Redhide Bullwhip Falls

Today I’m cutting out a small batch of redhide falls

redhide bullwhip fall
work

Whenever I cut out falls, I do more than one as doing multiple isn’t much more work. I cut them out, but leave them attached at the narrow end. I first hang them by the narrow end and pare the top left and bottom right corners. Then I cut the end off so they are all separate and hang them from the wide end. I then pare the top left and bottom right corners, to “knock off” all the corners.

I came up with this technique for another whip maker whose paring abilities to do the top right and bottom left weren’t as good at their top left and bottom right skills. While I can do it both ways, I still pare mine this way.

-Louie

82 dm Kangaroo Skin!

I’m trying to use up some natural tan and whiskey colored kangaroo centers that I have. I’m going to make some two tone whips using the centers as the second color. I drove up to David Morgan and picked up a black kangaroo skin for the base color for these whips.

veg tanned, drum stuffed kangaroo

I’m not sure what kinds of whips I’ll make, but with this veg tanned, drum stuffed skin at 82 decimeters, I have options as to what I can make!
-Louie

Signal Whip

I’m working on a 12 plait three tone signal whip!

single tail signal whip

This single tail whip has a removable/replaceable cracker

single tail signal whip

The end of the whip h as a 4 plait point that’s back braided on itself to form a loop for the cracker. You could also put in a slapper to make it like a quirt.

All that’s left is to put the knot on the handle.

-Louie

Bullwhip Making on the Road

Sometimes when I travel, I make bullwhips in my hotel room. I’ve done this enough over the years that I have a system. It starts with laying down a plastic drop cloth on the ground to make my mess easy to clean!

whip making in a hotel

Here’s the outer belly of the six foot bullwhip I’m working on:

bullwhip plaited belly

And here’s the whip with the boslter attached:

bullwhip belly and bolster

And the 8 plait whiskey overlay that has been stretched and pared:

Bullwhip 8 plait whiskey kangaroo

I have a way I lock the whip into the door jam to keep it from slipping out while I plait.

bullwhip 8 plait overlay

This 6 foot 8 plait bullwhip should be done tomorrow! This is a whip I’m making for fun, so when it’s done, I’ll list it on my IN STOCK whip page.

Junk Shop Whips!

I’m in a small town today and stopped by an “antique mall” and came across some whips.

The first whip looks to be an 8 plait bullwhip that was made out of split leather, so there is no grain side, only flesh on both sides of the strands. That means it lacks the smoother grain side of the whip.

bull whip

The second whip is a 4 plait two tone swivel handle whip.

swivel handle bullwhip

The final whip is a rawhide quirt.

rawhide quirt

The two bullwhips were pretty dried out, and would need some Pecard Leather Dressing before you could crack them without worrying about blowing the ends off the whips.

Usually if you find a whip in an antique shop, it’s poorly maintained and overpriced. I think these are being sold more for decoration that for someone to go out and crack in the yard. You could get better whips or at least equal quality and new for the same price they were asking for these!