Who's your favorite whip maker? What's the best singletail?
My reply is invariably: "Favorite for what?" or "Best for what?"
I own good whips from at least nine different makers, and no, I don't have a favorite. They are all different and all good whips. Some days I want to throw the heavy Joe Wheeler and some days I want to throw the Peter Jack and some days I spend several hours with a Terry Jacka or the David Morgan or one of the Mike Murphys.
There are a bunch of people who are capable of making a fine whip. If I were shopping for my first whip, I would do several things;
1) Figure out where you are going to practice and play or perform with the whip. This will be the determining factor in how long a whip to buy. If you have the room to throw it, six feet is probably the best length for a first whip. Once you learn the basics, you can get a longer or shorter whip as appropriate to your circumstance.
If you will be throwing indoors most of the time, you want a shorter whip. Three or four feet is about the limit unless you have a practice space with twelve foot ceilings and lots of open space. A whip this short is very 'fast' and some people will tell you it's harder to learn with a short whip. Perhaps this is so, but it does no good to have an easy whip to learn with if you can't practice with it or use it in the space you have.
The opposite side of this coin is that whips longer than eight feet can be spectacular to watch and listen to, but are also harder to learn with. Starting with a first whip more than eight feet long can teach hard-to-break habits and put a beginner at risk of a 'tennis elbow' injury. This is due to the tendency of beginners to use too much 'arm' when learning. Keep in mind a couple of facts:
a) To avoid breaking things or damaging the whip, you need an open space for practice that measurers about twice the length of the whip plus four feet. This allows the whip to extend full length both in front and in back of you with your arm fully extended. Some throws require this much space on the sides as well as in front and in back, but you can learn the basics in a space that is half as wide if it is long enough. The vertical height should ideally be the length of the whip plus your height plus three feet. Many people don't have rooms this large, but back yards and parks are often suitable practice areas in good weather. After you've practiced enough to control where the whip is going, you can throw in more confined areas, but beginners and experienced people learning new throws need lots of room.
b) Because of the way whips are measured, a six foot Australian style bull whip or stock whip can actually be as much as three feet longer than a six foot signal whip. A rule-of-thumb is that the stated length of a whip only includes the platted, flexible 'thong', not the fall and not the cracker and not the rigid handle. Different makers may measure this differently, so if you're going to practice in a confined space, inquire about the actual over-all length of the whip before laying your money down.
2) See if you can get to a whip practice where people will let you try out several whips of different styles and by different makers. There are a number of these in various parts of the world and the people are generally friendly and willing to share their knowledge with new people. If you can't find a group, try and find any person who is experienced in throwing whips. There are 'Whip Enthusiast Locators' and on-line forums here on FetLife that can help find groups and people. Talk to these people and learn about the different styles and lengths of whip.
3) Figure out if you want a bull whip (Australian style or American 'Indi' style), a stock whip, a cow whip, a snake whip, or a signal whip. Which style you pick will make a difference in the available materials, the price and the 'habits' you develop as you learn to throw. Some people become proficient at throwing many styles of whip, but they are often most comfortable with the style they first learned on.
4) Figure out if you want a synthetic material or kangaroo hide or cow hide whip. There are also whips made from other materials such as goat hide, but these are rare and I suggest beginners stay with whips made from the three common materials. Some of the considerations are:
a) Synthetic material whips (nylon, rubber, etc.) are generally tolerant of rough use and can be used in wet conditions without damage and with only minimal care. Synthetic material whips generally need almost no break in, and are fully flexible almost as soon as you get one. The exceptions to this are synthetic fiber whips that have been impregnated with paraffin for additional moisture protection. Impregnated synthetic material whips will require break in.
b) Cow hide whips are generally tolerant of rough use, but require remedial care if they get wet. Cow hide is not as strong as kangaroo hide so cowhide whips are seldom made with high numbers of thin 'plats'.
c) Kangaroo hide whips are generally more accurate and generally 'prettier' than cow hide. Kangaroo hide is no more tolerant of wet conditions than cow hide.
d) Kangaroo hide whips are generally the most expensive, cow hide whips are generally somewhat less expensive, and synthetic whips are generally significantly less expensive.
I would be suspicious of the quality of any kangaroo hide whip that sold for less than $200, any cowhide whip that sold for less than $140 and any synthetic whip that sold for less than $100. Good whips can sometimes be bought for less than these prices, but the chance of getting junk is much higher.
5) Consider the number of 'plats'. The number of 'plats' is literally the maximum number of 'strands' that were used to braid the outer layer of the whip. (Many good whips have several braided layers.)
a) Whips are generally made with any even number of plats from 4 to more than 100.
b) The more plats, the more you will pay for the whip.
c) In leather whips, the more plats, the thinner each one is and the easier it is to break one - and a broken plat can ruin a whip.
In braided synthetic material whips, the plats are some sort of cord - often 'paracord' (nylon cord originally intended for parachute shroud lines) and they are always the same size regardless of the number, so the chance of breaking one is the same regardless of number of plats. Paracord is nearly always a lot harder to break than leather.
d) The more plats, the 'smother' and more accurate the whip is... up to a point. The smoothness and accuracy differences don't happen until the whip is broken in, and once you get more than about 20 plats only an expert can tell the difference. Beginners simply don't have the skills to take advantage of high number plat whips, and beginners need a more durable whip to withstand the abuse they will give it while learning.
e) An eight plat whip is a good place to start, but a six plat or even a four plat will work fine for a first whip. Remember; if you find you like throwing whips, you'll likely be getting a better one when you've learned more about them.
f) Whips with more than 40 plats are almost without fail 'show pieces', often made for braiding contests. They sell for thousands of dollars when they are available at all.
6) Consider the finish. This is perhaps the least important of the things to think about, but it's worth mentioning.
a) Both leather and synthetic material whips are available in colors and fancy patterns. These can enhance the appearance of your whip, but they can make it harder to clean and maintain the colors of a leather whip. Having a whip made with more than one color will generally add to the price.
b) A number of whip makers put a coating of 'shellac' on their finished Kangaroo hide whips. This makes them shiny and preserves the color of the leather. It may also offer some protection from moisture.
A well made leather whip will be stiff and 'tight' when it's new and you may be able to hold it out straight. The shellac coating inhibits leather dressing from 'soaking in' to the leather and this often translates to a whip that stays stiffer longer. As a new whip thrower, you probably don't know whether you prefer a stiffer or a more flexible whip, and there are different schools of thought on this among experienced whip throwers. If you would like to see what a fully flexible leather whip is like, a whip without a coating will generally reach that state faster than one with a coating.
7) When you have thought about what you want, then go shopping. The decision about who to buy from, what to buy and how much to pay will be a lot easier when you have some idea of what you want. Be aware that there are a =lot= of poorly made whips available, and some of them sell for the price of a good whip. It is possible to buy a good whip on e-bay, but you have to know what you're doing. Ninety-five out of a hundred whips on e-bay are junk and only suitable for decorating a wall. Similarly, fifty out of a hundred whips in 'fetish' shops and fetish web sites are junk. Buying from a maker or seller who will give you the name of the person who braided the whip, and who is recognized as a maker or seller of quality whips is your best insurance. Makers with reputations will stand behind their product and make good on any problems that a whip may have. There are a number of on-line forums and in-person meetings where you can inquire about the reputation of a particular whip maker before buying.
Most people shop for singletail whips on-line. Ambrose Pages (at http://ambrosepages.net) is a good place to find links to a variety of whip makers and sellers.
Remember that singletail whips are a niche market dominated by small 'cottage industry' producers. Personal reputation is important in this market.
8) Don't forget to get some safety gear before you throw your new whip. Everyone who has ever learned to throw whips has hit themselves numerous times. It's simply part of the learning process and it will happen to you. At minimum, you should start with;
a) Safety glasses, or if you simply can't do glasses, wear a wide-brim hat. The =BIGGEST= single danger for a new whip thrower is hitting your own eye.
b) Long sleeve shirt.
c) Long pants.
When you get your new whip, remember that leather whips take a while to break in. How long it takes to break in depends (mostly) on how much you throw it. It took me more than a year to break in my David Morgan, but I like a more flexible whip than some, so you may arrive at a place you like faster than I do. Don't forget to get some good leather dressing (NOT Mink oil) from whoever you buy a leather whip from.
Be aware that there are several whip makers in the world who will not deal with you if you tell them you are going to hit people with the whip.
Good luck!
A.M.
Last Updated 9/3/18
SOURCE: https://fetlife.com/users/41980/posts/5209179