Should I start with a David Morgan whip? Having the best tools no doubt makes the job easier in turn more enjoyable. In a prior note I made the comment about getting a less expensive whip if you feel uncomfortable paying for a high priced bullwhip. For myself whip cracking is something that I really enjoy, I work with my whips on almost a daily basis weather permitting. If someone shows an interest in the sport, I don't want to see them, not be able to participate just because they can't always afford the top of the line item. Their are many good quality professional whips available for under a $100 dollars, that are just fine for a novice just getting interested in whip cracking. I too use a couple of the different whips David Morgan offers, including his Indy series. I will be the first to admit that they are top of the line, and some of the best whips I have used. I recommend them to anyone interested in the sport, and if you can get one Great they are worth it. However if your not sure you want to invest $300 to $500 in something that you have a general interest in, go ahead and try out one of the other whips available first. If you find that you enjoy it, then you can think about investing in the higher quality whips. Keep in mind though, there are some cheepies out there that are just a waste of money. If you want to get a decent whip go with one of the recommended suppliers. Dan

How long will a whip last? The life of a whip depends on how much its used or how much its abused. Basically with daily use, no abuse and proper care; a good Bull whip like David Morgan makes can easily last 20 years or more. Of course over that time the whip may require minor repair like fall replacement. Last time I talked with the folks at David Morgan, he was still making their production whips. To be honest, I don't know if he has any one working with him at the moment. It's a family run business so I would hope someone will be there to pick up, when David retires. If not, Whip maker Joe Strain is already making excellent reproductions of DM's whips. But hopefully Mr. Morgan will be around for many years to come. By the way, since your whip has been in storage for 4 years, it is important that you give it a heavy coating of a good leather dressing, (i.e. Pecard's), before you use it, This will help lubricate the leather and help replace any of the natural oils that may have dried out over the past 4 years. Hope this helps. Dan

How can I become skilled with whips; can I practice with a rope? Train as much as you can, you learn by practicing. Probably the best way you could learn is to have an experienced whip handle teach you, unfortunately for most that is not an option. The next way is to check out some of the many good whip cracking video tapes (even some of the books) on the market, These can show you the basics and help you sharpen your skills, but its up to you to practice. Then of course, the third is to bang it around until you get the hang of it. As for practicing with a rope, It is probably better than nothing. Rope has very different characteristics than a braided leather whip. If you are interested in learning the art, your best bet would be to get yourself a bull whip. If you don't feel comfortable purchasing one of the more high priced whips, You can get a fairly decent American bullwhip for $50 to $100. While you can't expect as much from them, you can certainly learn from them. Then if you find that whip cracking if for you, you can go on from there. It is amazing, the things you can do with a whip once you learn the basics, Target cutting, wraps and elaborate whip handling are just a few of the things possible. Including the things Indy uses it for in the movies, although I would not recommend swinging on it. Dan

Which bullwhip should I buy? Each style of bullwhip will handle a little differently. The best way to figure out what type you should get is more or less based on what you going to be doing with it and space that you have to practice in. I get the impression that you just want a good over all bullwhip that will work fine for just about everything.

Regarding the bullwhips David Morgan makes, The heavier 12 plait "Indiana Jones" style kangaroo hide whips are more resistant to impact and damage with the wider cut kangaroo strands. The two plaited bellies add a lot to these whips. They are a well balanced, somewhat heavy whip that handles well and is very accurate. Over all they are a great whip. The 16 plait bullwhips that David Morgan makes are even better. They have that third plaited belly that adds to it's strength and stability making it great for constant practice and accuracy. Its probably one of the top performer whips being made today. The only downfall is that the thinner plaiting on the thong makes it a little more prone to being damage if you accidentally hit something hard or sharp. The Australian bullwhips that David Morgan also carries, (the longer thicker handle type) is lighter whip than the two that he makes, its also has a faster action. Its a 12 plait kangaroo, while it still is a very good whip it only has a single plaited belly.

If you seriously want to get into whip cracking and you want the best bullwhip that will suit your requirements, In my opinion, get one of David Morgan's 12 plait Indiana Jones style whips. It is normally easier to learn on a shorter whip. I would recommend a 6ft whip if your more interested in cutting targets, or multiple cracking tricks or an 8ft for more general use. This whip is accurate, and it will hold up to abuse better than the 16 plait. Plus if it turns out you don't like cracking whips, you still have a cool Indiana Jones collectors item.

Depending on length and workmanship of the whip, you can expect to pay from around $250 and up for a quality kangaroo hide whip. For all practical purposes a 12 plait whip is fine. When you first get a whip I would recommend greasing it with a good leather dressing. The Pecards leather dressing that David Morgan carries works really well. I like to avoid using kidney fat or tallow as it contains salts and have the potential to grow bacteria.

Should you order a book? There are a couple good books out there that provide great information, but they are just books. I would really recommend getting the video tapes, they provide you with a lot of good information also, but you get to see what is being done, not just having it described to you.

I have never ordered one of Matt Welsby's whip kits, but I will tell you this, whip making is an art in itself, it would be pretty tough to go about making a good whip on your first try, with out knowing how a good whip is supposed to feel and act first. There are many whip makers and supplies out their that can get you a high quality whip. Many of them are online an are considered pretty good.

In my opinion if your going to get an expensive whip, I would go with one of the more recommended suppliers. Both myself and Dale (Dassell) can provide good references for David Morgan, and Mark Allen is a very well respected whip cracker and supplier that carries quality bullwhips. Dan Borton

Can someone comment on David Morgan whips? Well, first off, there are a few things you may need to know. The length of the whip is very important, depending on what you're going to use it for. David's whips come in four different lengths: 6 foot, 8 foot, 10 foot, and 12 foot. Now, the shorter the whip is, the more accurate it will be for hitting specific targets and the faster you can maneuver it around, but it will be slightly harder to produce a nice crack.

The longer whips, 10 to 12 foot, are far less accurate, but do excellent wraps around things, and they crack with very little effort. If you want something midway between the two, I would suggest going with the 8 foot model. The 10 is good, too, but if you want to hit specific targets, then you'll have to work at it. I will leave that choice up to you.

Now, as for practice, what I did was to study the whip sequences in the movies, as well as those on the Making of Raiders video. I watched these over and over, dozens of times, until I understood the method of the swings and cracks. I also, at one time, had a making of Batman Returns video, which had Anthony DeLongis teaching Michelle Pfeiffer the bullwhip. This came in handy, too. If you don't have access to these, then don't worry. David Morgan sells some excellent whip instructional and art displays VHS videos. These will put you on the right track. The Whips and Whip Making book is mainly geared toward bullwhip construction, with about one chapter dedicated to telling what the whips can do, performance-wise.

Lastly, your whip will take anywhere from a month and a half to two months to make and receive. When you get it, it will be a very light pinkish brown color, called natural tan. To darken it, as it appears in the movies, you should expose it to natural sunlight for a few hours a day. Mine has turned into a nice, dark brown color. I just lay it out on a small wooden table. And remember, normal use requires very little wrist force. In other words, don't try to "jack" it around really hard, or else you might break the interior construction, damage the handle-to-thong junction, or stretch the lash.

Don't be alarmed if the tip of the knot on the fall breaks off when first used. David Morgan uses what I like to call "cosmetic" knots on the tip of his whips, which is just a small, dainty knot to make the whip look sleeker and more tapered. Mine broke off, so I hunted around until I found the nylon cracker, and I used the instructions on his website to re-attach it, with a slightly bigger knot, which holds just great, and does not inhibit cracking in any way. Your whip will be new from the factory, and thus pretty stiff. So, you can go outside and do some breaking-in swings in order to loosen it up. After a little use, your whip will have a nice, smooth wiggle all the way down. This is the sign of a healthy whip.

If you need anymore information, just let me know. Dale Dassel Just to add what Dale said, when you first get your whip you will notice that the thong will have its own natural curve which is caused by the tightness and looseness of the braid. When you swing your whip out always try to have the whip roll out along that natural curve. Also while I might have mentioned it in another post, Its a good idea to grease a new whip with a good leather dressing before you use it. It will make the new whip more flexible as well as help protect the leather from any moisture that it may encounter. By the way the life span of the cracker will depend on how much the whip is used. While they are pretty easy to make, I normally recommend getting a few extra crackers when you order a new whip. If you have any other questions feel free to ask. Dan Borton

Does anyone have a tip on coiling the whip? You shouldn't try to coil the whip any tighter that it's natural curve allows. It should be carried and stored in a loose coil and not bent or coiled in the opposite direction of it's curve. These things will damage and break the whip's internal components quickly. Dale

Does David Morgan do repairs or replacements? David Morgan also responded to me regarding the fact that they will repair most braided goods besides their own, and have a "cracker" replacement service at $15.00 plus shipping for a whip. Michaelson

They also advertise a fall replacement service at $20 plus shipping and mailing it via insured post. The cracker is easy enough to replace if you use the instructions on David Morgan's website. I have never changed a whip cracker in my life, but did it correctly on the first try by following Mr. Morgan's instructions. It is likely that you will not be able to make your new knot as small as David's, but he is an expert whip maker of many years experience. Besides, a bigger knot holds the cracker on better.

Now the fall is something that I would leave in David Morgan's hand. Granted that falls don't need replaced if the whip is properly used, but I wouldn't dare do an operation like that on my prized bullwhip!!! The Whips and Whip making book give clear instructions, but I'd leave it to the professionals. They know what they're doing. Dale

What happens if I get my bullwhip wet? There is no need to throw the whip away just because it gets wet. If it does though, wipe it down with a towel to get rid any excess water. Then just hang it up to dry or let it dry in its natural coil so the whip does not form any kinks in it the thong. Make sure its out of direct sunlight and away from any heat sources, then let it dry completely. After its thoroughly dry give it a heavy coating of a good leather dressing. Make sure you allow the dressing time to penetrate the leather though.. Dan

Has anyone been in a position to compare a David Morgan and its Mark Allen equivalent? Is the Mark Allen an exact replica? The whip offered by Mark Allen is not an EXACT replica of the David Morgan whip. There are only two differences. The first difference is the color of the kangaroo hide used. David used a darker hide, while the Allen whip is natural tan. The second is the shape of the ball at the end of the handle. David uses a handle with more of a conical shape to the end, while the Allen handle is more cylindrical. Not a big difference. Quality is, I'm told, very close. Both are hand-made. Allen's are made in Australia by craftsmen in the whip making trade. David, the master himself, makes David's. If you want a real working whip with the right look and feel, go with the Allen whip. If you want a real working whip that you can say is truly authentic to the whip used in the films and made by the Man himself, get the David Morgan. It's all in what your priorities are. Patterson

How realistic are the sound effects of the bullwhip in the movies? I do also own a 12" David Morgan bullwhip. When I watched the movies, I thought that most of the whip sounds couldn't be real. Especially when Indy wraps something and you hear a whipcrack. But after I spend some hours working with my DM, I think the effects are realistic. When you siwng the whip through the air, there is that nice cutting-through-the-air sound, and there's nothing finer than getting a nice, loud crack! Sascha#13

I own a David Morgan bullwhip, and I can tell you this: it does sound like the whip in Raiders. Longer whips crack more readily, and mine is the #456 12-foot model. Although all sound effects in a movie are dubbed and created in post-production, I'm almost certain that they used a David Morgan bullwhip. (Most of the sounds recorded on location aren't good enough to be used in the final mix. But yes, the Morgan bullwhip does sound like that; particularly the sound the lash makes when it slashes through the air. (And it has a nice, resounding CRACK! as well). Dale Dassel

I own a 10 foot (#455) DM, and it sounds similar. As for the dubbing, that's definitely true. The making of raiders video shows the filming of the Cairo street scene. All of the cracks are not dynamic as the movie depicts them. Indiana John

Can someone explain the plaiting of a whip? For the Indiana Jones Fan website, I have provided you with some basic guide-lines for the many plaits on a whip. I have gathered this information from my ex-perience in whip cracking, both as a hobbyist and in performances, and in my talks with whip makers such as David Morgan, Joe Strain, and Peter Jack.
It is not the final word on plaiting, as whip makers who are also performers will have more information to add, but it is a general guideline for those wanting to buy a whip for the first time, or in deciding which type of whip is best for you. Generally, the different number of plaits in a whip and how many are best for you depends on what type of whip it is, what it is used for, and what hide it is made from. Bullwhips generally have more plaits than a stockwhip, due to the bull-whip's longer and thicker construction. A whip that is made for working cattle or stock generally will have fewer plaits than a performer's whip. Lastly, a cowhide whip will generally have fewer plaits than a kangaroo hide whip. Let's look at each one of these points individually to see what they mean. First, let's take the stockwhip versus the bullwhip comparison. Stockwhips are whips of Australian origin, which are a thong mounted on the end of a handle with a keeper knot. The stockwhip, in my opinion, is easier to use than a bull-whip in that it takes less wrist and elbow motion to crack. The keeper knot works kind of like your wrist, so you can work the handle differently, and the handle works the whip. A bullwhip also has a handle on it, but it is usually a stiff portion at the beginning of the whip, about 10 inches long, and the whip is plaited onto it. There is no swivel motion as on a stockwhip. Since the stockwhip will have a handle, and usually it is weighted to balance the thong of the whip, the actual thong itself is lighter than its bullwhip counterpart. Therefore, the whip is usually plaited of 8-plait kangaroo hide, or 4 plait cowhide. A bullwhip, where most of the weight of the whip is actual hide, will have more plaits. A good bullwhip will be of 12-plait kangaroo hide or 8 plait cowhide. As the whips are plaited, to keep the whip tapered, plaits are 'dropped' as they work their way down the whip (they are woven into the whip and cut back to keep the whip tapered.) So an 8-plait stock whip may end up with 4 plaits at the end of the whip, whereas a 12-plait bullwhip will end up as a 6 or 8 plait whip at the end. In comparison, and 8 plait stockwhip and a 12-plait bullwhip are about equal. Likewise, whips that are used for working cattle will also vary in plaits to, say, a performers whip. I have seen whips that are plaited with 48 strands. They are incredible examples of craft, and are quite fancy. But a whip of this detail is usu-ally for show rather than for work. The finer a whip is plaited is also a reflection of the whips durability. It is easier to break a strand on a finely plaited whip than it is on a coarsely plaited whip. A 12-plait whip will have wider strands than a 16-plait whip. If one were cracking the whip and hit a rock, or even a branch of a tree, one of the strands could be struck in such a way to break it. Whips that are made of narrower leather are prone to this, as it is to break a thinner piece of wood. Although the action of a 16-plait whip may be smoother than that of a 12-plait whip, you pay the price in the way of broken strands if it ever strikes a hard object. Finally, plaiting depends a great deal on what the whip is made of. You usually find finely plaited whips out of kangaroo hide, because for the thickness of kan-garoo hide, it is the strongest hide around. However, a great whip can be made from cowhide, which is much thicker than kangaroo hide. Therefore a cowhide whip will have less plaits than a kangaroo hide whip. I have never seen a stock-whip with more than 4 plaits and a bullwhip with more than 8 plaits in cowhide, while I have seen kangaroo hide whips with up to 48 plaits. Although a 4 plait stockwhip is relatively cheap, and no match for it's kangaroo hide whip counter-part, they are excellent whips for cattle, in the rain, on rocky ground, etc., since they can take heavy abuse and aren't expensive to replace if they break. So the bottom line is to purchase a whip that suites your needs and your budget. If you are an occasional cracker, a 12-plait bullwhip or 8-plait stock whip will suite you fine. If you are going to drive cattle, or really be tough on your whips, the 4-plait stock whip or 8-plait bullwhip out of cowhide will work fine for you. Although many plaiters will say a coarsely plaited kangaroo whip will work fine, which is true, if you damage a cowhide whip and have to throw it away, it doesn't hurt the pocketbook as much. And if you are a performer you will already know what works for you, but you will probably be using a 12 or 16 plait bullwhip, or a finely plaited stockwhip. A heavily plaited whip, such as a 24 plait or 36 plait are ex-cellent for show, since they can have quite a bit of braiding detail in them, but are usually reserved for display, as they are quite expensive and can be easily dam-aged. I have been using an 8 foot, 12 plait Indiana Jones bullwhip for about 5 years now. I can cut the yellow flowers off of dandelions that are only about an inch high with a forward and reverse crack. It has been used on every conceivable surface, from Astroturf-covered asphalt to sand. I wouldn't use it to cut a ciga-rette out of someone's mouth, but it works for everything else. I have also been using 8 plait stockwhips now for some time. They are 5 foot 2 inches, and since they are short, are quite fast. This allows me to perform a fast routine without working too hard. If you are a first-time buyer of a whip, I would suggest a 6' or 8' bullwhip, in 12-plait kangaroo, or a 5' to 6' stock whip in 8-plait kangaroo. Shorter whips will move faster, while longer whips are a bit slower. Also, because of the longer length, longer whips tend to crack louder. Anything shorter than 6' in a bullwhip is dangerously short for a beginner, and anything above 10' will be a little slow and are a bit heavier than an 6 or 8 footer. As a beginner, I would refrain from high-plaited whips, as they are quite a bit more money and you won't appreciate the difference. On the other side of the coin, a 4 plait cowhide stock whip is un-der $100 in cost, and is a great whip to begin on and one you will use for years. If you are interested in target cutting, a target whip will be what you are after. These are usually bullwhips (as stock whips with the keeper knot tend to drift around when lining them up), they'll have a long stiff handle in them (about 14 inches) and be about 5 to 6 foot in length, 12-plait. If you are doing two-handed volleys or maneuvers like the Queensland Cross, you'll be needing about 6' bull-whips or 5' to 5'4" stock whips. These would be 8 to 12 plaits. I hope this demystifies what you'll need in plaiting. Basically, the more plaits, the finer and more smooth the whip is, but the more fragile it is. If you follow the guidelines I have given, you'll enjoy your whip for years to come. William Brisco

How can I distress/age the appearance of my whip? I am not really sure how they did it. If you notice in some scenes the whip looks dark brown in others its more closer to the natural tan. I know that for one of the Bullwhips used in the scene were Young Indy is trying to hold off the Lion. They dyed the whip a darker color, then the cut off the wrist loop and painted the handle a light orange so it would look different. Regarding your own whip, you can speed up the darkening process by setting it out in the sun. I don't do that though, as the whips will darken on its own though with age and use. Dan

Using your whip regularly is the best way to give it that traveled "Indy" look. Indiana John

What treatment should be applied to my whip? This is for ALL forms of the whips that we own, as not all of us are fortunate enough to own a David Morgan or a Mark Allen. Leather is leather, and all I can suggest is to apply Pecards Dressing generously and from end to end, allowing it to soak completely into the whip. I have owned the same bullwhips for the past 16 years. I have used a multitude of products, once again steering away from mink oil, and have had limited success. When I applied Pecards to my whips, the response to the product by the leather was just shy of miraculous. My whips act and handle like they did when I first obtained them, maybe better. I can't say enough about this product for this item. It just plain works. Michaelson

Some of this information appears courtesy of The IndyFan Forum

*Many of the quotes have been edited (spelling, grammar, and punctuation) to improve clarity.