls the law because you're scaring them, you're in trouble. Now, I have practiced in remote areas, in public areas, on city streets, in public parks, on college greens, indoors in University lecture halls, out of doors, etc. etc. etc. etc. and I've NEVER had a problem. BUT there are others who've had police cruisers pull up, lights flashing, and been told to put the whip on the ground and put their hands behind their head.

The best thing you can do is to be prepared, and think ahead. Practice in places of HIGH visibility. If people keep hearing "BANG BANG BANG BANG," and can't see what it's coming from, more often than not, they'll assume it's a gun and call the police.

Now, sometimes a police officer will have a laugh about it when they arrive and find some guy cracking a bullwhip, but more often than not, they're going through adrenaline dump. They never know what to expect when they roll up to a scene, and they'll be prepared to be safe rather than sorry, so they're going in EXPECTING to deal with a person with a gun. Now, they're usually quite pleased to find that there is no gun involved, but they're also quite upset at having been called out and gotten all worked up over some guy cracking a whip. So, I try to practice in VERY VISIBLE areas where people around can SEE you, and SEE what you're doing. More often than not, you'll actually draw a crowd who are interested and entertained, and no one will think about calling the police.

Another thing, if a person asks you to stop and go elsewhere, it's typically best to. Even in a public park. Yeah, you might actually be LEGALLY within your rights to be practicing your skills in a public place, and you may be breaking no laws, BUT consider the image. Whips are most often associated in movies with bad guys, sex, and violence, and I can guarantee you that if you tell them you're well within your legal rights to practice there, they'll call the police, who will ask you to move off or they'll cite you for disturbing the peace. Yeah, that's not exactly fair, but it's best to take the high road in these matters.

I always try to difuse the situation BEFORE it starts if someone comes up asking what I'm doing, I'll smile, be jovial, and tell them that I'm practicing my bullwhip skills, and tell them a little about the whip and how it works. SOMETIMES, on rare occasion, they'll actually get interested, and instead of telling you to clear off will ask if it's OK if they watch, (yes, this has happened.) Sometimes, this isn't the case, and it's just best to apologize for disturbing them and move off elsewhere. Sad but true.

If you've got a local gym or community center that has an open martial arts room or raquetball courts, those can work too. Just be CLEAR to the management about what you're doing so you don't freak out people. Ounce of prevention, etc. etc. etc. (Oh, and when practicing indoors, USE HEARING PROTECTION! Raquetball and Basketball courts especially will amplify the whip A LOT! I've got some nerve deafness from years of ear infections, loud drumming, and the sound of automatic weapon fire, and I STILL wear hearing protection indoors!)

In addition to ALL of the above, ALWAYS follow the safety precautions that Bullwhip Borton has been kind enough to make sticky at the top of the forum! ESPECIALLY when cracking whips in public places. People don't know how far to stay away....Always know where the whip is and where it's going. NEVER crack in anyone's direction, (in case the whip picks up a rock or something during the load phase of the crack and hurls it toward them, and also because that's ALL it takes for a menacing with a deadly weapon, or attempted assault with a weapon charge to be trumped up.)

Let the above and common sense be your guide, and when considering the possible reaction of people who may be around the public places you chose to practice, ALWAYS err on the side of ignorance, because most people don't know a THING about whips, except they're scary, potentially dangerous, and noisy.

I've always followed the above protocols, and I've NEVER had a problem, (closest thing I've had to police involvement was one coming up and going, "That's really cool! Can I try that?" at which point, I gave a whip lesson, he cracked the whip, the audience we'd amassed applauded, and I had an ally in the law enforcement community for LIFE!) I'm sure other folks will have additions to this, or will be able to tell you about their own experiences.

All the best, and happy cracking!

-Dan

And THAT summary probably deserves a sticky of its own!

LJ

Agreed, on both replies. I tried to solve the issue by dropping by the local police station and asking, but even they had no clue what to tell me. End up is, I usually crack in a park right beside the police station. I never hide what I'm doing, so when people decide to check out the noise it's very clear what's going on. Not one cop has ever said a word to me. Sometimes they drive by and take a glance, but that's it. I also try to go at times that nobody would normally be bothered by loud noise, like early afternoon.

Wow. Thanks for the in depth response but, now it has me thinking twice before I go out there and use my whip. I will first check with my area to find out if it is allowed and if not, I guess I will have a whip that is good for nothing but looks.

I agree with everything said as well. Trying to find local laws can be time consuming but being armed with any type of knowledge is key. I try to practice in local ball parks or football fields. Areas with high visibility. Common sense is key. Enjoy your whip and your new hobby!!

Sean

Well I practice in a racquetball room, I teach tennis at an indoor racket sports club and have access to a court all the time. My ears are ringing after just a few cracks , but it sure does sound great.

Well Said Dan,

I practice in my backyard and like Dan said, I stay highly visible at all times during my sessions. I have lucked out, no one in my neighborhood has called the police on me and I think this is why. And like Dan, I notice people watch me as well so I try not exhibit any outlandish behavior when cracking my whips. So far it has worked out well.

Crack On!
Allen

Follow the rules laid out in TheFish's 500 word essay. You'll be good to go for the most part.
I've never had a serious problem before. I practice in my own yard and my neighbors joke with me frequently. "Stop making all that noise!" *continues to use a saw* If you have the chance, talk about it with people who live around you. Since they have to put up with you, they might enjoy hearing about it. Otherwise it looks like you are just trying to cause a bunch of noise.

As I said, I've never had a serious problem. I have had some people not happy about it before. One man who lived 5 houses down yelled at me to "cut it out." I didn't say anything and simply packed up for the day. That was about 2-3 years ago and I've never heard from him since. Another time my neighbor told me that a man down the street complained to him about me being outside with it. My neighbors response? "He can either harmlessly enjoy his whip or he can be smashing in your mailbox and destroying your property like some young adults do." Had I not bothered to educate my neighor about my harmeless hobby, he may not have been on my side.

I will also ditto what was said about time. I never use the whip before 10:00 AM and after 7:00 PM. Everybody should be up by 10:00 AM so no worries. After 7 PM, people begin to go into that night mode. They don't want a lot of noise and they are expecting the neighborhood hustle to slow down. Another good practice is that I never go outside when there are picnics/cookouts going on. If I see a neighbor outside with his relatives/friends then forget it. I respect my neighbor(s) and they respect me. I am not going to go out there and make a bunch of noise while they are trying to enjoy themselves. They don't mind me using the whip so why push my luck? Besides, this really only occurs a couple times during the summer.

Better safe than sorry! If you aren't 100% confident in the area you are cracking your whip, don't do it!

Just a thought: I hadn't practiced whipcracking for a good 6-7 years. I took it up again two years ago. I read all those posts you guys talk about and they freaked me out!!! I was afraid of being arrested for using my bullwhip.

Ok, ok. I live in Mexico City, and in that respect... well you know, we're more "relaxed" in many different areas: you can skip red lights, park on unauthorized places, etc. Not that you should, but people still do it. Yeah, you may attract some police men, but just to see if they can get a couple of pesos for a bribe... Not, because they are interested in Law Enforcement per se...

Sometime ago, a good whipmaker friend of mine contacted me with a guy who lives not far away from me to see a kangaroo hide whip. So we went on the Saturday after Christmas to crack some whips in a park which is next to the, well, "Delegacion", which is where the local government, police station, sports facilities and many other things are put together. He was afraid of the police too. But as you say, we had no trouble. You could see people fooling around, watching us cracking whips. I was a bit concerned about dogs, but not even them cared about the crack of the whip.

On October, I attended a presentation of some folks from South of the country who engage in a traditional whipcracking competition, in Mexico City too. I'm friends with the guy who is in charge of keeping the tradition going and they just went out to the streets and started cracking their whips, not caring much about it, and police men caring even less. Needless to say, I joined them People were most interested, to the point that some of them wanted to buy my whips.

I know it is different in each and every country, but hopefully some of the Mexicans who are in this forum can tell you the same.

All the best,

Aldo.

Bedroom.





Backyard for me.

Unfortunately, I cannot crack my whip in the privacy of my own backyard since all I have is cement and a pool that takes up most of the space. Speaking of surfaces, the whip I have is made of cowhide so, what sort of surfaces, would anyone recommend, are best to crack it on?

Dry grass (not dead, just not wet), wood floors, tile floors, or carpet. Avoid sand, fine dirt, wet grass, mud, and stone/pavement. If you end up cracking indoors, I recommend earplugs.

This reminds me of a story I told a while back...

I used to work night shift at CBS, so would have all day to practice when most people were at work.

One afternoon, i was out in my front testing a crack I had just learned, and a few minutes later my neighbor across the street comes up. At first I thought is wa out of curiousity, but then relasized he had a whip in his hand.

He had picked it up years ago and never learned to crack it. So I spent a few hours teaching him the basics.

Now, I generally go up to the back 9 of our local golf course. Theres a open, grassy knowle that overlooks the highway
and is a few hundred feet from that green so no one can really se me. And if I crack toward the overlook, the sounds doesn't travel toward the golphers...

Dalexs wrote:This reminds me of a story I told a while back...

I used to work night shift at CBS, so would have all day to practice when most people were at work.

One afternoon, i was out in my front testing a crack I had just learned, and a few minutes later my neighbor across the street comes up. At first I thought is wa out of curiousity, but then relasized he had a whip in his hand.

He had picked it up years ago and never learned to crack it. So I spent a few hours teaching him the basics.

That is so cool.

Bdgsi11 wrote:Unfortunately, I cannot crack my whip in the privacy of my own backyard since all I have is cement and a pool that takes up most of the space. Speaking of surfaces, the whip I have is made of cowhide so, what sort of surfaces, would anyone recommend, are best to crack it on?

Grass is best. Though some type of matted surface is great as well. You don't want to chew the end of your whip off. Also, avoid surfaces like driveways, dirt, etc. If you happen to clip a pebble in your driveway, that pebble is now traveling at the speed of sound and possibly flying at something OR someone! Have fun!!

Sean

VP wrote:Bedroom.

IndianaSean wrote:... If you happen to clip a pebble in your driveway, that pebble is now traveling at the speed of sound and possibly flying at something OR someone! Have fun!!

Sean

Oh, like when I run over the gravel walkway with my snowblower!
(We'll be rethinking that landscaping faux pas this summer...!)

Dalexs wrote:

IndianaSean wrote:... If you happen to clip a pebble in your driveway, that pebble is now traveling at the speed of sound and possibly flying at something OR someone! Have fun!!

Sean

Oh, like when I run over the gravel walkway with my snowblower!
(We'll be rethinking that landscaping faux pas this summer...!)

oops!!

Guys


I pratic in the park, is a green área, very nice, and very isolated.







Gaucho.

I usually practice in my back or front yard. Last summer I was out testing a new 8 footer when my neighbor, Marlena (mother of four boys...probably in her mid 40's) comes over. I wasn't sure what to expect. She says, "So, you know how to use a whip?" In all honesty, I'm not very good, but I can do the basics. So, I basically told her that. She then tells me that she used to work in the circus with a whipmaster. I just started laughing...this woman is an E.R. nurse. She grabs my whip and starts doing some pretty decent cracks. My mouth just dropped open. She wasn't kidding. She used to hold various objects for him to break and learned a few cracks along the way. I asked if he ever accidentally hit her, and she said only twice...once on the hand, and once on the inner part of her upper arm...and both in perfomance. She said she didn't even wince...but it hurt really bad. I told her, "Believe me I know how it feels. I've hit myself plenty of times." So, now when I'm out practicing she just smiles or cheers me on which irritates my wife because she doesn't like my whipcracking. Ah well, at least I have neighborhood support.

About a 5 minute drive north of me is a spot that used to be a church. It was "decommissioned" and torn down many years ago, with a commemorative plaque and the surviving grave markers consolidated in a single monument.

Most people don't even know it's there and the entrance drive is just a grassy slope - the original road has long ago been relocated. Someone goes in to cut the grass, but I've never seen any sign of use. The space is about an acre, trees around 3 sides and a steep overlook on the other. Stand 10 feet back and you're invisible from the highway below.

It's my quiet place when I need to go off and take some time, and it's a great spot to work with the whip.

LJ

I mainly play around in my front yard. I think I prefer grass surfaces, it they aren't damp (although nylon whips do make a nice mist spray on the crack when the grass is wet). I also have access to a gym but find that the slick floor is a bit of a hindrance. The whip slides on it so easily that it often shoots under one of my feet, but you can get used to the difference.

Btw, nice write up Dan.

Ryan

That's a great story, Vaderbreath!

I had something similar happen. About 4 years ago, I was taking bass guitar lessons from an excellent bassist who lives locally, and after a couple lessons, I mentioned whip cracking. His ears immediately perked up, and he told me that his grandfather had been a whip performer in a circus. He asked me to bring my whips to the next lesson so I could show his kids. After my next lesson, he pulled out a bunch of pictures, and his grandfather's old whips. They were DRY, but since I keep my conditioner and saddle soap in my whip bag, I gave them a good soaking and set them aside while I was showing his two boys some stuff with a bullwhip. I actually got to give them a couple cracks, (I was careful, because they were still not in the best of shape.) It was a pretty good day...

These days I have to go out in "public" to practice. I USED to have a large back yard, (where the only thing adjacent was was a horse ring and pasture, and the horse owner encouraged me to practice, because it desensitized the horses to spooking at sharp, sudden noises.)

Now I have a NARROW side yard that sits right next to the street. Because of the trees I have a VERY narrow area where I can work. In fact, because of overhead branches, all I can really do are flicks. The advantage to this is I get a good workout on knowing EXACTLY where the whip is, and working in rather close quarters. I only crack during daylight hours, and try not to annoy my neighbors. Most of them actually think it's pretty cool, (but then, weirdness abounds in this little town! I was sitting out on my front deck one morning at about 1AM, smoking a pipe and just gazing up at the stars, when a guy on a unicycle went by going up the RATHER STEEP hill that I live on! For a second, I wondered if someone had slipped something ELSE into my pipe tobacco! Nope. He was there. He was real! That's Athens for ya! )

When I want to let those whips stretch out and swing wide, I go up to The Ridges, (what used to be the Athens Mental Hospital, until it was shut down in 1992 and donated to Ohio Unversity, who turned it into administrative offices, so it's original purpose hasn't really changed that much. You may have seen it on any number of "Haunted Places" and "Ghost Hunting" programs, as it's reported to be one of the most haunted places in Athens, which was named one of the most haunted places in North America by the British Society for Psychical Research back around the turn of the century.) There is one building up on the highest hill there that is abandoned where I'm typically left alone to practice, but still be highly visible.

I also must admit that I crack whips in my living room. There is a knot in the wood on the closet door there that I can use as a target with both a 6 and 8 foot bullwhip if I stand on the other side of the room. I do this while watching movies and when I'm on the phone, (people who know me don't have to ask what the "pop-pop-pop" sounds are.) Wonderful way to idly pass the time on these "Level 2 Snow Emergency" days...

Ah, the joys of Bachelorhood.

Gotta enjoy what little comforts that brings while it lasts as I'm getting married in October! (though the whips don't really seem to bother her, and she's rather keen to learn more than the circus crack that I already taught to her!)

All the best,

-Dan

I crack my whip in my front yard and back yard. Sometimes when I'm in the front my neighbor just shuts their windows.

When I first started cracking whips my other neighbors would get curious, and once I was cracking my whip while sitting down on the grass in the back yard. I was behind a bush next to a fence. I was trying to see how the whip would crack on the ground. My brother told me something from the window but I couldn't hear what he was saying, so I stood up, and then I turned and saw my neighbor on the other side of the bush creeping up to my side to see what the noise was. She couldn't see the whip because I was cracking it right next to the ground. When she saw me, quickly she got up and turned around and casually walked away like nothing happened. That was pretty funny

Whenever people come walking or jogging by they just look over to see what I'm doing but thats it

Usually i do the cracking in the park, we have a lot of places where i could be alone for 2-3 hours, and thats fine by me.

But what about cracking in the snow?

Any advices?

Cracking in the snow can fun as well, I use a nylon stockwhip, but any whip made from nylon or the like would work, just dress warm and find a safe place to practice, also, leather whips contrary to popular belief, can also be used in the snow , but a little more preparation is required, along with adding more leather dressing as its drying , for the longest time I used cowhide whips in the snow before I finely got around to getting a nylon one.

All the best.

Jim J.

Agreed Jim!
Cracking in the snow is fun as long as you play it smart. I have been having a ball cracking my Karaka in the snow.



Crack On!
Allen

Hi folks

As for cracking in the snow, i've tried something maybe interesting this winter:
it's beef grease mixed with bee wax.
I put it on the thong, especially at the end, very generously, and I've found it a good protection against snow.

There's is one particular point on wich you may insist: on the fall hitch, just under the fringe. That's where snow stays, and if you're not enough aware of it, this wet area destroys the fall underneath, little by little.
Just have a look:


JP

Hey Jean! How are you? I always thought that problem was due to the fall bending sharply after the, if done well, tight hitch. Some of my whips have that same problem, and believe me, at least during my lifetime, it has never snowed in Mexico City!!! Perhaps I'm not taking proper care of my whips.
I like the tallow and beeswax, although the mixture I once made that way was a bit difficult to apply. I always have to rub it into my hands until it melts. But it leaves the whip with a nice feel.


ATB,

Aldo.

P.S. We have to talk later. Will send you a PM!