Club Obi Wan

I've been working on and off on a paracord whip. And by on and off I mean weeks or months apart for each layer. I've finally finished the 2 plaited bellies and they've come out about roughly 4.5 - 5ft (just an estimate, didn't really measure yet). I'm now in the mood to finish the overlay after many weeks of not working on it.

What I want to know is, would double the length of the current whip (4.5ft) be enough to properly cover and continue the whip's taper at least 2 more feet? Am I making any sense? In my mind I think should make the last 4 strands longer, right?

I know I'm gonna be using a 16 or 12 plait (depending on the width of the handle)... By just eyeing it, I think it will most likely be just a 12 plait.

I use the double method and I cut my first 8 strands double the length I want to cover and the second 8 strands a bit less, the last 4 end up around 2x-1ft. And when I'm tying the fall hitch, I have to cut out at least one feet.
But better cut longer strands at the beginning than be dissapointed later.

Thanks, Tomek! So if the current length of the whip is now 5ft, I need to cut eight strands of 10ft? Am I right?

I just wanted to see if I could do it since I found a local paracord supplier. Problem is I'm too lazy to finish it!

If this doesn't work out, looks like I'll be ordering another one from you. Hahaha!

It depends on which method of cutting strands will you choose.
For 5ft 16 plt whip:
1) Cutting 16 strands, shorter 8 double the length, longer 8 a bit less than double the length
OR
2) Cutting 8 strands and folding them in half, then you cut 4 shorter strands double the length and longer ones a bit less.

Do you understand it now ?

If you're wanting the whip to be about 7 ft. long, cut your strands 11-14 ft. long. You'll more than likely have a lot left over if you cut them 14 ft. , but there's nothing worse then have a short strand before you complete it. With leather, I like to take the length I want to plait and multiply it by 1.5, and with some people that works with nylon, but some have to go as far as 2 times as much. The reason for that is because they are plaiting over a larger diameter, so the strands have to spiral around the whip more times to properly cover it.

I'll second what Riku said...But it also depends upon the diameter of the layer. On my 12-plait overlays, i usually mulitply by 1.7 and add a foot for the longest strands, for the fall knot/etc. For lower plait counts, i go as low as 1.5x, and for stuff like 16 plait i add even more...but 2x is a little more than i would personally go. That said, it's better to have too much than not enough...

Finally measured the length of the unfinished whip and it's around 4ft, give or take an inch.

I was planning on making a 6ft whip. Is the unfinished whip the right length to make it a 6ft whip?

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Also, any techniques you guys can share on avoiding "spiraling"? Dunno how to really call it... it's when your plait twists to one side while you're plaiting. Mine usually twists to the right. I've been trying to compensate, but somehow it still happens.

4 feet for the last belly of a 3-layer, 6' whip sounds OK, for the most part...

On the topic of 'Spiraling', or twisting of the braid, most whipmakers use some sort of anchor to keep the whip from twisting while you braid it--some use a sturdy hook mounted to a wall or otherwise immobile structure, while others use a clamping device like a vise or similar... I personally use a type of clamping stand that allows me to make the braiding rig somewhat mobile, so i can make myself comfortable in different rooms while i braid. Also, the way i braid---i go through one complete circuit of the strands (usually i use the shortest strands as a marker, because they're easiest to keep track of) before i check the straightness of the braid, adjusting if necessary before/while i pull the strands up tight... It's worked pretty well so far, but your mileage may vary...

The only way to truly eliminate the seams spiraling is by pulling even tension on each and every strand. It comes with time.
Plaiting from a vice temporarily eliminates spiraling seams, but then when the whip breaks in, if there wasn't even tension ( it's easy to let plaiting get sloppy when plaiting from a vice ) the seams will shift.

I suggest plaiting from something that lets the whip move around when plaiting, like from a hook. You can do the handle from a vice and it'll be fine, but especially as you're beginning whip making, plait from something flexible because it doesn't allow for mistakes, and you'll know what you need to fix.

edit: I tend to check seam straightness every couple feet of plaiting ( that's just because I know I can plait straight, before I got to this point I checked every 6 inches or so )

Exactly what Riku said. Had that exact thought after I posted, and should have added to my original post... But Riku explains it just fine. You're probably right handed, that's why the braid tends to spiral to the right---You're pulling harder on the right strands than the left. It just takes careful attenetion and time to break the habit---I'm almost there, but I still have a tendency to pull harder on the right, if I don't pay attention...

Also if you ever get into leather, having uniform strands definitely can decide if the seams twist or not, so that's just something to keep in mind for the future.

What's weird is, my first few attempts at making whips didn't have this "spiraling syndrome".

So far, I still haven't started on the overlay. Too lazy to do it.

Here's what it looks like so far:


I used the core strands to bind the transition area. I think I got the right amount of stiffness. I had to add more electrical tape to act as a bolster before the final overlay as it was too thin. I needed 13 strands to cover the handle area properly... so I had to add more thickness to get to 16 strands since 12 will not be enough.

Keep mind there is leeway with strand width. For instance, you could probably plait 16 strands over what calls for 13, or you probably plait 20 over what calls for 16. I say probably because I haven't even done this ( I use leather ). You can change the angle of the plait depending on the strand-diameter ratio. If you used 16 strands over what the math calls for 13, the angle would be very steep or narrow. If you plaited , for instance 16 over what calls for 20, the angle would be very wide.