Whip Basics. The Forum

I haven't done a build thread in a while and since this is my first matched set of stockwhips, I thought it would be a good time to do another.

The whips will be 5-foot long made of midnight blue and gold paracord. They are based on a design that has been discussed in other threads by Adam Winrich and Nick Schrader, although I've added a TT core, and since the core is a bit thicker than their original design I've increased the plait count of the overlay to a 12-plait. I left the single belly at 10-plait, since I thought that was a little bit of a high count for their original design.

Two of the striking elements of Adam's and Nick's design is the lack of binding and the way they end the belly, which you can see below.

Here are the 4-strand TT cores


Here are the bellies. Note the way the ends of the bellies hang down and are cut at different lengths instead of continuing the plait and dropping strands like I normally would to make the taper. Don't panic, the tape is just to keep the plait from unraveling until the overlay reaches it and holds it in place. The bellies also have a 5 strand flat braid to form the keepers.


Here's the start of the overlays. I like the way the pattern of the diamond plait in the first 6 inches of the whip is mirrored by the pattern of the whipmakers plait in the remainder of the thong. The gold strands will be drooped first so that the thong ends ins solid blue.

Looks like a great start, Mark.
I'm looking forward to seeing these finished and tested.

Ron

The overlays are finished. The light in my dining room isn't great and so they look black instead of midnight blue. Now for the handles.

Nice job, Mark.

That's like telling Rembrandt, nice picture, or Mozart, nice tune.

Ron

Thank you, Ron

Mark, these are going to be great!

Mark, very good job, the thongs look superb!

Ben

Mark, these are lovely!!!

Thank you all.

Nice!

Thank you, Jyri.

I have attached the keepers to the handles using B55 nylon string and one of the handles has the half-plait covering, but I miscut the cord for the other and have run out of midnight blue so I'll have to wait until more arrives to cover the other and tie the knots. the handles are 5/8" oak, 18" long.

These are really coming along, Mark.
I am looking forward to seeing the finished product and the testing video.

Ron

Mark, I realy like how you matched the pattern of the handle to the thongs - very good job!

Ben

Thanks, Ron and Ben. Ben, I know how to tie a knot with that same box pattern, but I think that the pattern is already starting to be too much so I'll probably just tie a single color TH or globe knot.

Mark these are looking great! I can't wait to know how they perform

Thank you, Ross.

Well, here's the finished set. The heel knots are 8x5, 3-pass THKs. The decorative knots at the bottom of the keeper attachments are Spanish ring knots.

Perfection! Mark, I think you really hit this just right!!!

Thanks, Rachel, I was pretty pleased with how they turned out. There was less than 2 grams difference in the weights of the two whips.

That is pretty amazing, Mark!!!