Bobbie Holyoak

Robert Gage · Post by **Robert Gage** » Wed 7. Jan 2015, 11:09

Mario, those photos of Bobbi's Valkyrie are simply stunning! And your description of this whip as 'heavy, with great balance' makes me want one even more! Someday....

(And - I really like the hat in your current avatar!)

Roger, I quite agree when you say 'The Valkyrie plaiting - having one single strand of the contrast colour on the other side! So simple yet so striking.' And - although I'm not a whip maker - I suspect that un-doing and re-doing one whip even fifty times is more valuable than making fifty less-than-satisfactory whips in succession!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed 7. Jan 2015, 11:37

Wow, that blue Valkyrie is really cool! Not exactly my favorite colors, but the black knots make it work for me too.

Awesome work. As expected, of course

- Pokkis

Sir Roger Tuson · Post by **Sir Roger Tuson** » Thu 8. Jan 2015, 11:17

Robert Gage wrote:I suspect that un-doing and re-doing one whip even fifty times is more valuable than making fifty less-than-satisfactory whips in succession!

Fer sure but it's still a pain in the rear!<sigh>

Lasse Carenvall · Post by **Lasse Carenvall** » Thu 8. Jan 2015, 11:59

Roger Tuson wrote:The Valkyrie plaiting - having one single strand of the contrast colour on the other side! May I please try that on a future whip of my own? So simple yet so striking.

Bobbi Holyoak wrote:Roger, yes, please feel free to try it out. It looks nice with every color I have used so far.

So far I have just called this pattern "1-strand colour offset" in my work notes, but it will from now on be known as the "Valkyrie pattern"!

And yes, it does look good - at least it has in every colour combination I have tried so far! It is simple, yet looks more complex. It has a nice symmetry to it, that creates a good visual balance. With a light/dark brown colour combo it gets a kind of "reptilian" character. I have used that on a couple of dog leashes, and they clearly had a snake-ish look! (Which the customers really appreciated, I might add...

)

Jared Routon · Post by **Jared Routon** » Mon 12. Jan 2015, 14:01

Awesome work Bobbie. I love the blue whip. The colors just match so well.

Bobbi Holyoak · Post by **Bobbi Holyoak** » Mon 12. Jan 2015, 16:51

Thanks for all the support, everyone.

Lasse, I would be really proud if you used the Valkyrie name. I named all of my whips something different and spiritual. My thought was that there will be a fare amount of people who won't copy the names and styles simply because they don't sound tough or manly enough.

Robby Amper · Post by **Robby Amper** » Wed 14. Jan 2015, 16:07

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May I chime in?

I have the Valkyrie here for some time, now. And let me assure you... It's a great one. This whip is - very - heavy and so are there two groups of folks, I recommend this one: The experienced whip handlers and the beginner.

For the experienced one, because it rolls out very (!) smooth and it cracks, even if you don't go for a crack. For example: I have the whip straightened out behind me and bring it up for the circus crack. On it's way up it literally goes into a underhand crack by itself. Simply because of the weight and balance. Great to experience that. It's precise and straight.

For the beginner, because of the weight. It'll help the beginner to build up some muscle/body memory in no time. And it'll be very hard for a beginner, to overpower it. The whip is stronger, believe me.

The price is much higher than Bobbi's other whips, but it is worth every single Cent. Much more material in the whip and much more working time. Like I'm used to say: "Good money for good work". Not too long, and you'll hear (and see) more about that whip.

Robby

Robert Gage · Post by **Robert Gage** » Wed 14. Jan 2015, 19:11

Robby, every word I hear about Bobbi's Valkyrie makes it more attractive!

And Bobbi, no one should think that the name 'Valkyrie' doesn't signify something 'tough'. Anyone who knows Wagner's Ring, or the Niebelungenlied, knows that no one ever messes with these females and gets away with it!

Bobbi Holyoak · Post by **Bobbi Holyoak** » Wed 14. Jan 2015, 20:58

Thanks Robby, that means a lot coming from you. It made me laugh when you said "The whip is stronger, believe me." ...It IS stronger!

Robert, Fore some reason the whips seem to be female to me. I was hoping that people would hear the name and "get it" but i wasn't sure if that strong feminine idea would translate.

Robby Amper · Post by **Robby Amper** » Wed 14. Jan 2015, 21:01

Oh, with the Valkyrie Painting by Robert Hughes which will appear in the video (which is also in blue tones!), they will get it!

Robby

Giovanni Celeste · Post by **Giovanni Celeste** » Fri 23. Jan 2015, 14:15

Great whip Bobbi and great pics Mario, i m a fan of the blue color because the meaning of my surname (Celeste) is blu indeed...

Bobbi Holyoak · Post by **Bobbi Holyoak** » Fri 23. Jan 2015, 16:21

Thanks Gio! I didn't know that about your name. Very cool! I always thought maybe your name meant heaven or night sky...or something similar.

Giovanni Celeste · Post by **Giovanni Celeste** » Fri 23. Jan 2015, 22:39

Yes, Bobbi blu like the color of the sky during the day....

Guy Washburn · Post by **Guy Washburn** » Sat 24. Jan 2015, 16:13

Wow Bobbi, I don't know where to start! I spent several hours checking out this entire thread last night. Too tired to post anything then. Staring at the screen and reading text wreaks havoc with me eyes.
Thanks for sharing such an expansive collection of your stellar work. Your pipe whip concept is sooo elegant and innovative. I really love that blue Valkyrie whip....Stunning...Heck, I like it all...well maybe not that pink and green thing :o
Mario's photo skills really do your work justice!!
Regards, ~Guy~

Bobbi Holyoak · Post by **Bobbi Holyoak** » Sat 24. Jan 2015, 21:16

Thanks Guy! (I don't really care for the pink and green one either) Even if it is the one I have in my hand in my profile picture!

Bobbi Holyoak · Post by **Bobbi Holyoak** » Thu 16. Apr 2015, 04:57

For some reason, this whip didn't photograph that well. Here it is anyway, the long whip I was complaining about earlier.

The man it went to called me on the phone and gushed for about 30 minutes and then wrote me a nice email. I'm so relieved! Here are a few of his comments.

Honestly, Bobbi, really, truly, this whip is flawless. I've trained in martial arts for almost 28 years and handled too many weapons to count during that time, and trained extensively with dozens and dozens, from Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Tibetan to European weapons and even the Argentinan boleadoras. I only seek out the very best of weapons and so my weapon collection is not as large as some senseis, but I have throwing knives, swords, and daggers from Hanwei and Paul Chen, a German Messer that Cold Steel produced, traditional longbows and an actual hunting boomerang. This dragonlash is now the grandfather of my training tools- when I put him with the other weapons on the weapon rack they all went QUIET and just waited. It was like a genius Renaissance man walking into a room of professors.

Just wanted you to know from a tactical, real-world combat (my years in the protective services) perspective, this Dragonlash is extremely high-quality. The fact that it is so beautiful is just another astonishing layer.

I recognize the Master in you, and am deeply honored by your skill.

N

Fritz Ehlers · Post by **Fritz Ehlers** » Thu 16. Apr 2015, 08:18

Awesome whip Bobbi, beautiful work as always, I have yet to see a whip of yours that I haven't been impressed with.
And some well deserved praise.

Just one thing though, .... in all the 28 years of handling too many weapons to mention he'll be relieved to know that the whip isn't one of them.

Robert Gage · Post by **Robert Gage** » Thu 16. Apr 2015, 08:18

Bobbi, I am almost speechless with admiration. With a lot of effort, I think I can imagine what this would feel like in my hand. Wow!

Roy Partin · Post by **Roy Partin** » Thu 16. Apr 2015, 09:44

Oh ya Bobbi, that's my kind of whip. Long, heavy and a nice rich color. Sounds like a very happy customer to me and he should be. Congrats on another goodun

Robby Amper · Post by **Robby Amper** » Thu 16. Apr 2015, 12:58

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Very good work, Bobbi. The color accents are tasteful and stylish. You already told me that the thong has high diameter at the beginning, but the whole things looks perfectly balanced in terms of tapering. Thanks for the picture. Will be there a video, too?

Robby