Target Whip characteristics

[Devin Bauer]

What factors are most important for an accurate target bullwhip? Handle length, transition stiffness, thong length, or anything else you think of

[David Cross]

I'll mirror what Adam said about length of handles and thong. Once you get past 8ft, the length becomes sort of prohibitive for any kind of fast cracking. I would definitely say the 6-8ft range is best for target cracking, although I'm by no means an expert.

I also agree that specialized whips, like the one he mentions, aren't as much fun to play with. That's just my opinion, though. I like my whips to be sort of "universal" in what they can do, more like the Indy whips, but the whip is a tool like any other: It has a job to do, and anything that helps it do that job more effectively deserves to be explored.

I really hadn't thought about a design like that, either. I'm going to assume that the Chessboard plait on the inner curve helps tracking because it holds tighter than Herringbone. Many whipmakers use Chessboard as a starting plait for that very reason, and I've used it for short distances in my patterns, to stabilize the plaiting before changing between two "unstable" patterns.

Beyond handle and thong length, there isn't much I can tell you about a "proper" target whip, other than that, if it does what you want, it's good. There's just too much versatility and variation between designs to standardize any one of them.

[Devin Bauer]

That's good to hear, I asked since I've only made 5 whips this far, and was curious as to why my third was considerably more accurate in my hand than the 5th one I just finished. The 3rd whip has a floppier transition, but the handle is 12 inch maple rather than the 8 inch steel rod, and the plaiting is actually somewhat straighter. At first I thought it was just time spent with the two rather than design.

[Jeremy McEachern]

For a whip to be accurate, you really don't need any extra transition stiffness. That said, I would still do a normal amount on a target whip like I would on any whip.
Longer handles help.
Very straight plaiting.
Good even fall.
Lots of practice cracking

[John M. Jackson-Tree]

Not sure enough about target whip but one of my early bull whips riddled with mistakes has one about 3/4 down where I twist the colour combo when I snap it out th ough my eye does catch where it is and not sure if that helps me with know after where it went but helps to be able to see something in the differnce doign down teh whip to see where it is going.. it may just be me or why I see pattersn about half way donw the "target" whip beig sold that are multi colour. or could just look cool but my noive 2 cents

[David Cross]

You'll definitely find out that your latest whips aren't always your best. My 18th whip still remains one of the most powerful, easiest to use, and most accurate whips I've ever made, even though I failed to bind the transition at all.

The one thing that will help above all else is a combination of time and care. Do...not...rush. The more energy a whip takes to make, generally speaking, the better it will be.

[Tyler Blake]

Hi Y'all,
I agree with Adam on the characteristics. If I had to pick one, I'd say the long handle. Tex, I believe from one of your earlier signatures you enjoy the 2nd ammendment, right? Look at it this way: A rifle is generally more accurate than a pistol (Or for that matter, an 8 inch barreled pistol is more usually more accurate than a 2 inch barreled pistol) because of the longer sight radius. That applies to the whip also. The longer the handle, when you point the handle at your target, the longer sight radius you get.

[John M. Jackson-Tree]

wish I could credit where credit is due but not sure where I heard this from but thaugh to be good here.. (noteing Tylors refernce it remind me of it) think of fishing pole the little pocket pole some 12" long to nomral pole of about 5 foot to a fly fishing pole of about 7 feet how much more accurate you need to be to drop that fly on the water where you want it..