In continuing with my production line style of making these six bullwhips, I put the inner bolsters on and then started to attach the outer bellies:
Here’s the outer bellies attached:
The next step will be plaiting the outer bellies.
Louie
http://bullwhips.org
My current project is working on a dozen whips! Six of them will be six foot 12 plait bullwhips and the other six will be four foot stockwhips. The most labor intensive will be the bullwhips, so I’m working on them first.
For me, when making a lot of whips that are the same, the easiest way to save time is to do the same layer of all of them at the same time. This is “production line” style, where you do only one task at a time. This way your brain isn’t constantly shifting gears. For example, I cut out all of the bellies at the same time:
Then I went through and attached all of the inner bellies at the same time. Once they were all attached I plaited all six of them.
This way works great, but when I’m doing the overlays will be really rough on my hands.
Louie
http://bullwhips.org
Currently I’m working on about a dozen bullwhips, and just had the leather come in from David Morgan.
I had 10 skins come in, all in the mid 50 dm range. Hopefully they’ll be enough to make six bullwhips and six stock whips…
Louie
http://bullwhips.org
I had this whip come in for a repair. The keepers on the handle and the lash were basically gone. What was left of the keeper on the lash was the loop from an inner layer of the whip. The keeper on the handle was about to fall off as well.
I wanted to keep what was left of the keepers/loops and build over them. This in theory will provide a bit more strength than if I had cut them off.
For the handle, I took off the knot:
Then removed the string:
I then put a new keeper onto where the string was. I bound it really tight with sinew and put a new knot on it.
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I did a similar procedure for the lash:
And the end result turned out looking pretty nice!
I gave it a crack, and it works great!
I want to give a shout out to Paul Nolan for helping me get some kangaroo that matched the whip!
Louie
I had this bullwhip come in for a new fall:
After chatting with the owner, he decided he wanted an Australian style fall put on it.
Here’s the whip with it’s new fall:
Here’s a close pic of it:
I took it outside and gave it a few cracks!
It’s on its way back to its owner.
Louie
This weekend I’m in New Orleans at the Southern Sideshow Hootenanny! I’ll be teaching a intro to whip cracking workshop and will have some whip for sale!
If you are in New Orleans this weekend come by and say HI!
The festival runs 3/22-24
The signal whip that I was working has been finished. It was a 3 foot, two tone whip:
This whip is made from 12 plait kagnaroo, and the natural tan tapers out of it as I drop strands, ending in all black lash.
This whip is on its way to its new owner!
Louie
http://bullwhips.org
Up next is a 3 foot 12 plait signal whip (single tail) in natural tan and black. I had a bit of black kangaroo left, however not enough for this whip, so I went up to David Morgan and picked up this skin:
It’s 57 dm, and I didn’t need much of it for the signal whip. I’m hoping they’ll be enough leftover for 6 foot bullwhip. There’s plenty for a 5 foot whip, but hoping for enough for a 6 foot.
Louie
http://bullwhips.org
Here’s an 8 foot Beginner’s Bullwhip that I finished yesterday
I just listed it for sale on my IN STOCK whip page
Louie
http://bullwhips.org
I’ve finished up the “finishing touches” of this 8 foot Indiana Jones style bullwhip:
This bullwhip is on its way to its new owner!
Louie
http://bullwhips.org