# Whip Question



## Ted White (May 2, 2006)

I made a couple of nice sticks. Both 24". One I'm leaving for plain 'ol stick work, the other I had anticipated making a short whip out of. 

Assuming I can make a good whip with the 24 non-flexing handle(?), what size leather typically comes off these things? I have some shoelace type soft leather and attached a small string but no crack... Pretty wimpy leather at about 1/4" wide.

Any leather hints and tips?


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

1/4" wide is about right, I like a pretty thick leather (extra weight behind the popper) about 2 or so inches longer than the stick. The stick about 18-20" long, although I've never measured one I am guessing thats roughly the standard length for a whip. Then you need a popper on the end, you can either buy poppers, or use a string that I dont know what its called or how to describe, but I've had orange and green poppers  Its also difficult to explain how to tie a popper yourself so if someone else knows how to put that into writing, be my guest 

Also remember, cracking a whip is not easy, I know sooo many people, even decoys, who just can't get it right. So if you can't get it to pop right, it may not neccesarily be the design of the whip, but rather inexperience. I used to drive people crazy at training because I'd walk around cracking the whip constantly when no dogs were around. When you get good you can crack it up in the air, side to side etc  Takes lots of practice to get it to really crack, if the whip itself is capable of cracking that loudly (design).

Why do I know so much about whips you ask? Lets not go there...


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## Ted White (May 2, 2006)

Mike, you funny fellow...

When I say 1/4", I mean 

1/4" X something like 1/16"... It's flat, not round

pretty thin. That's OK?

I appreciate your comments. ALl except that last one lol


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## Mike Schoonbrood (Mar 27, 2006)

:lol:

I like the cord to be thicker so theres a good weight on it. Not sure the exact thickness but at least 1/8" if not 3/16" thick. I have used whips with similar leather you are talking about. They work, I just dont like them much.


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## Ted White (May 2, 2006)

Have a piece coming from a leather working guy. Say's it's just what the doctor ordered. I can play around with it and try different poppers. Just looking for a whip that's perfect for me. Sort of the same process you went through, Mike.


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## Ted White (May 2, 2006)

Just a follow up. Made the whip with a tapered leather piece. Made the popper. Works really well. Different poppers make all the difference, really.

I like the fact that I did this myself because I found out about the fundamentals of these things. I can made modifictions to improve it as I go.

Should be a tool that you don't have difficulty operating I think.


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## Howard Gaines III (Dec 26, 2007)

The whip section is 1/4" leather and about 14" long with a 6"-9" popper. The popper can be made from duck decoy line.


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