Club Obi Wan

My first few attempts at cracking it went unsuccessfully. The whip actually came back and hit the back of my hand. I still have to adjust to a smaller whip. Then I tried a circus crack and when I threw the whip up, I hit the gutter of my roof and snow fell down my back. At that point, I took it inside and just started swining away while in my chair. I cracked it fairly easily doing an underarm crack while seated. After a few cracks, I stopped since it started getting deafening(it is that loud plus the acoustics in a small room).

Great work The Edge!

Edited for spelling

Thanks! I'm pleased that you like your new whip. Enjoy and watch out for more overhead snow accumulation.

For everyone else, here is a pic of Mr. Das' new Pocket Bull.

The grid is in square inches.

Looks good, Kyle! Those little whips are so cool. I have to make one for myself one of these days.

Jim

I would've liked to seen the complete whip because as it was tied and lain there I could not see the flow of it. Otherwise I think you did a good job. It appears you did a 4 pass on the butt turkshead, and not sure of the handle turkshead whether is was a 2 pass or just one. How long is the wrist loop? And how long is the fall? Just guessing on the wriststrap from your inch scale I'd guess it to be about 9" long.
I like your tag that you added onto the wrist loop. That's a professional touch.

Snap crack Pop

Robert Duke wrote:I would've liked to seen the complete whip because as it was tied and lain there I could not see the flow of it. Otherwise I think you did a good job. It appears you did a 4 pass on the butt turkshead, and not sure of the handle turkshead whether is was a 2 pass or just one. How long is the wrist loop? And how long is the fall? Just guessing on the wriststrap from your inch scale I'd guess it to be about 9" long.
I like your tag that you added onto the wrist loop. That's a professional touch.

Snap crack Pop

Robert,

Sorry, about not having the whip untied. I'll post some pics of other Pocket Bulls for you later this evening. I like to snap a pic of each whip I make so that I can reference it if needed. I took this one right before I packaged it up.

The Turk's knob is a three pass. Sometimes I finish it off by going over and under one last time if the strand I trim looks like it might pop out. I do enjoy doing knots but they are hard and I'm still working on getting them just right. The ring knot is two passes.

The wrist loop on this one is, I think, about four inches (folded length). So you are close if not right. I was making my wrist loops longer but I've slowly been bringing them in for two reasons. One, they're just for hanging and not for the wrist so they don't need to be big. And also I don't want the loop to overpower the handle aesthetically.

All the falls I cut are approximately 22" long. This is a personal preference since I tend to get the performance I like with a fall 18 to 22 inches. Anything below 16" I replace. Anything over 24" doesn't work well for me.

Something else of note. The grip area on this one I braided a little longer than I usually do. In fact the last couple ones I've made I brought out the ring knot almost to the end of the foundation. I did this due to feedback that it looked better proportioned. After making the above whip I'm not sure if I will be doing this anymore. The Pocket Bull I use has just about an inch and half or so of diamond plait for the grip before the ring knot. I like the look of this much better and find that it suits how you grip the whip much better. My original design for the whip was to be like a pocket snake but with a handle for self-defense. Not just a cute miniature DM style whip which is what I think they have become. I'm working on learning some different knot styles so that I can make my Pocket Bulls more unique to me.

-Kyle

PS: Thanks for your comment about the tag. That is a logo that I did up real quick and dirty right before I sent Sergei the first Pocket Bull sold. I just kept using it. I'm redesigning it though and it will be put into use starting early next year.

Thanks for the quick reply. Just one more question. What is the plaiting on your wrist loop? There are various versions that people use.



Keep on cracking!

Robert Duke wrote:Thanks for the quick reply. Just one more question. What is the plaiting on your wrist loop? There are various versions that people use.

Just a basic four plait flat braid.

I use a 5 plait flat braid.. How does the sequence go for the 4 plait flat?

The 5 plait goes like:
R= Right
L= Left
O=Over
U=Under

R O U O
L O U
R O U O
R O U
L O U
Continue same pattern

Robert Duke wrote:I use a 5 plait flat braid.. How does the sequence go for the 4 plait flat?

The 5 plait goes like:
R= Right
L= Left
O=Over
U=Under

R O U O
L O U
R O U O
R O U
L O U
Continue same pattern

All right. I'll bite.

As near as I can tell from your example that seems like you're braiding four plait to me. I'm probably missing something though. I braid a four plait flat braid like so:

Cross the center two strands right over left. Take far Left strand and cross over. Far Right strand comes Under then Over. L: O, R: U, O, L: O...and so on.

Make sense?

Well, just to get in the mix, I normally use a 6 plait flat for hang straps. Go to DM's new book, Braiding Fine Leather and it will show the sequence. Usually start with 3 long strands middled and carry one from there.

When making matching whips with hang straps, I usually plait one long long strap, and then cut it. That way the straps are identical as to string width, and tension put on the strap while braiding.

Also, Kyle, like you I enjoy making knots. If I knew where to host the pics, I would post the pictures of my 'knotty stick". I went through Grant's book and tied a bunch of different knots on a dowel. Just about have it filled up.

The hardest knot that I make is the Indy style 4 bight 5 part 3 pass. You really have to watch what you're doing or the darn thing comes out whomper-jawed. Wish David woulda picked a pineapple knot or herringbone. They're so much easier and faster to finish. Usually have to chase the lead around two or three times to get it tight and straight on the Indy knot, and one time and the pineapple is done.

Just started tying a 4 bight 9 part. When that is done in two tone it makes an awesome knot. Drew Schrag inspired that one. Look at some of his Woody Whips. He uses it at the transition.

Well, y'all take care.

Jerry R

Umm.. q.. where did you get it and how much did it cost?

Shal

jerryrwm wrote: The hardest knot that I make is the Indy style 4 bight 5 part 3 pass. You really have to watch what you're doing or the darn thing comes out whomper-jawed. Wish David woulda picked a pineapple knot or herringbone. They're so much easier and faster to finish. Usually have to chase the lead around two or three times to get it tight and straight on the Indy knot, and one time and the pineapple is done.



Well, y'all take care.

Jerry R

Tell me about it, Jerry! It's actually a simple knot to tie but it's the toughest one make nice and neat. I find it especially hard to make that knot nice when the customer wants the knot open, the way David Morgan puts them on his whips. I've spent more than a few nights cursing that knot out.

Jim

jerryrwm wrote:Well, just to get in the mix, I normally use a 6 plait flat for hang straps. Go to DM's new book, Braiding Fine Leather and it will show the sequence. Usually start with 3 long strands middled and carry one from there.

I only braid a flat four plait loop for the Pocket Bulls. On my full size bullwhips I braid a six plait.

The only reason I don't loath doing the knots is because I know that when I reach that part of the whip I'm done with all the really hard parts before it like defining the taper and braiding tight. When that is all done I can flip on a movie and relax while I tie knots.

Shalimar wrote:Umm.. q.. where did you get it and how much did it cost?

Shalimar, click on my email button at the bottom and I'll give you all the details.

As promised here is an uncoiled pic of a Pocket Bull. This is the one I carry and it was made in the spring of 2002.

Just for fun, here is a pic of my daughter and the above whip. You can tell she wants one of her own because of the drool.

Precious, absolutley precious.


The kid is cute too

Seriously, both should make you very proud.

Regards

Farn

The_Edge wrote:I like to snap a pic of each whip I make so that I can reference it if needed.

Kyle, I'd love to see the pic you took of my pocket bull #10. Post it here if you think others might like to see it or email it to me directly.
mark@dittmer.ca

Thanks!
-Dittmer

http://home.earthlink.net/~the_edge74/i ... handle.jpg

Dittmer wrote: Kyle, I'd love to see the pic you took of my pocket bull #10. Post it here if you think others might like to see it or email it to me directly.
mark@dittmer.ca

Thanks!
-Dittmer

Pb#10

Excellent! Thanks, Kyle. Nice lookin' whip, btw.
-Dittmer

Aren't these whips great? Over Thanksgiving I taught my 6 year old niece how to do a couple of cracks using pocket bull #13. She was a natural--cracked the first time and kept on going. My wife remarked that she looked like she'd been the cracks for quite some time. Thanks again, Kyle!

Drool Drool Drool!!!

G-man wrote:Have you ever thought of making an actual sized whip?

- G-man

I think about making them all the time when I'm not making them, that is. The only whips I sell at this time are Pocket Bulls. All the full size whips I make are for myself or as gifts to family and friends.

Id like to see some of your full sized ones too...

so would I!!!! come on edge!

Fine, fine. This thread is soooo hijacked!

Here are a couple full size bullwhip pics:
This one I made in early November of '03. Unfortuneately I don't have any photos of the bullwhip I made sister for Christmas a couple weeks ago. It was probably my finest one yet. I was really happy with it. This one came out okay though.


Here is a pic of the bullwhip I hike with along with my new tomahawk. This was the second bullwhip I ever made and I also abuse it quite a bit so if it looks like crud that's why.

Hey those whips look awsome!!!!!! I want one!
sweet
-scott

... and as the owner of the new Pocket Bull #15, I must say that the quality on these little whips is outstanding! It's fun to watch Mike Murphy's tapes and to try to do some of his tricks with the Pocket Bull - I'm surprised at how many I can (occasionally) pull off.

By the way, Kyle - nice 'hawk - is it one of American Tomahawk Co's Vietnam Tacticals? I had a custom 'hawk from them as well as a Gransfors-Bruks 'hawk that throws quite nicely.

Jeremy.

badger_state wrote:... and as the owner of the new Pocket Bull #15, I must say that the quality on these little whips is outstanding! It's fun to watch Mike Murphy's tapes and to try to do some of his tricks with the Pocket Bull - I'm surprised at how many I can (occasionally) pull off.

By the way, Kyle - nice 'hawk - is it one of American Tomahawk Co's Vietnam Tacticals? I had a custom 'hawk from them as well as a Gransfors-Bruks 'hawk that throws quite nicely.

Jeremy.

I'm glad you like your whip. It will serve you well. Enjoy!

Yes, that is a VT hawk from ATC. I'm very, very happy with it.

I had a custom (longer than standard) Brend Fighting Hatchet from ATC. It was sweet!