Club Obi Wan

<img src="http://www.savepic.com/freepicturehosti ... ake500.jpg" border="0">

Here's an attempt at using shellac. The colors are actually saddle tan and brandy, but in the picture I think that they kind of look like black and red.

This is also my first bit of experimentation with my new digital camera.

I'm going to the Spirit of the West Festival in Sioux Falls, SD, this weekend where Robert Dante will attempt to set a new world record for speed cracking. It's a great event for any of you whipcrackers in the area.

If I don't sell this whip this weekend, it's going on Ebay.

-Adam, www.winrichwhips.com

Beautiful whip! I think the shellac gives a very nice sheen to the leather.

Bra jobbat!

Oh, btw... you might want to edit that pic... it's a tad big
Or, as our revered mods put it:

Graphics posted within a thread are not to exceed 500x500 pixels and 30k bytes.

Tusen tack, Tommi!

Bilden ar kanske fortfarande lite for stor, men jag har gjort den lite mindre nu i alla fall.

I think I'm beginning to like shellac as it does give a nice sheen to the leather, but I'm still wondering about its durability.

-Adam, www.winrichwhips.com

winrichwhips wrote:I think I'm beginning to like shellac as it does give a nice sheen to the leather, but I'm still wondering about its durability.

That's what I've been wondering about too. I posted a question regarding shellac durability in a whip thread some time ago, but didn't get an answer. Somewhere else it read that the shellac will flake off after some time...

My experience of shellac, for what it's worth. I'm sure other people have far more experience of using it, than I have.

I only use clear shellac, btw. I say clear: it yellows slightly with time. In terms of appearance, I think it transforms the finished article - especially coloured leathers - and has a limited protective quality.

It seems to last very well indeed on stocks and knot work, but does wear off flexible parts of the whip - especially if they come into contact with the ground. That said, I've got a hundred year old hunting whip that clearly has shellac or some such on it, and equally clearly got plenty of use. So it's pretty durable stuff.

I have seen it flake off on some whips, but not others, and from my own use I would say that this is mainly to do with how thickly it is used. I have a feeling that temperature, or humidity in the air, may also have something to do with it. I've noticed that stuff I've applied in unusually warm and humid weather has later seemed more prone to flaking.

It's my impression that it helps to keep the whip in condition. It is 'breathable', but obviously not as breathable an having nothing on the leather at all. Consequently, I think it helps to slow down the drying out of the whip after manufacture.

Hope that's useful.

Dave
www.whipstore.com

Nice looking whip. Pic size seems fine to me... Hey Adam, if you're going thru the Twin City area, let me know, maybe we'll be able to hitch up for some cracking....

Dave - thank you! That corroborates with my initial suspicions regarding the use of shellac. I have only gotten in touch with the stuff in museums, where it was mainly used to protect the surface of antique furniture... makes sense that it should wear off from flexible objects.

Dave,

Thanks for your knowledge. I've also been wondering if there are more durable ways to apply the shellac.

Would it be better to cut it with denatured alcohol and apply several thin coats?

As of right now I have been using shellac uncut and only applying one coat.

Minnesota,

I went through the Cities on my way to Souix Falls last year, but that was only to see Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers. The Cities aren't really on the way, but since I only live about an hour and a half from the Cities I'd be more than happy to come up there some weekend or even a week night that you have free to talk whips and do some whip cracking.

Maybe there's some other forum members in the area that would be interested in getting together. Actually, there should really be a Whip Enthusiast group based out of Minneapolis. I don't know why there isn't one.

-Adam, www.winrichwhips.com

Well, there's me, Max Plague, Austin Powers (he has his own forum The Lost Pages) that are all in the cities here. Henri Defense is another Indy fan who mainly posts over at Austin's Place that lives a little over an hour away up in Osceola, WI. Not to get too far off your topic, The Minnesota Force is hosting a Midnight showing of Temple of Doom this November. Check out this thread... http://www.indygear.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9289 I'm hoping some of the guys here make it one or both evenings at the Riverview.