making a whip

[Handmadewhips]

Skip..

If you have Grant's Encyclopedia look on pg 196 for instructions and plate 76 for illustrations.

It is a way of wrapping lace or cord into a bundle.

Thanx

I've been through Grant's book 100 times and never gave that a second look. Now i don't know how I missed it..

thanx again

skip

[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

[Handmadewhips]

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.

TexasLady

Whips and Whipmaking by Ron Edwards is good.. if you Googal "Ram Skull Press" you'll find a lot of material there. For the most part there are 3 books on whips and whipmaking. Edwards book and David Morgans books. Amazon has them I think do a search for Whipmaking and you'll find them.

For the rod you can cut it nicly with an Hack Saw. How long depends on how long you would like the handle. I like 10inch but 8inch is good also. Some whipmakers go as long as 14inchs. 8 to 12 inches is the standered.

skip

[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

[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

[Handmadewhips]

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

You can make a good whip that has no handle at all... A snake whip has no riged handle and is flexable from Knot to tip.

If your going to braid over the handle then I would say yes use the rod. But it sounds like your going to use a wood handle. In that case. The easiest way to go about it, if you don't have a lathe, is to just drill a hole in the end and screw in a bolt then grind off the top. Then you can attach the leather to that.

skip

(ps) Sorry TexasLady. I looked back on the thread and I did give you the wrong name of the book.. sorry... Morgan's book is Whips & whipmaking. my bad.

Edited August 10, 2009 by Handmadewhips

[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

[jerryrwm]

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

The edit button only works if you get back to it shortly after making the post and before someone has opened it up to read. I think that's the way it was explained to me.

Now to the second part. You should decide if you want a handle like those that Skip makes where the thong starts from the end (nearly the end) of the wooden handle, which is shaped and probably weighted. Or do you want a handle that is completely covered by the plaiting?

If it is the latter, you will want to use a steel rod that you can buy at Home Depot or Lowe's etc. If you look around, you can find them in 1/4" x 12" lengths. Or you can get a hacksaw with a 32T blade and cut it to length. Look in the hardware section for 8" spikes also. This is what David Morgan uses for his handle foundation.

This will allow you to make a whip handle that people can actually get their hand around. The reason I say this is because if you plait over a hammer handle you are going to add four thicknesses of your leather over the hammer handle. To see what this will end up being, wrap the handle twice with your leather that will be used to make the whip. In all fairness, you want a finished whip handle that is no bigger in diameter than that unfinished hammer handle or even a little smaller. Remember in whips and whip handles "bigger is not always better" especially if you are going to use that whip a lot. For example: the Indy whips made by David Morgan have a handle that is about 7/8" in diameter. Some are larger but not much over 1-1/16". It will cut down on fatigue when using the whip.

Good Luck.

Jerry

formerly R-in-Texas Whips now in Wisconsin

[The Major]

It is also important to keep in mind what type of wood you are using for your handle. The steel rod serves as a type of shock absorber. If you use an old broom handle you will need to insert a rod into it, but if you use a denser wood you will not. I would recommend finding a wood working store around your area and get some hardwood dowels for your handle cores this way no rod will be needed.

Edited August 10, 2009 by The Major

[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

Edited August 10, 2009 by TexasLady