Bullwhips – Handmade by Louie

Most people that read this blog know that my “day job” is that I’m a professional magician (you can read more about about me as a performer at www.louiefoxx.com).  As a professional magician I belong to a couple of trade groups one of them is the International Brotherhood of Magicians (the original IBM acronym).  They put out a monthly magazine for members only called the Linking Ring.  My copy came in the mail today and while I was reading it I stumbled upon a picture of The Whip Guy Chris Camp.

Over the summer he performed at a Magic Convention and there was a review of the show he was in.  Here’s the pic from the magazine (Chris is in the top row of pics in the middle):

Chris is one of the guys that helped me a lot when I was on America’s Got Talent.  He was on a couple seasons ago and his advice really helped me get on that show!

If you aren’t familiar with Chris Camp his website is www.thewhipguy.com and here’s my favorite whip trick that he does and one of the most amazing targets I’ve seen in my life:

Louie
http://bullwhips.org

Currently I’m working on three 8 plait bullwhips that will be five feet long.  I’ve completed all three whips internal layers and cut out the overlays and just need to do the plaiting.  Actually one of the bullwhips is finished:

These five foot bullwhips are made from kangaroo and would make a great working bullwhip or entry level kangaroo bullwhip!

Also a few weeks ago I stumbled on this video:

I thought that using a whip to keep a top spinning was interesting and that I’d never heard of this before.  I found a Whip Top set:

The whip that came with this is basically useless as a whip, but it works well for winding up the top. I’ve gotten this to keep spinning after I’ve cracked the whip at it.  Unfortunately I haven’t spent much time working with it…maybe someday I’ll make a better whip for it and get good at it.

Louie
http://bullwhips.org

Labor Day Indy Style Bullwhip Sale!

From now until midnight on 9/5/11 (or when I wake up  in the morning on 9/6 and turn off the sale) all Indy Style Bullwhips are 20% off the base cost! To take advantage of this sale go to: http://bullwhips.org/bullwhip_store/viewitem.php?productid=143

All my Indy Style bullwhips are made with the same look as the bullwhips used by Indiana Jones in the first three movies.  So these bullwhips will be the same plait count, have the same knots, etc.

These are all “made to order” and the current wait time  from when you place your order to when it ships is approx. 2 weeks.  Keep in mind my bullwhips are made in a first come first served order, so if you wait until midnight on Labor Day you wait may be longer if a bunch of people order before you did, so delay order now!

Louie

P.S. This is a super great deal, you will save $84 on your bullwhip!
http://bullwhips.org

Here’s the finished 5 foot bullwhip in 8 plait kangaroo:

I made this bullwhip with the color scheme of the bullwhip used in the movie Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.  It’s made in whiskey colored kangaroo with brandy colored knots.

Louie
http://bullwhips.org

My current project is working on a five foot bullwhip that will be 8 plait kangaroo.  Currently I have all the internal layers finished:

The step I’m working on right  now is cutting out the overlay:

My performing schedule is pretty full until Thursday so I don’t know if I’ll get much work in on this bullwhip before then.  Oh, speaking of me as a performer I was recently voted the Best Live Entertainment for Kids by the Parent Map magazine!

Louie
http://bullwhips.org

Here’s the 6 foot bullwhip before the overlay:

and the finished bullwhip:

Next up is going to be a 5 foot 8 plait kangaroo bullwhip.

Louie
http://bullwhips.org

My current project is working on a six foot 12 plait bullwhip. This bullwhip will be in black kangaroo with white interweaves on the knots.

Currently I have both plaited bellies completed, so my next step is the final bolster!

Louie
http://bullwhips.org

Here’s an 8 plait dog lead that I was working on:

And here’s the final product:

This will go out in the mail to its new owner very soon!

My next project is a six foot 12 plait bullwhip in black kangaroo and with white highlights in the knots!

Louie
http://bullwhips.org

I recently had someone email me for a quote for a 9 foot bullwhip that’d be made in the style of the one that Indiana Jones had in the Temple of Doom Movie.  I make bullwhips with the look of the ones that David Morgan made for the Indiana Jones movies…but I don’t make the movie specific.

There are several reasons for why I don’t make movie specific whips, but the main one is that more than one whip was used in each movie. So matching one whip to 7 or 8 whips of varying lengths and colors is close to impossible.

There is a certain formula that David Morgan used to make the bullwhips used in the movies and that is what my Indy Style bullwhips are made to.  These characteristics are what make and Indy Bullwhip and Indy Bullwhip and not every tan colored bullwhip is an Indy bullwhip.  Sorry but in my opinion most of the people on the internet are lying to you when they call every crappy bullwhip they sell and Indiana Jones bullwhip.

The same person who asked me for a quote on a 9 foot Indy Bullwhip (who didn’t end up buying from me) sent me an email saying they found a cheaper “8 plait tan Indy Bullwhip” and wanted my opinion on it.  Here’s the picture that was attached to the email:

And below is my email response:

That whip isn’t close to an Indy bullwhip.  It’s a tan bullwhip…but not an Indy bullwhip, in fact aside from color it misses out on just about everything that makes and Indy bullwhip an Indy Bullwhip!

Here’s just a few things wrong with that whip:

1. handle is 4 seam not checker board

2. Wrong number of passes on the heel knot

3. Heel knot is the same size as the transition knot (the heel knot should be much larger)

4. wrong number of plaits everywhere (including the wrist loop)

5. Fall is way to short for that bullwhip.  Assuming the handle is 8 inches (which is standard for a true Indy bullwhip) then that fall is about a foot long, where for it to be a well functioning bullwhip and an Indy bullwhip it should be closer to 24-30 inches long

And those are just the glaring things that make it not an indy bullwhip…I’m not even nit picking it, there’s a lot more that make is not an indy bullwhip.

However simply based on the fall length I wouldn’t recommend it as a plain ol’ bullwhip and definately not and Indy bullwhip!

So is my evaluation of that bullwhip a little harsh?

Nope!

You see an Indy Bullwhip is a very specific type of whip.  Let’s break it down this way, you are buying an automobile.  That’s a very broad term, technically an automobile would include things like cars, pickup trucks, SUV’s, Vans, motorcycles.  Just like the broad term whips includes snake whips, signal whips, stock whips, etc.

Now we can get a bit more specific ans say we are buying a car.  An a car could be anything from a sedan to a smart car to station wagon.  It’s still a pretty broad term, just like if you were searching for a bullwhip.  You could be looking for an amercian style bullwhip, aussie style, mini-bullwhip, etc.

Alright, let’s narrow it down even further you want a sedan.  Great, but a sedan refers to a specific type of structure the car is built on, but there are still a lot of types of sedans like a compact,  mid-size, full size, sports car, etc.  And if you were to narrow down your bullwhip choice to a 12 plait bullwhip, you still have a lot of options within that classification.  Two tone, kangaroo, cow, handle length, western fall, aussie fall, swivel handle, fully plaited handle, plaited bellies, shot loaded, etc.

Ok, let’s get really specific we want to buy a 1973 Corvette Stingray.  Great we know exactly what we want.  A 1973 Corvette Stingray has very specific characteristics and those characteristics make the look of the car different from just any other car.  Just like and bullwhip made in the style of the bullwhip used by Indiana Jones has very specific characteristics that make it different from just any bullwhip.

Is this:

the same as this:

They both are white cars…both were even made in 1973.  However only one of them meets certain criteria to be a Corvette Stingray.  And just like the car an Indy Style bullwhip has certain criteria to be an Indy Bullwhip!

Here are the minimum requirements that a whip has to have to be an Indy Bullwhip:

• 12 plait dropping to a 6 plait point
• natural tan color
• White hide fall
• black nylon cracker
• Diamond pattern on handle
• 4 seam on lash
• 6 plait wrist loop
• 8 inch handle
• large heel knot
• 4 X 5 knots (3 pass on  heel knot and 2 pass on transition knot)

If a Indy bullwhip doesn’t meet those minimums, it’s just a bullwhip.

Louie
http://bullwhips.org

Here’s a quick look at what’s inside a bullwhip:

The blue layers are bolster and the brown are plaited kangaroo layers.

I made that particular piece of bullwhip a long time ago, my current ones would look a bit different.

Louie

http://bullwhips.org