Re: David Morgan handle measurement

Posted by Paul from sl-montwat-1-0.sprintlink.net on July 12, 2000 at 10:13:11:

In Reply to: Re: David Morgan handle measurement posted by Apsilon on July 11, 2000 at 19:29:24:

: : Well, good luck. There are two 4 plait bellies in it. Start with a 38" tapered piece of kipside or some other thin material. It should be able to wrap the nail once at the end. 4 plait over this and leave some hanging at the end. Do the same thing with another piece of kipside, this time about 65 inches in length. 4-plait over this and leave some hanging at the end. Finally, cut out your third bolster, which will have to be in two pieces and spliced before the end of the 2nd belly. Plait over this with 12 plait, drop two strands at the end of the 2nd belly. Also, taper the left over strands from your other bellies in a long taper. Measure your work often, and plait as tight as you can. Good luck. I am making another 10' Morgan copy, which comes pretty easy now. Don't give up. Several of the first whips I made looked like hell, but still worked. With these, you can abuse them to see what happens to the leather, while keeping your better whips in fine shape.

: : Paul

: : Feel free to e-mail me personally if you have more questions.

: Doubt I'll try 2 bellies on my first one. I'm not trying to create a replica of the whip, just a bullwhip at this stage. BTW what do bullwhips use as the material for the handle? Stock whips need some flex and so use cane (although newer ones use cheaper fibreglass and I've heard of some using spring steel).

: Also what's kipside? I presume a leather of some kind but I've never heard of it. American term?

: Eventually I'll buy one of David Morgons whips. Just that a 10' from him would land here at over AU$1000. Not exactly pocket change.

: I plan on buying some books on the subject. There's a few good ones by Australian authors and I've noticed David Morgon has one himself.

: Thanks again.
: Matt.

Matt,
David Morgan uses an eight in nail for the handle. After you wrap the end in lead(I use a 2.5cm wide strip, about 30 cm long to form a cylindrical shape)take your first plaited belly and wrap it longways around the handle. The first bit of plaiting should start at about 21cm from the head of the nail. Tie that wrapped part with string. Other handles used for bullwhips include wood, nails, bolts, pipe and bolt for swivel handles.
David's book is pretty good for learning how to plait, as well as history behind whips. I suggest Ron Edwards book on how to make whips. David told me it was a good book for patterns and how to make a stockwhip, but he wouldn't recommend making a bullwhip the way it is outlined.
Keep in mind that he makes whips that stuntmen may abuse, so they are very beefy when it comes to a kangaroo whip.

Kipside leather is the part of the cowhide that is skived off near the backbone to make the rest of the hide somewhat uniform in thickness. Basically, it isn't great for anything except using as a bolster. Although, David told me he made some whips out of it, when he couldn't get kangaroo.

Be patient and don't get in a hurry. The most important part of your whip is the belly, so ensure that it is a solid piece, with no gaps, and has a good taper. The foolproof way to do this is cut a long triangular piece and braid over it. Find someone who makes whips and go visit them, and pick their brain. That's how I met David Morgan and Joe Strain.

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: : : Well, good luck.  There are two 4 plait bellies in it.  Start with a 38" tapered piece of kipside or some other thin material.  It should be able to wrap the nail once at the end.  4 plait over this and leave some hanging at the end.  Do the same thing with another piece of kipside, this time about 65 inches in length.  4-plait over this and leave some hanging at the end.  Finally, cut out your third bolster, which will have to be in two pieces and spliced before the end of the 2nd belly.  Plait over this with 12 plait, drop two strands at the end of the 2nd belly.  Also, taper the left over strands from your other bellies in a long taper.  Measure your work often, and plait as tight as you can.  Good luck.  I am making another 10' Morgan copy, which comes pretty easy now.  Don't give up.  Several of the first whips I made looked like hell, but still worked.  With these, you can abuse them to see what happens to the leather, while keeping your better whips in fine shape.

: : : Paul

: : : Feel free to e-mail me personally if you have more questions.

: : Doubt I'll try 2 bellies on my first one. I'm not trying to create a replica of the whip, just a bullwhip at this stage. BTW what do bullwhips use as the material for the handle? Stock whips need some flex and so use cane (although newer ones use cheaper fibreglass and I've heard of some using spring steel).

: : Also what's kipside? I presume a leather of some kind but I've never heard of it. American term?

: : Eventually I'll buy one of David Morgons whips. Just that a 10' from him would land here at over AU$1000. Not exactly pocket change.

: : I plan on buying some books on the subject. There's a few good ones by Australian authors and I've noticed David Morgon has one himself.

: : Thanks again.
: : Matt.

: Matt,
: David Morgan uses an eight in nail for the handle.  After you wrap the end in lead(I use a 2.5cm wide strip, about 30 cm long to form a cylindrical shape)take your first plaited belly and wrap it longways around the handle.  The first bit of plaiting should start at about 21cm from the head of the nail.  Tie that wrapped part with string.  Other handles used for bullwhips include wood, nails, bolts, pipe and bolt for swivel handles.  
: David's book is pretty good for learning how to plait, as well as history behind whips.  I suggest Ron Edwards book on how to make whips.  David told me it was a good book for patterns and how to make a stockwhip, but he wouldn't recommend making a bullwhip the way it is outlined.  
: Keep in mind that he makes whips that stuntmen may abuse, so they are very beefy when it comes to a kangaroo whip.

: Kipside leather is the part of the cowhide that is skived off near the backbone to make the rest of the hide somewhat uniform in thickness.  Basically, it isn't great for anything except using as a bolster.  Although, David told me he made some whips out of it, when he couldn't get kangaroo.

: Be patient and don't get in a hurry.  The most important part of your whip is the belly, so ensure that it is a solid piece, with no gaps, and has a good taper.  The foolproof way to do this is cut a long triangular piece and braid over it.  Find someone who makes whips and go visit them, and pick their brain.  That's how I met David Morgan and Joe Strain.

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