Whip Basics. The Forum

Hi everyone, here are some photos of the whips I've made so far.
I may have started making them 3 years ago but I'm definitely still a beginner, this is a hobby for me so I'm not making whips every day
Hopefully I've put them in the order I made them.
I hope you like some of the better ones

A very good show, Ross! I'll study these more carefully after lunch....

Ross, you are definitely improving.
You're off to a very good start.

Ron

Robert & Ron thank you, it really is a fun and therapeutic way to spend my evenings when Sarah is working

Ross, I'm sorry I can't comment qualified on your whips. I'm not building myself.

On the other hand, I can instantly feel about a whip feeling "right" to me and whether the balance is alright.

Good that you intend to learn whipcracking from the ground up. I've met a quiete af few people, that braids whips but can't do a single crack themself. That's how their whips feel, too.

Flemming I totally agree with you, I recently watched a video of a 'whip maker' showing how his whips crack and I was embarrassed for him! He basically knew how to badly muscle the whip to get 2 different cracks and literally held his over arm over his face in panic....... I know I'm a beginner but I can do a few cracks with more ease and finesse than that (and have made more whips.....) but I would never make a video promoting myself like that. I have made videos but more to show friends my own progress.
But it's not my place to say what others do, personally I wouldn't call myself a whip maker after a handful of builds, there's so much more involved than just the braiding.
I won't however recommend said maker.

Ross, that is very good progress - very good job!

Ben

Ben Varsek wrote:Ross, that is very good progress - very good job!

Ben

Ben coming from someone who produces such fine work that is a big compliment thank you

A nice collection and quite a few already.
You may not consider yourself a whipmaker but it seems you know a lot more than some of the self-proclaimed „whipmakers“.
Just recently there was a whip autopsy of a „roohide“ whip on Facebook. I think in the 200$ range, that alone is suspicious.
After disassembling the leather belly it became „interesting“...tape and all kind of rubbish.

Wolfgang Timm wrote:A nice collection and quite a few already.
You may not consider yourself a whipmaker but it seems you know a lot more than some of the self-proclaimed „whipmakers“.
Just recently there was a whip autopsy of a „roohide“ whip on Facebook. I think in the 200$ range, that alone is suspicious.
After disassembling the leather belly it became „interesting“...tape and all kind of rubbish.

Wolfgang was that by any chance the LB whip that had clear film as the binding and nothing attaching the core to the handle?

I'm a perfectionist so am not happy enough with my work yet to consider calling myself a whip maker but yes I'm definitely better than some of the people selling whips! It's sad that these con artists exist

Yes! That was it! I‘m not sure, if I actually have posted a thread about this atrocity here in the forum or somewhere else, but I was definitely thinking about doing so.

Wolfgang Timm wrote:Yes! That was it! I‘m not sure, if I actually have posted a thread about this atrocity here in the forum or somewhere else, but I was definitely thinking about doing so.

It really was bad wasn't it! I posted it in a couple of groups to stop people paying good money for something that's basically a display prop!

Fortunately there ARE whipgroups and say about Facebook what you want...after a while you know who’s good and where to stay away from.
And of course: reading the forum here sure doesn’t hurt

Ross, you've really shown a lot of improvement over just a few whips. Good job.

Mark Elliott wrote:Ross, you've really shown a lot of improvement over just a few whips. Good job.

Mark thank you that means a lot to me
Once the move is sorted I'm going to start on a 7' and take note of a few tips you guys have given me. I've realised a couple of things I was doing when experimenting weren't helping the roll out, you live and learn

There is lot of improment from whip to whip. Well done Ross!

Ross, do you have a favorite of the ones you made so far?
My impression is that the long brown one from the last photo is the tightest with the best taper.

Wolfgang Timm wrote:Ross, do you have a favorite of the ones you made so far?
My impression is that the long brown one from the last photo is the tightest with the best taper.

Wolfgang my favourite has to be the one I made for a friend with the coin in the heel but yes the last one has the best taper so far, the next one will have a better binding around the transition as that is all that let's it down in my opinion

Ah, I first thought the last three photos were of the same whip, but the very last has a wrist loop.

Wolfgang Timm wrote:Ah, I first thought the last three photos were of the same whip, but the very last has a wrist loop.

Wolfgang I will take that as a good sign that my tapers are getting fairly uniformed from whip to whip