TexasLady

8/14/09 Oops! That book, Whips and Whipmaking, is by Dan Morgan. (At least I'm improving,... I got half of his name right this time.) TexasLady

8/13/09 Today I picked up Dan Morgan's 'Whips and Whipmaking' at my local library. They didn't have it on the shelf a couple of weeks ago when I tried to find something on Whipmaking. But most (if not possibly all) State libraries here have a process called an INTER-LIBRARY LOAN. I just wanted to tell everybody about it, because sometimes books can get rather expensive, so that we can't always buy every book we like. You just fill out a paper form at the library, including you library card number, and pick out the book that you want from the computer. The librarians put out a call to whichever US library that has that book and ask for a loan. You'll usually get a call from your local library within a couple of weeks that your book has arrived from that other library. The book might be shipped from within your State, or it could be shipped from all the way across the nation. And it's free! The only 'catch' is that you'll only get to keep it for two weeks. After that, it's imperative that you return it 'on time', otherwise you might never get to use this service again. And they don't offer 'extention dates' on the inter-library loans. I just wanted folks who may have already spent all their money on tools and supplies, to know that they can get their hands on these nice books for free from the library,... even though it might take a few weeks. Again, ask for an INTER-LIBRARY LOAN to get the book you need when your local library doesn't have it. - TexasLady

8/13/09 Jerry, When you drill that pilot hole, you put the wooden handle in a vise first, right? I just picked up Dan Edwards 'Whips and Whipmaking' from my local library. A couple of weeks ago, I filled out a paper form, gave them my library card number, and the librarians sent it off to find a library that would loan me a copy of this book. I got a message on my phone yesterday that said it had come in and to come pick it up. Voila! And I'm so excited. On page 87 of his book is exactly what I was looking for. This is the shape into which I'd carved my Hickory hammer handle! It's just what I was wanting to make. I couldn't believe my eyes when I opened the book and that was the first thing that I saw! TexasLady

8/11/09 HandmadeWhips, That was a good link. It said that "dermal exposure" isn't considered a significant pathway into the body, but then it also said, "Lead may be taken in through direct contact with mouth, nose, and eyes (mucous membranes); and breaks in the skin." I'd like an easy way to put weight on a whip handle, as much as anybody, but I won't go this route because I'd worry about it later. Thanks for answering. -TexasLady

8/11/09 Brass, Did you ever get a copy of that pattern from someone? (No, I don't have it.) Was it just the tooling design that you really needed? If so, have you already thought of laying that photo on a xerox copier and enlarging half of it to the 'full size' that you need for that spot on the purse? In a similar vein, I recently used a size 12 men's moccasin pattern, enlarged it on a xerox copier by 6%, and turned it into a size 13 men's moccasin pattern. They fit the young man just fine. - TexasLady

8/11/09 Dear jerryrwm, Your work is unbelievably beautiful. TexasLady

8/11/09 HandMadeWhips, One more thing,... Where do I get the Lead Tape? And, do you think that the toxicity of the lead could be endangering the health of the user? Is it a 'sticky tape' that just sticks to the wood as it is wrapped around it? - TexasLady

8/11/09 Dear HandMadeWhips, You're such a helpful person. I will certainly keep that advice you've given me and those measurements for making a "quick" yet serviceable whip. Actually, I was wanting to make a really pretty, fancy whip. And I want it to be strong enough to be valued. But maybe making it 'pretty' is a little over-ambitious for my first whip. I probably just need to stop 'over-thinking' it and jump on in and start 'making' it. Thanks, TexasLady

8/10/09 Dear Jerry, I think that you're right about the Edit button. Right after I posted that last post of mine, there was the elusive Edit button right below what I'd written. But it sure hadn't been there when I was wanting to correct the name of the book that I've been reading. On the whip handles,... let's back up to my post from yesterday,... Here's what I wrote: "I've bought two Hickory hammer handles at a hardware store, and I'm carving down one of them. I don't think that I'll put the metal rod in my first whip. Can it still be a good whip handle even without a metal rod?" I've used a wood chisel and a rasp to carve down one of the Hickory hammer handles. It no longer looks like a hammer handle, because I've carved it down. I do appreciate the information that you've given me on the best size for a whip handle. Also, thanks for the information on which hacksaw blade to use. I don't have David Morgan's book yet, so it was interesting to find out that he uses 1/4" x 12" steel rods. But the whole focus of my question, at this time, is whether or not I can AVOID using a metal rod in my first whip handle, and yet produce a good whip. I'll consult everything that you've told me, though, for when I can no longer avoid having to put a steel rod in my whip handle,... probably the next one that I make. I don't know yet whether or not I'll be covering the whole handle with braidwork. Thanks. Dear Major, Since Hickory is a hardwood, I'm hoping that I won't have to use a metal rod in my first whip handle. So, what you wrote was a comfort to me. I've seen some good hardwood dowels at a Lowe's hardware store. In fact, I had one in my hand and was carrying it around with me, but I put it back and didn't buy it, opting in favor of the Hickory hammer handles. It was oak. The Encyclopedia of Braiding recommended a 3/4" x 14" piece of wood. My Hickory hammer handle is 17 1/2" long. But it has a slit at the small end, so once that is removed, the handle will be 16 1/2" long. Everybody, On a slightly different subject, Why is the ball-shaped 'knob' at the end of some whip handles made by wrapping that end of the handle in leather rather than just carving the wood itself into a ball-shaped 'knob' on the end of the handle? I should mention here that I'm an artist and enjoy carving. I wouldn't mind wrapping some leather over the 'knob' before covering it with braiding, but wouldn't it be sturdier to make the 'knob' from the wood itself, rather than attaching a strip of leather, wrapping it around, and fastening it in place? - TexasLady

8/10/09 Dear HandMadeWhips, That's okay about the book title. But is there an Edit button? It seems like I saw one here on this forum a while back, but I wasn't able to find it this time. Back to the whip handles,... okay, yes, I've seen the Snake whips. Right now, they don't interest me. I'm wanting to know if I can make a good whip using a wooden handle, but without inserting a metal rod in the wooden handle. I'm anxious to get started doing the braiding that covers the wooden handle. But if not inserting a metal rod will cause the whip to not be 'valued', then I'll just have to hold off on the braiding,... drag out the drill, set up the metal vise, and drag out the hack-saw. You may have deducted by now that my workshop isn't completely set up yet. Thanks for all your kindly given information. - TexasLady

8/10/09 I need to correct the name of the book that I put in my above post. I have Ron Edwards book called "How to Make Whips". (I couldn't find an Edit button to correct my above post. Is there one?) - TexasLady

8/9/09 Thanks very much, Handmadewhips. I really appreciate what you've told me. I did order Ron Edwards' Whips and Whipmaking. I love it. Still, I could have used more details and examples regarding the handles. I've bought two Hickory hammer handles at a hardware store, and I'm carving down one of them. I don't think that I'll put the metal rod in my first whip. Can it still be a good whip handle even without a metal rod? - TexasLady

Bob, I'm new to this forum, too. And, I'm new to leatherwork. I just looked at you website. Your work is just wonderful. I wish that I could be one of your leatherbraiding students. Maybe someday. Thanks for sharing with us newbies enough about rawhide cutting to keep us from certain disaster. - TexasLady

BadLoveLeather, is the snakeskin 'rawhide'? What are you going to make out of it? (I don't have any advice. I'm new. Just learning.) - TexasLady

King's X, would this kind of leather still be good enough to use up as, for example, some soles sewn on the bottom of moccasins? - TexasLady

8/1/09 Dear HandMadeWhips, Thanks for getting back to me on the weighted handles. I found steel rods at a hardware store, but I wondered how difficult it would be to cut through them, how long of pieces to make, and what kind of saw I'd need, so I didn't buy the steel rod yet. I went out and tried to find a book on whipmaking today. Here's the results: at two Half Price Books stores, nada. At B&N, nada. At Borders, nada. At the Arlington TX Public Library, nada. And at the Grand Prairie TX Public Library, nada. I have the Enclyclopedia that Jerrywm mentioned, and it's a great book, but for whipmaking, it jumps around too much. Jerrywm, regarding the word 'tamale'. I'm pretty sure that the choice of that word is based on the shape of the delicious Mexican tamale, and its similarity to the hand-sized elongated knot into which each strand is separately wound. I'm fluent in Spanish, an interpreter. It's my second language. As soon as I saw a picture in the Encyclopedia of what was being termed a 'tamale', it made me smile, as the imagery of the name given the clumps of leather strands amused me. Incidently, in South America, the marketplace ice-cream maker, who hand churns her product as she walks around the marketplace, calls the 'universal joint' (in the middle of her churn) the 'apple' (la manzana). - TexasLady

I began reading books on braiding and collecting items a few days ago, with the intention of making a whip. After reading the books, and watching a free video online, I realized that I had more questions than answers. I've only glanced at your tutorial, but I just wanted to go ahead and write you to thank you for providing us all that information,... and the entertainment of your pretty pictures. I'll go ahead and ask one of my questions now, although, I may find that you've already answered it in your pdf tutorial. I read that whip handles should be 'weighted'. How does one go about 'weighting' the whip handle? Thanks so much, TexasLady