11ft Bullwhip Project
- Brandon "Sparky" Lam
- Member
- Posts: 1314
- Joined: Thu 20. Oct 2016, 21:59
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
11ft Bullwhip Project
Hey everyone!
I've been wanting a super long whip, and so I spent quite a bit of money getting the materials to make a 11 ft whip~ Unfortunately it was originally going to be a 12ft whip, but it turns out I cut the lengths a little too short (calculations went wrong due to the whip being so thick).
I probably won't do a build progression here since I made this whip very similar to other whips, the only difference being my first belly starting just before the transition. Reason for this was because I wanted a thick whip but a thin handle.
So all in all, this is what the whip looks like -
(I'd like to think that this was one of my more straighter plaits so far XD)
I was actually really proud of the handle, because it was actually an accident. I had literally run out of purple by 1 frigging foot, so I used some leftover blue I had for that last strand of the handle. This gave a really nice spiral design, I think I might do this more often (ALSO I FINALLY GOT THE TECHNIQUE DOWN FOR A STRAIGHT DIAMOND PLAIT!!!! Sorry, this was literally one of the only patterns that was giving me a huge amount of grief in terms of twisting) Also, the heel knot is slightly weird, according to my calculations I needed a 6L5B knot...and so that's what I did.
I really like how the 5 bights turned out, especially the pentagram at the end of the heel!~
Finally, here's a very short video of me testing the whip, it's not waxed yet and therefore I didn't want to get it dirty yet :P I'll record a better one once I do wax it!
I've been wanting a super long whip, and so I spent quite a bit of money getting the materials to make a 11 ft whip~ Unfortunately it was originally going to be a 12ft whip, but it turns out I cut the lengths a little too short (calculations went wrong due to the whip being so thick).
I probably won't do a build progression here since I made this whip very similar to other whips, the only difference being my first belly starting just before the transition. Reason for this was because I wanted a thick whip but a thin handle.
So all in all, this is what the whip looks like -
(I'd like to think that this was one of my more straighter plaits so far XD)
I was actually really proud of the handle, because it was actually an accident. I had literally run out of purple by 1 frigging foot, so I used some leftover blue I had for that last strand of the handle. This gave a really nice spiral design, I think I might do this more often (ALSO I FINALLY GOT THE TECHNIQUE DOWN FOR A STRAIGHT DIAMOND PLAIT!!!! Sorry, this was literally one of the only patterns that was giving me a huge amount of grief in terms of twisting) Also, the heel knot is slightly weird, according to my calculations I needed a 6L5B knot...and so that's what I did.
I really like how the 5 bights turned out, especially the pentagram at the end of the heel!~
Finally, here's a very short video of me testing the whip, it's not waxed yet and therefore I didn't want to get it dirty yet :P I'll record a better one once I do wax it!
Give a man a fire and he's warm for the day. But set fire to him and he's warm for the rest of his life.
The unwaxed tests! I've only recently fought to get over the anticipation and wax them before cracks x D
That's really nice looking! Looks like a super meaty one. How long is the handle?
The blue spiral is really cool and so is the heel knot! And yeah I noticed too you're making progress on the diamond plait and all in all it looks like a pretty straight plait.
Good job!
That's really nice looking! Looks like a super meaty one. How long is the handle?
The blue spiral is really cool and so is the heel knot! And yeah I noticed too you're making progress on the diamond plait and all in all it looks like a pretty straight plait.
Good job!
- Brandon "Sparky" Lam
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- Posts: 1314
- Joined: Thu 20. Oct 2016, 21:59
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
ahaha I know right! I really don't want to crack it any more until it is waxed!
The handle is 12 inches long, though after doing those cracks, I feel like I am starting to lean more towards Tyler's 10in handles for 12ft whips, because the amount of torque you can put into one of these whips is much less (due to the weight and length), and so a shorter handle feels better, more like a snake whip. Oh gosh, I wonder how crazy a 12ft snakewhip would be...
Thanks Erik
The handle is 12 inches long, though after doing those cracks, I feel like I am starting to lean more towards Tyler's 10in handles for 12ft whips, because the amount of torque you can put into one of these whips is much less (due to the weight and length), and so a shorter handle feels better, more like a snake whip. Oh gosh, I wonder how crazy a 12ft snakewhip would be...
Thanks Erik
Give a man a fire and he's warm for the day. But set fire to him and he's warm for the rest of his life.
- Robert Gage
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Brandon, that looks very nice - but I agree: I'd probably prefer a 10 inch handle on a whip like that. And I too have wondered what a 12-foor snake would feel like!Brandon Lam wrote: I am starting to lean more towards Tyler's 10in handles for 12ft whips.... Oh gosh, I wonder how crazy a 12ft snakewhip would be...
'Less is often more!'
- Brandon "Sparky" Lam
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- Brandon "Sparky" Lam
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- Joined: Thu 20. Oct 2016, 21:59
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
Thanks Roy, Rachel and Morten!
I'm loving the blue highlight so much I think I might start playing with them in the future, now that I have the diamond plait straightened out (which feels amazing, Rachel! :3)
I'm going to spend some time waxing this tomorrow, though I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to. My cooker isn't anywhere near big enough for this monstrosity, might have to somehow shove the handle in separately? Any tips are very much appreciate!
I'm loving the blue highlight so much I think I might start playing with them in the future, now that I have the diamond plait straightened out (which feels amazing, Rachel! :3)
I'm going to spend some time waxing this tomorrow, though I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to. My cooker isn't anywhere near big enough for this monstrosity, might have to somehow shove the handle in separately? Any tips are very much appreciate!
Give a man a fire and he's warm for the day. But set fire to him and he's warm for the rest of his life.
- Brandon "Sparky" Lam
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- Joined: Thu 20. Oct 2016, 21:59
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
- Jessie Edwards
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- Brandon "Sparky" Lam
- Member
- Posts: 1314
- Joined: Thu 20. Oct 2016, 21:59
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
Thanks Jessie! ahaha yes, unfortunate miscalculations :P I actually got 1000ft of paracord for both the snakewhip and this whip, but I only gave about 30ft of leeway, which is nowhere near enough when some of my strands are 540inches long :P
Give a man a fire and he's warm for the day. But set fire to him and he's warm for the rest of his life.
- Brandon "Sparky" Lam
- Member
- Posts: 1314
- Joined: Thu 20. Oct 2016, 21:59
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
I managed to shove the entire whip into the cooker, but after about 20 minutes it started bubbling like crazy and making sounds, so I got worried and took it out. It's now drying, but the cooker kept making sounds even when off so I'm not sure what's happening. I'm slightly worried, but I think it was the cooker making the frying sounds. To be honest, the whip itself was heavy enough without wax, I probably didn't want to saturate it entirely either, but I've never seen so much bubbling from a whip ever. My other ones only bubbled slightly, this was full on almost like a deep fryer, even though I was using the same temperature (120C or 250F) I've always been using.
Once it's fully dried/cooled down, I'll give the whip a go. Slightly worried at the moment that I've deep fried it :/
Once it's fully dried/cooled down, I'll give the whip a go. Slightly worried at the moment that I've deep fried it :/
Give a man a fire and he's warm for the day. But set fire to him and he's warm for the rest of his life.
- Brandon "Sparky" Lam
- Member
- Posts: 1314
- Joined: Thu 20. Oct 2016, 21:59
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
Alright so it's been dried, here's a video of my test of it
I don't have much room in my backyard, so I can't do any horizontal stuff, but this whip is disorientating due to the lag between your movement and the crack!
Can't wait to try this out in a big open park, though I'm still wondering why it bubbled so much in the wax. Either way, this whip feels hilariously heavy and strong, I was bringing it up and the cracker brushed past me, but there was so much force that it hurt where the cracker hit me!
I don't have much room in my backyard, so I can't do any horizontal stuff, but this whip is disorientating due to the lag between your movement and the crack!
Can't wait to try this out in a big open park, though I'm still wondering why it bubbled so much in the wax. Either way, this whip feels hilariously heavy and strong, I was bringing it up and the cracker brushed past me, but there was so much force that it hurt where the cracker hit me!
Give a man a fire and he's warm for the day. But set fire to him and he's warm for the rest of his life.
- Brandon "Sparky" Lam
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- Posts: 1314
- Joined: Thu 20. Oct 2016, 21:59
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
Thank you Morten! The electrical wires are totally fine, they're around 20 - 30m up in the air I'd approximate.
My problem here is that that area is small enough that I can only do forwards cracks with it without hitting cars or vans XD
My problem here is that that area is small enough that I can only do forwards cracks with it without hitting cars or vans XD
Give a man a fire and he's warm for the day. But set fire to him and he's warm for the rest of his life.
- Robert Gage
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Brandon, that's a seriously impressive beast! Well done!
I think it would actually behave far better if you'd slow down and keep your body calmer. The way you almost dance about sends signals to the whip which it must find confusing! Please remember: the whip will always do exactly what you tell it to do. It looks to me like you're telling it far too much! (Please forgive what might seem a critical comment, but I think the whip is probably even better than you think it is!)
I think it would actually behave far better if you'd slow down and keep your body calmer. The way you almost dance about sends signals to the whip which it must find confusing! Please remember: the whip will always do exactly what you tell it to do. It looks to me like you're telling it far too much! (Please forgive what might seem a critical comment, but I think the whip is probably even better than you think it is!)
'Less is often more!'
- Brandon "Sparky" Lam
- Member
- Posts: 1314
- Joined: Thu 20. Oct 2016, 21:59
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
Thanks for the criticism Robert! The dancing about is slightly harking back to my firespinning background - it's about movement of body as well as the moves of the prop
I'll definitely be practicing this standing still first, it's so long that it's really quite scary!
I'll definitely be practicing this standing still first, it's so long that it's really quite scary!
Give a man a fire and he's warm for the day. But set fire to him and he's warm for the rest of his life.