I have been plaiting since late Dec. 2002, about a year and a half.  I basically taught myself how to do a 4 strand round plait to make my plaited-cord slings.  With a lot of e-mail support from Ben (aka Whipartist), I learned how to do more complex plaiting.  I even made a 10 plait wool and leather sling. 

Well, about 1 1/2 weeks ago I was going to plait a cord for a sling using leather.  As I was looking at the leather, I thought I might try to plait a whip.  Well, the urge became so strong, I could not resist.  That very day I plaited my first whip.  It is on the far left in the photo.  It has a core of heavy trimmer line, two plaited bellies and the rust/olive 12 plait overlay you see.  The next day I plaited the brown and purple whip much the same way.  Over the next few evenings, I made the green and red one with a core, three plaited bellies and a 12 plait overlay.  My two girls wanted small whips, so I made them the two short bright colored whips on the right (and they crack sharply).  Then I made a black and red whip for a friend with a core, 4 bellies and a 12 plait overlay.

The first two big whips are 40" long, the third is about 44", but heavier and easier to crack.  Add to this 2' for the fall and 15" for the cracker.  They are a heap of fun to crack and are very loud to boot.  They sound like a .22 rifle going off.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4d829b3127ccebfa50e26081e0000002610

Thanks to Ben for getting me excited about this.  I love making whips, even if they are not professional grade.  I am working on another now that promises to be quite nice.  Black with brown and red.  I will be about 4' plus fall and cracker.

jeff <><

Whipmaking is both more and less complex than it looks.  The plaiting takes much less time than I expected.  But, it really takes a lot of planning to avoid goofs.  Well, when you don't have any manuals or texts like me, that is.  I spent a long time thinking about how to do it before I actually tried.

Ben can help with questions when he can type.

jeff <><

Looks great Jeff.  I'm sure Ben would be proud. 

Chris

Hobb,

They are indeed made by making a round plait over a core, then making another round plait over that and so on.  The inner plaits are "bellies" and final plait is the "overlay".

The trickiest part is making the taper.  But if you use the standard whip making plait in which the number of strands is divisible by 4 (4, 8, 12, 16 and so forth) then you just build up the bellies in that order.   Drop strands as you go to get the taper.  This takes some practice but is not that hard.

I don't understand your plaiting sequence of over/under/over/under.  The standard whip making plait has the working strand split the strands on the opposite side.  So, if you have 12 total, you have 6 on each side.  Take the top one from one side around the back and through the middle of strands on the other side.  This means under three then over three, then back to the original side as the bottom strand.

It took me a long time to figure out that strands always stay on the same side, they just work around the plait.

jeff <><

Hobb,

The multiple of 4 part took me a little while to get, but the real help was splitting the strands on each side.  I can't imagine under 1, over 1, under 1 and so on.  How tedious!

E-mail me privately if you have more questions.  Ben can help also (he IS the expert whipmaker, after all.)

jeff <><

Quote:


Don't think I won't take you up that, and Ben, too, if he doesn't mind.  It'll be a while, though.  I'm in the middle (O.K., the beginning) of what I hope will be a decent peruvian-style braided sling.  With my inexpert hands, it's slooooow going.

Congratulations,

I too use the 20 steps method and love it! I have tried some other methods, but for me, the stitched pouch just works so much better than other styles. The stones never seem to slip out.

I love the "ears" at the ends of the pouch. I use hot glue to hold them together around the cord. None of them have ever come loose and it is very fast. I use pliers to hold them together while the glue cools.

Since I sling jagged concrete, I put a drop of hot glue on each stitch to keep it from being cut by the concrete. I reapply glue as it wears out.  Hot glue also makes a comfortable release knode. I make a knot and then cover it with glue. The trick is to put a blob of glue on the knot and then a big blob of spit on your thumb and first two fingers. Then lightly wrap them around the knot and spin the cord with your other hand to smooth out the glue and taper it down around the cord as it cools. It takes a few applications of glue to do the release knode but it helps protect the knot from coming undone and wearing out from  all the whip action of slinging.

Just some pointers that you may find useful.

David

I seen that tandy LEATHER COMPANY is offering a new book titled BRAIDING FINE LEATHER Techniques of the Australian Whipmakers.  It's from the whipmakers of the Indiana Jones' movies.  The stock number is 66021-00.  The price listed in the ad I got is Reg.$29.99 YOUR PRICE 23.99.

I just might get one and I hope this is a help to you