Whip Basics. The Forum

Holy cow thats bright! Now that 10 footer is my style. Thats a perfect looking cowboys whip and one that I would carry on my saddle anytime. Rachel is there anyway we can see it in motion? Well done mam.

Thank you very much, Roy! That's the kind of whip I have been wanting to make (the 10 footer, not the bright one )
Yessir Lonnie will help me with a video as soon as it dries off outside and we are done training dogs.

Kind of a weird question: do you have a particular favorite wood for handles so far?

I think the ones Rachel made me are red oak? I actually have been wondering about making handles out of diamond willow...at least sections of it...something. I don't know, actually, I'm still in the question and answer phase of my exploration.

Roy here is a couple short videos:
Here's the 10 footer in motion:
https://youtu.be/xzqhX-fA_QM

Here's one target:
https://youtu.be/8Y9KZoJC4cs

Jessie yes you have I believe 3 red oak and 1 white oak. Or if they're all the same red oak. All of my handles except for a few cherry and what I purchased through Whip Nation are reclaimed pallet lumber. Red oak.

Efren so far my favorites are Goncalo Alves which I bought from WN from Roy (really nice wood), cherry from my dad, and bois d'arc from some friends here. I have a piece of Purple Heart that sits on my cabinet I look at while I plait- still haven't got the just right colors to go on it yet! I think burgundy would go well perhaps. Or dark acid brown..

Oooo purpleheart. It gets super purple with a little UV exposure, but gets a bit brown with too much. My opening knife has a purpleheart handle and you can really tell which side faced the window. Some finishes are supposed to have a uv blocker, but I havent tried them.

what is this "purpleheart" you speak of??? googleing...

Weird. It says another name is amaranth, but I thought amaranth is a plant? Must be two of the sameish...regardless, its cool. Rachel, a really pretty sage thong would look epic with that wood. Sage and burgundy together maybe. Something that would darken considerably when waxed.

Rachel thanks for the videos. That whip flows perfectly.Tell Lonnie thanks for the demo

http://www.wood-database.com/wood-artic ... tic-woods/
This has a link to wood dyes that stay true.

Efren I read exterior spar varnish with UV inhibitors, the exterior spar varnish I've used in the past was a good finish- but I've never used it with any kind of exotic hardwoods!

Jessie yes it's also called amaranth which is also a flower and a seed producing plant, though the two are obviously different- I believe the leaves of the amaranth are used for greens.
Sage would look really good, there is a paracord color "Moss Green" that is close!

Thanks Roy I'll sure tell him! I'm testing my pattern and math, same ratio today on a 7 foot 16 plait. I hope to wax it this afternoon I can't help but hope my math proves true to that same pattern.

Hm. I think amaranth is more medicinal than consumable. I am hearing good things about it and the treatment of AIDS. Though, with the amount of tannin in the plant, I would assume it would be a blood clotting agent. I can look it up if you like, but I am working on some online things right now for Robby and my own shop. Later maybe, if you are curious.

Finished the 7 ft whip I was trying. I'll wax it tomorrow and see how goes.
Here's another short one I made, this one is for Lonnie for dog training. The whole thing is 5 ft. 8 inches, handle thru cracker. The thong itself is 3' 3". I won't say it has the best action but it is short enough to keep it up off the pups but still make noise. The handle is pear from our tree.

Do you make handles for each whip as needed, or do you keep a stockage on hand? I would think that the handles would take longer than the whips.

I like that little handle, specially with the deep cup. Handy little snapper to get the pups attention.

Hi Craig, it takes about 3 hours to make a handle from a squared up 1.5"x1.5"x12-18". Some I make ahead but most as needed.

Fritz, thanks, we really like the whip for use around dogs that are gun shy, it has worked really well for desentization.

The fact that they are hand crafted is that special ingredient that makes a difference
in the amount of 'self' that goes into every one of Rachel's whips.

Thanks Ron. I have used a few turned ones I made in Minnesota but nearly all of mine pictured are hand cut. The pink one is turned.

Fritz I meant to say the deep cup I really like too, I don't see but a couple photos around of folks who use that. I saw it on Roy's whips first, then researched and have only found a couple photos of whips out there with that deep of a cup. I really like the action it provides. It seems to supply more accuracy and control.

Yes, I think so too.
The whip has more handle to sit in nice and snug, and it provides a little more leverage on the transition. That together with some tight binding should work a treat.