The "Making of" Gallery - Rachel McCollough

[Rachel McCollough]

Thank you, Ethan!
Mr. Robert, I think you have guessed what this one will be...

I'm extending this build thread not due to any self perceived skill or showing off, but I believe this particular complete project and the whole story behind it deserves due time.... It will all unfold a little at a time. You will get to see every step.

Flemming, this is the first belly of a stock whip. The core is a 4 strand twisted taper that is fully bound, closed loop. The first belly is started this way with a flat braid thatcomes together as a 10 plait to form the belly. The overlay will have an English Eye, and I shall show all of that, as well.

I can think of two possible locations you will be at! Wow! Now that's a huge honor, to me! Hmmmm.... I think of one, who is a quality maker.... And another, who is quite Legendary.... Where will you be?

[Robert Gage]

Rachel, I'm curious as well....

[Wolfgang Timm]

Is it an English eye your are starting now ?

I am curious too - and you know ...... on Sunday I am going to visit someone, who have a "Rachel stockwhip"

But isn‘t an English eye much smaller?
My guess is it‘s the beginning of the keeper-loop and thong of a stockwhip...?!

[Mark Elliott]

A stock whip?

[Wolfgang Timm]

Ah mystery solved already...I replied from page 8 of this thread...not really used to the new posts function yet.

[Rachel McCollough]

Yes, this one is the beginning of a stock whip...

[Flemming Bo Christiansen]

Rachel, a common friend to the whipmaker offering lunch

The other guy you know is in september

[Sir Roger Tuson]

You are a tease, Rachel, but we forgive you

[Rachel McCollough]

Flemming, ah! I see! Yes, and I'm working on some things for September too.....


Sir Roger, thank you...

[Scott A. Cary]

Love it!

[Rachel McCollough]

And here is the other side of that belly when you first start... Get it tight and all lined up!

[Rachel McCollough]

Here is plaiting the first belly on this stock whip:


And twisting the end:


And finished first belly:

[Ethan Mitchell]

Looking good.

[Georg Ernst]

Looks really great

[Wolfgang Timm]

Really interesting to see a whip in different stages of development... I probably stay on the „cracking side“ since I am not good at manual work, but certainly interesting to see the „inner life“ of a whip.
I wonder: Is the majority of the forum users here into really making whips or are there more „whip USER only“ people ?

[Sir Roger Tuson]

I think it's a fairly even mix, Wolfgang. We have plenty of both.

[Craig Frank]

Rachel - looks like you are off to a good stiff start. But then again, we expect nothing less from you.

[Robert Gage]

I am not good at manual work, but it's certainly interesting to see the „inner life“ of a whip.
I wonder: Is the majority here into making whips or are there more „whip USER only“ people ?

Wolfgang, I'm a 'user only'. I made one whip as a teenager, half a century ago. I learned a lot, but one was enough. I'm pretty clumsy, and also somewhat impatient!

[Mark Elliott]

Wolfgang, I made my first whip so I could learn to crack, didn't have the cash to out and out buy one. It would have been cheaper in the long run to just buy one.

[Flemming Bo Christiansen]

Wolfgang. I am also a "user only", but in here nothing is better than other thing.

My expierece is, that if you want to learn, the help is always neear