Bobbie Holyoak

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Robby Amper
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  Bobbie Holyoak

Post by Robby Amper »

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This is the Gallery of Bobbi Holyoak.

http://www.holyoak-whips.com

In the section: Whip Basics - The Video Reviews -
you will find a documentary on her work.



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I have a screwdriver. I am Legend...
Bobbi Holyoak

 

Post by Bobbi Holyoak »

Robby, thank you so much for including me in this Gallery. I look around at the other men and I feel extremely honored and humbled to be listed with them.

To start with, I'll share the best pictures I have. Beautiful and creative pictures taken by Mario.

This first whip is a 7 foot, 12 plait Sonic Alignment whip. 7 foot is quickly becoming one of my favorite lengths. This one is not for a review. Robby and Mario were just kind and generous enough to make these pictures as a gift. I love them and I'm amazed at how alive they make the whip look. Thanks, you two!

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This next whip is a 5 foot Show whip. All of them are 12 plait with a 16 plait handle. The show whip is my version of the "performance" whips. I chose copper for the handle because I thought it was more interesting and put gemstones on the ends for that girly touch. I also put a traditional fall hitch so that the fall can be changed if needed.

Again, I have to gush about what a beautiful job Mario did with these pictures. I LOVE the nod to my last name with the oak leaves and acorns.

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Bobbi Holyoak

 

Post by Bobbi Holyoak »

This is the Bodlak handle whip. It is a special design for a martial arts master. It is 4.5 foot, 12 plait, one belly. The handle is a curved 10 inch spike. I am very proud of this whip because braiding around that curve was difficult and the pattern was unforgiving. I also love the way the red comes out in the bottom of the whip.

Here is a video link of Randal using this whip. It is one of those designs that, I feel, changes the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agODYXSouNI

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Bobbi Holyoak

 

Post by Bobbi Holyoak »

This whip was the most fun I have had making a whip so far. I was given 10 colors and told that I could use any/all of them that I wanted and that I had complete creative freedom over the whip. The man who owns it was more interested in having a piece of "Bobbi HolyOak art" than owning a whip. ( I still don't know if he learned to crack it yet)

I decided on 5 colors instead of 10 because I felt that it would be more beautiful if it was edited down.

This whip is 8 foot, 16 plait, 2 bellies with a 12 inch handle base. It is the loudest whip I have made so far.

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Robert Gage
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Post by Robert Gage »

Great stuff, Bobbi! I especially like the first whip, the 7-footer. It somehow makes me think of Clint Eastwood!
'Less is often more!'
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Mario Desgronte
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Post by Mario Desgronte »

I'm glad that you like the pictures, Bobbi. :)
It was a great honor for me to take the pictures of your elegant whips.

Best wishes,
Mario
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Tyler Blake
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Post by Tyler Blake »

Excellent work Bobbi! What did you use in the pommel of Robby's whip? That bird's eye on the handle looks great :) Same with the blue stone in the 5 foot show whip, very cool touch :)
Yaprimascharif, Yahasanna Hadisany, elafinas tabachu, Dari chalemy elasin!
Devin Bauer

 

Post by Devin Bauer »

Very nice whips Bobbi, I particularly like the first one. What is the handling difference with the Bodlak handle?
Jonathan Lewis

 

Post by Jonathan Lewis »

Beautiful whips Bobbi. I especially like the 4-strand diamond pattern in the middle of that copper handle, and the birds eye handle, and the way you brought out the final color at the tail end of the last two, and... ok the list is getting too long for picking out just the things I especially like.
Gideon Rodgers

 

Post by Gideon Rodgers »

Bobbi, Those look great. That Copper handle looks very nice. It is kind of funny. Caleb and I where in the hardware store today and I said "that would be neat to do a handle out of Copper," and he said that you made one. he sent me the link to your page here. I like it.

I don't think the Jem in the handle is a Girl thing. I liked that when I saw it. Maybe a Girl thing if it was pink or something, but that Blue is good.
Carl Feairs

 

Post by Carl Feairs »

Very nice work Bobbi.
My #1 is the Sonic Alignment.
Bobbi Holyoak

 

Post by Bobbi Holyoak »

Wow, thanks for all the encouragement, everyone! It means a lot to me. I love this forum. :)

Tyler, the gem on Robby's whip is a brown cat's eye. It really glows in the sunshine. Here is an outside picture.

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Devin, the bodlak whip is awesome for Latigo Y Daga applications. It makes rodondos absolutely effortless. It does feel different than a normal whip and at first I didn't like it but the more I played with it the more it grew on me.

Gideon, if you do try a copper handle, I highly recommend using mothers chrome polish to shine it up and then a good coat of polyurethane. I tested a lot of different polishes and mothers not only looks better but also is the fastest.
Keanu Shimaoka

 

Post by Keanu Shimaoka »

That Bodlak whip is just awesome. Great work Bobbi.
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Robby Amper
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Post by Robby Amper »

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What the... One night of sleep and the whole thread is full of entries. I should stop sleeping. A few words on the new member of the Masters Gallery. I wanted to make sure to know about the quality of Bobbi's whips first hand. I have that, now. Later more on that. I'm friend with Bobbi. But that's not the reason why I invited her to the MG. Masters here can be my friends at the same time, no problem. But if someone is my friend, but not - at least to my standards - a master of the craft, he/she will never be invited. I keep these things divided. Strictly. So much on that.

Now on the whips. One thing really upset me a bit. First the brown whip with the cat's eye in the heel. I'm not too much friend of waxed whips. Why? I don't like the white wax flakes, and I don't like it when the whip "feels" waxed. On this whip - nothing like that. No wax flakes - even after cracking it a while (not one!) - and not stiff a little bit. Ask Bobbi how how she's doing that.

The show whip I have for a review video... Well. This whip is fast. Very - veeeery - fast. I wouldn't recommend it for a beginner. But - what I've experienced today - it is the ultimate target whip. I took the famous "Spartan" target stand and concentrated all the time on one plastic stripe. Ten cracks left from the middle, ten cracks outer right, ten cracks right from the middle and so on. I think in total it was something like 100 cracks. I missed five. I was surprised, because I never expected it to be that precise. And the missed ones were my fault. Not the whip's.

But now to the thing that made me a liiiiittle bit angry. The price of the whip. The handle is from copper. Not painted plastic. Real copper. Double coated with liquid Polyurethan or what it's called. With an amazing blue shell in the heel. A real beauty. To crack right out of the box. 5 foot, 135,00 Dollars. Second color - if one wishes for - free. If I order a "Performance Hybrid" from midwest whips, I receive a whip kit. I have to put the thong into the handle myself. Nothing with "Crack it right out of the box". Plastic handle. Five foot 170.00 Dollar. Second color additional 15 bucks. Makes it 185.00 Dollars. To make that clear - I have no problems with Lauren or Paul. Midwest Whips is in the links section, here on Whip Basics. I only compare prices and what you get for your money.

Again:

Plastic handle, self assembly and second color for 15.00 USD. 185.00 USD.

Sealed Copper handle, completed, second color free for 135.00 USD.

You can see my point? The Performance Hybrid whip is cool to crack, no doubt. Mario told Lauren and Paul that I'd be interested to do a review on that whip, but there was no response. And by the way - I asked them to join the Masters Gallery. Again - no response. But that's another story.

And that's what upset me. A customer who knows about all the offers will ask himself - or Midwest Whips... - why's there such a huge difference in price, service and materials. My advice to Bobbi: Increase your price!


Robby


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I have a screwdriver. I am Legend...
Bobbi Holyoak

 

Post by Bobbi Holyoak »

Thank you, Keanu. I think that one is very special. I need one for myself... one day.

Robby, I am very touched by your words. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. To tell you the truth, I never tried the show whips for targeting because I go for the heavier ones. I'll have to go play with it today.
Gideon Rodgers

 

Post by Gideon Rodgers »

Thanks Bobbi for the info on the handle. It definitely seems more stout than Plastic. I will have to try it.

Is it 3/4 inch or 1/2 inch Copper?

One thing I like about it is it really stands out compared to being painted. (like Plastic would be)

OH, another question(or 3).
Do you do anything to the end of the handle so it doesn't wear through?

Is that a strait pipe or is there a coupling on the end like the plastic?

Lastly, did you bind it at all?

OK I'll be quiet now.
Bobbi Holyoak

 

Post by Bobbi Holyoak »

Hey, Gideon. The pipe is 1/2 inch and I do use a coupler so the whip can be a little bigger. Get the kind of coupler with out the mid point dent.

If there is any sharp bits after I drill the holes I hit them with the dremel but mostly the soder smooths everything out. I get the whip in there as tight as I can so there isn't movement but just in case I leave the first bit of the strings doubled for a little extra insurance.

Yes, I do bind about 14 inches. Not a stiff as a bullwhip but just enough to help it not be floppy.

Right now I am experimenting with acid etching and different kinds of oxidation. You can turn the copper either black or green and make really cool designs. At some point I want to have my logo etched into the coupler and maybe oxidized.
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Tyler Blake
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Post by Tyler Blake »

Cool, thanks for the pic Bobbi- that looks gorgeous, I think that was the perfect stone for the colors on the whip. I started experimenting a little with copper oxidization at the same time I was looking into aging brass, but I haven't gotten that far into it yet. I'll be curious to see what you come up with, it sounds really cool :)
Yaprimascharif, Yahasanna Hadisany, elafinas tabachu, Dari chalemy elasin!
Bobbi Holyoak

 

Post by Bobbi Holyoak »

Thanks Tyler!
What I'm finding with the copper is it is way easier to etch and oxidize flat pieces than round pipe. I've decided that I am a little ambitious with my first designs. :)
Einar Stephenson

 

Post by Einar Stephenson »

beautiful you have done an extremely fine job on all the whips.
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