Cutting Pattern

[sos]

Hey guys, I gave in and bought a whip making book, read Ron Edward's "how to make whips" three times now front to back & another 5 hours just pondering the pages out of order. I've got a quirt from Grant's book I made too, but he has to be the most vague maker of whips to bother writing a book...though to be fair, I was told Grant didn't write books, someone else cobbled them together, especially after he died.

Back to the point...

On page 14 & 15 of the 2nd edition, Edward's goes into some pattern methods.

I was pondering this and thought to myself, why doesn't he cut the strands by making rectangles and cutting across the diagonal of one corner to the opposite corner? See attached image.

Everyone I've talked too said that there hasn't been much change in whips for a few hundred years unless you count the past 15 years where the paracord whips have caught up to leather whips for cracking. So, I'm asking what the reason people don't use the diagonal method is...

I'll take any other musing's people have too!

I haven't decided if it's worth joining the whip maker's guild yet - otherwise I'd ping them. Thanks for the help in advance!!

-M

[rcsaddles]

When you cut the hide in a circle, you don't have any sharp corners or angles to contend with. Cutting in a circle will also yield more lace than any other way to cut. If you were to cut on the diagonal, when you braid, you would need to straighten those strands out and there would be a kink at each place you changed direction.

Now all of this is in my opinion but feel free to check me on this. I would like to see the results. Take a piece of leather and cut your rectangle and cut your lace on the diagonal. Use a circle of the same size in square inches and cut lace from it. Let us know how it turns out please.

[sos]

I'm not to the point where I've cut into my kangaroo yet - I got my hands on some super cheap goat hides and have been slicing from them...so I haven't used the circle pattern proscribed in 2nd edition of Ron Edward's book. The taper and the strength of the hides seems to be the issue. I don't have the super grade lace cutter / beveler / splitter @ $100-300 a shot, so me and my aussie strander are looking for ways to ensure the taper.

I've done some general circles from the inside out and some others from outside in and been displeased with the lack of even lace. I've scaled back to 3' snake whips primarily till I can work out the triangle method of cutting recommended for snake whips by Ron Edward.

I'll definitely update, I've got 7 projects before I'm redoing the taper on a belly & working the renaissance festival weekends for another month - so time at the work bench is limited.

Edit: I do cow for most of my whips, but the goat hide is the same size/shape as kangaroo that's I've got & that's why I'm doing a test in that

Edited September 11, 2015 by sos

[sos]

I haven't decided if it's worth joining the whip maker's guild yet - otherwise I'd ping them. Thanks for the help in advance!!

-M

Is anyone a member of the whipmaker's guild?

[rcsaddles]

I happen to be a member of the Australian Pl;aiters and Whipmakers Association.

[sos]

I happen to be a member of the Australian Pl;aiters and Whipmakers Association.

I saw them last year on here ... http://www.apwa.org.au/join-apwa.html, but then found this page too http://www.australianwhipcracking.org/Full_Join_AWPA.htm & couldn't justify paying that amount of money versus a good book with complete walk through or amazon prime for business shipping etc. Some questions I had that would help me with deciding if I'm joining their particular group ...

• How do you like them?
• Are there any difference between standard leather work forums with braiding or whip sections? (beyond more people for just whips)
• What's their forum post count per month/week/day like?
• Do they have electronic release's of the journal?
• Do they have an archive of their previous journals available? If so, does it cost extra?

Edited September 18, 2015 by sos

[rcsaddles]

The APWA is like most other groups. The amount of postings is directly related to the time of year and how busy people are. There will be information in the posts that you will not find anywhere else. I will tell you that I enjoy the stuff posted and use it some. Not all the posts are information I can use but someone somewhere will. You will not find the drama there that you do on Facebook or some other web sites.

They do not have the Journal abailable electronically and you can order previous journals. I don't remember the cost of those off the top of my head. The journal is a publication that consists of articles that members send in. I have submitted one article in the past. It may have twenty pages one quarter, 45 pages the next time and only 15 the next. It is directly related to the number of articles sent in.

I will take a shot in teh dark here and say that you would probably not be satisified with a subscription ot the APWA. As far as being well spent money instead of a book, it isn't, in my opinion. I am a member because I spent time in Australia and got instruction from many Aussies and continue to to this day. I prefer the Ron Edwards books and since he started the APWA, it is my way of supporting what he has done in the past.

I'm not trying to discourage you from joining, just being honest about it.

[sos]

Thanks a ton Joe!

I also have some Ron Edward's books

I've been scouring for blogs by leather workers & only found a few who do the whips so far, maybe 7 or 8...I want to see what goes on in people's heads - in that aspect the paracord community seems to be far more active - especially on youtube!

[rcsaddles]

There are a coule of whip braiding groups on Facebook. Look into that if you can. Most are pretty open with advise.

What Ron Edwards book has this in it? I am thinking of making some snake or signal whips in the very near future.

I've scaled back to 3' snake whips primarily till I can work out the triangle method of cutting recommended for snake whips by Ron Edward.

I hope I have that book and will look at home tonight. If you can tell me which book it will be a little easier.

I understand about using the goat for practice. It is cheaper than roo but you are correct about the cutting is a lot like roo.

I use the Aussie Lace cutter for my 6 and 7 foot stock whips. I can cut the taper with it pretty good. Of course it is not exact but when using the latigo for these whips, ir works really well.

If you want more info on cutters, splitters and bevelers, let me know and I can post a few pictures or try and do a video for you. I have learned how to bevel free hand on my stock whips. Not really tried on roo yet but will do that soon.

[25b]

What Ron Edwards book has this in it? ....... If you can tell me which book it will be a little easier.

From the first post in this thread...

Hey guys, I gave in and bought a whip making book, read Ron Edward's "how to make whips"

Oddly enough, it is called "HOW TO MAKE WHIPS"......by RON EDWARDS.

http://www.amazon.com/How-Make-Whips-Bushcraft-Edwards/dp/0870335138/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1443123105&sr=8-1&keywords=ron+edwards+whip+braiding

Edited September 24, 2015 by 25b