More Whips of H.Rutherford

[Hayes Rutherford]

The sharing and feedback here is much appreciated. Can't say how many more builds are in my future but there will be more. I'm focusing on the cow whip style with a thong of 5-6'. For now, a tt core, single belly, and 12 plait overlay until I get it right. Then maybe add some patterns. "this is how I do it" doesn't exist yet, and for me it will only come by making more whips.


Birch handle with 1"copper ferrule, black satin lacquer, 16" length. Thong: 4'-8", fall: 16", cracker: 9-1/4"

This cracked right out of the box. For a second or two it seemed like majic but then back to normal. Not yet waxed, C&C always welcome.

[Ron May]

Hayes, the only thing that I can see is, it tapers quickly towards the last 1/4 (?) of the tip, faster than it appears to taper in the middle and top of the thong.

Remember, this is not necessarily wrong. There's as many ways to make a whip as there are makers. As long as you are getting the results you want. If not, then that's when you experiment to get the results needed.

The ferrule sure adds a lot to the overall look. I love it. Classy.

Ron

[Rachel McCollough]

Looks great! Very sleek and classy! I personally favor a nose heavy whip, my own are not much different. I push the weight more to the tip quite a bit. This one here looks like it’ll crack slick! The difference in one that is more noseheavy can be a weighted fall, tapered cracker, and even in some cases a wee bit of weight back toward the butt of the whip via lead or such.
This one for a 12 plait in that length looks very well balanced. I would absolutely want a shorter 12 plait to have weight pushed toward the tip.

[Hayes Rutherford]

Thank you Ron and Rachel.

I had in my mind to taper sooner as Ron suggests but for much of the way, seemed like I was having a hard time covering first the core, then the belly. This might trace back to my core which was 30"- 4 strand tt and divided 10-10-10" (first section actually 12" -2" for handle). The plaiting of the belly was carried past the dropped sections of the core, same with the overlay. In an effort to keep things covered, this pushed the weight forward. So in an attempt to keep with a 4 strand tt core, 8 plait belly and 12 plait overlay, it seems like I need to adjust the core. Maybe something like 8", 10", 12" ( 4 strand, 3 strand, 2 strand) for the length of core sections? Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

Rachel, it does crack easily and I should be happy it is a bit weight forward. The core made me do it!

[Rachel McCollough]

The core always guides the hand..
Indeed, it does!

[Mark Elliott]

Hayden, I really like the ferrule on the handle, very nice! Now I'm going to have to try that.

Rachel is absolutely the best cow whip maker around and as she said the core guides everything. I generally work in 3rds. For a single belly, the core is 1/3 and the belly 2/3 the length of the finished whip. Always leave a pretty long couple of stands at the end of the twist so you have something to plait around for the next belly or overlay. I also drop the last strands before the twist on a belly into the core and use it to plait around. That way all the layers are tied together. Also when I drop strands in the twist I decide how long the twist is going to be and make the two drops at 1/3 and 2/3rds.

You are really doing nice work. Your woodworking skills are superb. Rachel does all her handles by hand, using a rasp and knives and sandpaper, I use a lathe, but have only been using it for a couple of years. I still break a lot of stuff and I'm just now getting the hang of sharpening the chisels.

[Ross Buckley]

That is a beautiful handle! I wish I could turn wood but I don't have the tools or the space :/

[Hayes Rutherford]

Thank you Mark and Ross.

Mark, the ferrule is a piece of 1" i.d. copper water pipe and the bored hole in the handle was 11/16" which worked out pretty well. Probably would work with a 3/4" bored hole and if the hole needed to be larger, a copper coupling could be used. I cut the pipe with a tubing cutter which always creates a ridge that needs cut out.

Mark, do you make the tt core in 3rds? In my case the core was just that or 10", 10", 10 " with the end strands left long.
My core was 30" or approximately 1/2 the thong length and the belly was 37-1/2" or 5/8 of the thong length.

I would like to experiment and start the taper a bit sooner as Ron suggested and a core that is more like 1/3 the thong length would certainly enable that. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

[Rachel McCollough]

Now that you have a good idea of what plait fits over what for you, you have the information to start planning your taper of your whip almost down to the millimeter.
You may already know all of this, and if so, please disregard
Start from the outside. Draw a line and mark where you want what plait count, where you want to twist, etc. That is the map of your overlay. Write your plait count above the measurement.
I don’t worry about drawing every detail for strand drops. Those will happen where they need to of you have accurate information in your personal experience of plaiting of what plait fits over what. You do have to remember how you build the inside, if you’re adding something or taking away something, will affect your plot map.

Next line is second belly. You simply draw another line to the point of where you know it must end in a twist or whatever style you need. This is adding the muscle layers under the skin of your “living braided snake.” You mark what plait fits under what plait that’s on your first line, or overlay.

First belly- same procedure. Inner layer of “muscle,” write your main marks of where it drops to a lower plait, where it goes into a twist or however you end your bellies.

Now the main and most important of all, the core, the “backbone” of your “braided live snake.”
Draw your line, plot your twist and number of strands needed (4 TT, 3TT, (TT being twisted taper) or whatever style you use for a core) for each measurement.
NOW you know what length you’re core needs to be. You can push the weight forward or pull it back by adjusting your core.
It is very simple to plan a whip this way, but it can’t be simply done unless you’ve built a few and know what type you’re doing (the internals, such as TT core, or single strands, how you end your bellies, etc.) and what plait fits over what in your own work. I may plait a 10 plait over a 4TT, you may use an 8, someone else may use a 12. That’s the difference in style of plait, tension, angle, and how you want the whip to feel.
You can plan any whip with that simple whip map.
I have a notebook for my whip maps. All I have in it is three or four lines for each whip. Nothing fancy. Simple main measurements.
You want to replicate to a longer or shorter model? Simply figure the core is what percent of the overlay. What main drop (4TT to 3TT, or your overlay and bellies 12 plait to 10 plait, etc) is what percent? Now extend or shorten by figuring your percentage of whatever desired length.
Your 6 ft has a core 50% its’ length, 36”? Then a 10’ will be the same, 50% the length, or 60”... just an example. Bellies and main tapering is figured the same.

[Hayes Rutherford]

Rachel, much appreciated and just what I was trying to figure out. I noticed your notebook in one of your posts. My notes so far are a mess of info from videos and instructables (some of the e-tape vintage)

[Rachel McCollough]

You’re very welcome!!! I find the more I make, the fewer details I write, intel’s I’m trying something new or making changes. Other than e-tape, though I use it for taping my fingers while plaiting, there’s so many ways to build a whip.

[Hayes Rutherford]

I started my notebook and can now throw away the little stack of notes taken off Youtube, etc. most of which was hard to read anyway. I planned out another 5' cow whip and am happy with the results. I stuck more closely to the 1/3 proportions as suggested here and everything went better.

I added a couple strands of lead core fishing line to the TT core. Maybe not enough to do much but they fit in the spiral without adding any bulk and were easy to bind over. The 8 P belly was bound mostly in the transition (not shown), then followed by a 12 P overlay ending in 2 TT. I gradually relaxed the plaiting after the first three inches. I think my 3 TT and 2TT end is twisted too tight and a bit "cable " like but might loosen a bit. C & C always welcome.

[Ron May]

Looking good Hayes.
The TT core will most certainly loosen up with usage.

Ron

[Hayes Rutherford]

On this handle ( 15-1/2" , maple/black satin lacquer), a piece of aluminum pipe was used as a ferrule. The hole was sized to 15/16", the handle was bored 11/16". It was a press fit on the handle but epoxy was used as well. Have not waxed it yet. C &C always welcome.

[Ron May]

Great looking handle.
I like the shape of the "cup" part.
Your ferrules are becoming a part of your whip signature.
Nice.

Ron

[Ross Buckley]

Again that is a great looking whip really beautiful work. How does it crack?

[Mark Elliott]

I really like the handles you've ben making. Your whips are making rapid improvements as well. Nice work, sir.

[Hayes Rutherford]

Ron, thank you. Hope I can do it again, it sorta grew that way but I like it.

Thank you Ross. It seems to crack easily. I had made a few crackers and was down to the last one which had been previously passed over because it was the thinnest. Was surprised that it worked well. This is part of the whip making I need to learn more about.

Thanks Mark. i like the journey. I've enjoyed woodturning for a long time so that part comes easy!

[Hayes Rutherford]

Another 5' cow whip. 4tt core, 8 plait belly, and 14 plait overlay, 16" birch handle with a 5 minute shellac finish. I still haven't been able to bring myself to try any different plaiting so nothing new except for the wax. A product called Anchorseal Classic that is used by many woodturners to keep green turned items from cracking. It is a wax emulsion used to seal the ends of logs and lumber. I did a brush application on the belly before binding, and then another application on the overlay. It penetrates well, ends up a bit softer than hot parafin, and is easy to apply. It darkened the "rust" paracord quite a bit, but I personally like the supple and slightly weighted character it gives.

I really abused it this morning and its probably my favorite so far. C&C always welcome

[Ron May]

Nicely done Hayes.

It definitely has your signature look.

Ron