Completed my first bullwhip
Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2012 12:51 am
Hi. New member here!
So I finished braiding my first whip. I didn't want to do the first one in leather because I knew I would make mistakes and learn and didn't care if it ended up lasting or cracking well. And, you know, leather is expensive. So I braided this out of vinyl (faux-leather) as a learning experience. Found some bin stuff for $5 a yard at a local fabric store and bought several yards in different color. I'll make a few more out of the vinyl before hitting the leather I think. I do have 2 kangaroo hides waiting to go though when I'm ready. Anyhow here's the pic of my completed whip:
Note a few things I guess. At least things I note.
Taper isn't consistent and there are bulges. It doesn't taper enough. I didn't want to worry about a real fall at this point, so I just braided one and covered it in sports tape. The handle strap twists because the faux-leather twisted when braided tightly. I braided it twice, once right and once wrong (this pic is the wrong one) but they both twisted. Since then I bought some leather lace and braided a strap and it looks as it should, but I don't have a pic of it yet. Let's see... there are serveral other little things too, many of them related to the fact that the vinyl just can't be dealt with the same way as leather (like the knot for the fall attachment...horrible!). Anyhow, I'm working on another one and will post a pic when it's done. Hopefully it'll look a lot better based on what I learned from this one.
I have no frame of reference for this, but it seems to crack pretty easilly. Certainly easier than the cheap leather one my buddy (Crash) has. It also cracks extremely loud. For a first whip made of vinyle, I'm pretty happy.
So I finished braiding my first whip. I didn't want to do the first one in leather because I knew I would make mistakes and learn and didn't care if it ended up lasting or cracking well. And, you know, leather is expensive. So I braided this out of vinyl (faux-leather) as a learning experience. Found some bin stuff for $5 a yard at a local fabric store and bought several yards in different color. I'll make a few more out of the vinyl before hitting the leather I think. I do have 2 kangaroo hides waiting to go though when I'm ready. Anyhow here's the pic of my completed whip:
Note a few things I guess. At least things I note.
Taper isn't consistent and there are bulges. It doesn't taper enough. I didn't want to worry about a real fall at this point, so I just braided one and covered it in sports tape. The handle strap twists because the faux-leather twisted when braided tightly. I braided it twice, once right and once wrong (this pic is the wrong one) but they both twisted. Since then I bought some leather lace and braided a strap and it looks as it should, but I don't have a pic of it yet. Let's see... there are serveral other little things too, many of them related to the fact that the vinyl just can't be dealt with the same way as leather (like the knot for the fall attachment...horrible!). Anyhow, I'm working on another one and will post a pic when it's done. Hopefully it'll look a lot better based on what I learned from this one.
I have no frame of reference for this, but it seems to crack pretty easilly. Certainly easier than the cheap leather one my buddy (Crash) has. It also cracks extremely loud. For a first whip made of vinyle, I'm pretty happy.