Whip Basics. The Forum

@ Rachel McCollough:

Very impressive work Mrs. McCollough !!!
It's amazing how many different types of whips you can make: cow whips, cup style bullwhips, traditional bullwhips and now the beautiful lunge whip - Wow !!!
The knots of this whip look very tight and even. It's hard to belive that this is your first attempt of tying TH's and your second attempt plaiting backwards - outstanding great job Mrs. McCollough !!!

All the best
Ben

Rachel, that's a fine looking lunge whip.
I imagine the sound of the crack is a little muffled using a paracord cracker. Is that on purpose?
And plaiting backwards to a diamond handle...... WOW.

What is the core handle made of?

I think your knots look really good.
It's outstanding work.

Ron

Wow Rachel, that is an impressive and very functional looking lunge whip. The TH looks perfect. I bet this model would sell in a hurry at any farm and ranch store

Oops. Multi-posting. I've had that happen to me before.

Awesome work, Rachel. Are there additional challenges working on such a long handle?

Thanks, Ben! I will say the TH's took me a good long while. Tightening is not my favorite job

Ron thanks, the paracord cracker is only for applying to the animal, instead of noise. So yes sir, it is made to be quieter on purpose, and not nearly the chance of harming the animal as a "sharper" cracker could. The overlay is plaited from the tip, bound off at the heel, and the handle diamond plait is the square start you see. The heel knot is moved forward as it's not what you grasp, you would hold in front of it. That way, the end of the lunge whip can be used to gently persuade the large animal to move over without (as likely) causing the heel knot to be knocked loose.... Good for ground work with horses etc to teach giving to pressure.
The core is a 48" tapered fiberglass rod.

Hi Craig, thank you, it is harder to keep straight I think- it's long enough the twist can creep in and sneak up on me I hung it up like a thong and plaited off the hook.

Roy, thank you very much sir, I appreciate it. I don't know much about bullwhips but I've used a few of these, and just aimed for what I would want it to do.

Forgot to say, the heel knot is lightly lead loaded. It's fully encased in epoxy so no worries about it being exposed to weather or the user's hands, and I like the balance it adds. I will make a short fall and a mid length light fall to go with it.

Thank you Rachel for the details.
You did a splendid job.
I can see where holding the handle would give you more control over the length as needed to adjust from gentle to firm persuasion. The lead loaded knot also giving the balance you would need for control.
Excellent!

Ron

Well would you look at those knots!
Actually this whole project looks great though I had to watch a few videos to understand what a lunge whip is for

Thank you, Ron!

Efren, thank you very much! Good to see you! Yes sir a lunge whip is a very useful tool but aggravating when you have a cheap one and the handle comes off or it breaks in stupid places at bad times

That looks great Rachel! You should be proud

Thank you very much, Tyler!

Gorgeous as usual, Whippy Sistah

Rachel, that lunge whip is very well done! (I've just realised I haven't said so yet! Sorry!)

Thank you very much, Jessie
Mr. Robert, I thank you!

Fantastic works. I Hope one time I'll be able to make such beautys by myself

Thank you Sebastian, if I can learn, you certainly can!

I do like that lunge whip. Very simple but so many nice little touches.

Thank you, Roger! I'd like one with a steel round or conical point on the end of the handle to use like a bump spur if I was still training horses.

Rachel, that looks beautiful. How much does it weigh?

Thanks, Philbert! I'm not certain, I haven't weighed it. I will try to do that before I deliver it tomorrow

8'6" acid dark brown 14 plait single belly cow whip with a 15" handcut Jatoba handle, Tung Oil finish, wood blank from Whip Nation.