Whip Basics. The Forum

Collin, I've actually crossed the line(s) from player to referee and now coach. Perhaps too many shots to the head?

Well, here is my first finished stock whip. I won't bore anybody with pointing out things wrong, but rather say it was fun and I'm already planning my next one with some corrections one thing I did differently than Nick's video was use 95 Paracord and do a grapevine hitch over the handle keeper that I tightened with artificial sinew. I couldn't justify fluffing out the extra length when I had plenty for a nice round look. Still needs to be waxed, I just have to wait until power is restored :

Nice job Collin.
I like the pattern on the handle.
The fall hitch looks a little odd to me.

Ron

Not bad!

Thanks Ron and Ethan.

Ron, it goes to a 2 strand fall hitch. Adam Winrich has a video showing how to replace one for a close-up. I don't think I'm a fan. This is a lightweight whip already, and it's almost too fast (which is why it was designed this way admittedly by Adam W.). Next one I'm going to do a normal 4 point fall hitch with a weighted core. I also need to make the keeper loop on the handle a bit bigger as it's stiff in one direction and barely has any offset from the wooden handle.

So it was going to bother me, and I realized the nice thing about stock whips and how easy it is to change something. I opened up the handle keeper a little more and re-hitched it, then chopped off about a foot on the thong and gave it a 4 point hitch. Although it's even faster now, it handles a little better being how light it is. Next whip though definitely needs needs more weight wether that means shot loading or higher plait counts.

Very very cool, nice job Collin. I must admit Stock Whips don't really do it for me personally, but I can appreciate the work you put into it, Nice job on the grapevine too

Thanks Andrew. I really enjoy the experimenting with different styles of whips. I like the look of a nice stock whip and the nostalgia around one, but can definitely now appreciate more a nice heavy slow moving bullwhip.

Here's is a new 5 ft stock whip thong I finished tonight. It has a little slower taper, and goes to a 4 point fall hitch instead of a twisted taper. Feels a little more sturdy. I also went towards the extreme side and tried 3ft of shot loading to see what happens.

I like this much better.
I'll bet it probably feels a little more balanced too.
Have you cracked it yet?

Ron

Collin, I agree with Ron. I think this looks better - and the added weight should help a lot.

Same here, a very marked improvement. Good job, man.

I put it on the old handle to test crack it, and what a difference. Definitely easier to crack, as well as feeling much better balanced. I'll have to give it the honors of its own handle now.

She wont win any beauty contests, but here is the redesigned complete stock whip. I wanted to try the new design so went function over looks to make sure I liked it. After waxing it handles and cracks easier than some of my bullwhips. I'm still not 100% sure how tight I want the keepers. The thong barely rests on the handle, but I'd be afraid if I let it out any more it would become sloppy after it breaks in and stretches a little.

I also wanted to show my rebate quick. I went old school and formed a 5/8" oak dowel by hand with my trusty Nicholson file. So far it seems to work really well for both stock whips.

Leaps and bounds man, leaps and bounds, that looks great! (For a stock whip :P )

I really do like that last one, Collin, it's a huge improvement. Must agree with what Andrew says above - leaps and bounds! Good stuff.

Andrew and Sir Roger, thanks very much! I'm really enjoying these stock whips at the moment.

Collin, I like stock whips a lot, myself, both making and cracking them. Unfortunately, they don't sell that well here in the states. I have a lot better luck with bulls and cow whips.

Mark, that is my next concern. I have 15 whips of various degrees (some might not even deserve to be called whips but rather nylon noodles : ) I have to start unloading them. I have a few friends that will be on the receiving end, and a few that I believe are presentable to sell at least on an online garage sale. That is my next dilemma though, how to position the ones I have at an honorable/ fair price. I was thinking as low as $40-$50 local pickup only for them to mainly recoup some cost so I can purchase more supplies and really get serious about making some presentable pieces without "hurting" and encroaching on the more professional makers.

Collin, I've given away a lot, and sold a few. One thing I can say is don't sell yourself short. If you are proud enough of them to put them up for sale then ask a fair price. So maybe we aren't on a par with members of the ring, so I don't try to get what they get, but I'm certainly a better whipmaker than a lot of the people selling whips and I ask a bit more than they do. I'd even say price it a bit high. You can always barter with someone and if you go down a little they feel like they've gotten a deal and you have sold a whip.