Way OT - bull whips (humor & question)

[Ysabel Kid]

Okay, I love a good practical joke – especially when I play it on someone else! With the next installment of the "Indiana Jones" series coming out later this month, it got me thinking about a “jokeâ€

[Bruce Scott]

" I imagine a 16-plait leather whip is infinitely better than a 4-plait vinyl one. Any words of wisdom here?"

Some FAQ here on stockwhips http://www.sidaveywhips.com/faq.htm , including this answer:

"12 plait, 16 plait and 24 plait refers to the number of strands used to plait the outer whip. A 12 plait whip is considered to be the most rugged and highly suitable for beginners as well as for use in the working situation. A 16 plait whip will not take as much rough handling as the 12 plait as the strands are finer, but it will be faster, more accurate and crack louder. I practice with a 12 plait but do all my shows and target work with a 16 plait. The strands of a 24 plait whip are finer again and this makes for a much quicker and more flexible whip, but it will take a lot less rough handling. It is a really beautiful design due to the super fine plaiting. "

Si Davey whips are made from kangaroo hide.

[20cows]

I imagine a 16-plait leather whip is infinitely better than a 4-plait vinyl one.

I think two key words are leather and vinyl as well.

[Nazgul]

Found a book about making whips and remembered the cheap one I had as a kid. Decided to make one. Ended up with a 16 plait, 12" long whip that is impressive to say the least. Hard to crack but sounds like a 22 when I get it right.

Now I have to dig it out after 10 years. Probably end up with red welts all over - again.

[gundownunder]

If you can find it, and afford it, kangaroo leather is the worlds best whip leather.
If you want to make your own whip do a google on "stockwhip making" I found a full set of instructions on the net.

[Rusty]

Florida natives are referred to as "Crackers" because that is how they herded cows years ago. The Florida brush is too heavy to throw a rope so whips had to be used to get the cows out where they could be worked. Here, they are cow whips. Breakin out a whip on a bull would most likely be one of the last mistakes you would make as most of them are mad enough without being teased.
We have a 12' cow whip I bought for my son when he was 10 or 12. His is made out of a material that is like the outer sheath of the para cord the military uses with no strands inside it. It's made this way to be more durable than leather. It requires little care and doesn't "cut" like leather. IIRC I paid $10 a foot for the nylon whip. Buckskin or leather was about 2 1/2 times that.
I will say that when I pop the nylon whip it sounds about like a .38 going off. The leather whips pop easier and sound more like a 12 ga.

[ScottT]

My grandpa always worked cattle from the back of a horse and used a rather long bullwhip. I have never seen another cowboy or vaquero use a bullwhip around here, though many of us used a quirt or shorter stock whips.

Grandpa could really work that bullwhip.

[kimwcook]

My dad had borrowed a bull for our small herd of cows and when it came time to return the bull the chore fell to my brother and I to load him up. I was about 11 and my brother about nine.

We had pushed the bull into the final corral that was attached to the loading chute. But every time we got him started into the funnel he'd spin around and charge his way out. Of course my brother and I couldn't do anything about it as we were on foot and I don't think if we were mounted on horses that the horses would call his charge. He was really making me mad chasing me around like that. I had an eight foot bullwhip made from cowhide. Actually a pretty nice whip for the money. I'd practiced quite a bit with it and was fairly accurate. I went to the house, fetched my whip and went back to the corral. We again started pushing that bull up towards the funnel with me trailing the bullwhip behind me. At about the same spot the bull had been spinning around I was ready. He spun around and WHACK, right between the eyes that popper snapped him. He spun right back around and ran straight up into the trailer. I'd ripped a strip off the front of his face about a half inch wide and about eight inches long. Taught that bull a lesson.

Then I thought I was going to get the lesson. As I said he was borrowed and I thought my dad was going to tag me good for it. He never said a word. He probably thought that bull got what he deserved too.

[Hobie]

I had a whip when I was a kid. My cousin and I would take the heads off dandelions and tried to snap beetles out of the air.

[20cows]

I've played around with braiding leather, maybe I need to see about making a little whip. I have dealt with a few bovines that needed some extra encouragement lately.

[rjohns94]

I had a whip I bought at Harpers Ferry on a school trip as a kid. I really liked the times in the yard playing with it and practicing on locust. As I remember, it was one of the major years for them, perhaps when I was in 6th grade. The IJ series had me considering getting a serious working one but I never did.

[Hobie]

If I got one today my wife would likely have me committed! Where are you Lash LaRue?

[Comal Forge]

My #2 son works cattle for a living in West Texas. He has a pair of 8 foot rawhide stock whips which I had custom made for him a while back. Anything longer than 8' is hard to use - especially in a pen, but I personally like a 10' with about an 18 inch handle. I have long arms and am reasonably strong in the upper body so it doesn't tire me too badly. I also keep mine well oiled with tallow or neatsfoot so they stay flexible.

Y'all are correct in that more cords in the braid (like 8 vs 16) makes for a smoother coil but of course, is also more expensive. The movie whips like Harrison Ford used in the Indian Jones flicks were probably a grand or two to make but we all know money is no object in that situation. However, those are very high quality and would probably make great working whips if an old cowboy could afford one.

[Cliff]

Great reading about the bullwhips. When my brother and I were quite young my Grandfather taught us how to use the bullwhip. My brother was a movie fan of Lash Larue and finally was able to get a whip. Mostly we were clipping our own ears trying to get a good noise so he stepped in and showed how it was done. He was born in 1860 and came of age in Kansas in the 1880's and carried a bullwhip every day. He was deadly with one. He did comment he turned many a mean bull with them. He used to laugh when he saw the TV westerns. Said he never saw anything like that when he was living in the west. He passed in 1953. Quite a very nice man. ATB

[Travis Morgan]

I have one made of parachute cord that I've been using for years, with little wear. Rain, snow, mud, manure, whatever.