Translate

Sunday 8 June 2014

Changes to our whip range

We are currently updating the website to change our entire whip range. After 4 years of whipmaking I am going to the next level
There are a lot of up and coming whipmakers on the scene now so it is time to up the game and distinguish myself from anyone else
So here is the plan:
  • My prices wont rise (YAY!!!)
  • The construction and design of my whips will change
  • I will be introducing a range of leather kip hide whips in the coming months
  • I will be adding a range of budget whips that are ideal for beginners

New Construction

My 12 plait and 16 plait whips will stay at their current price but will but upgraded to a shot bag based construction
What does this mean? Well instead of a core made with lead shot or BB's loaded into paracord strands (a popular core type for nylon whips) I will be constructing my whips now with a leather shot bag core overlayed with a leather bolster and then a plaited belly (8 plait) and an overlay of 12 plait. If its a 16 plait whip, there will be a 16 plait over the 12 plait.
This construction gives the whip a more even taper, a smoother roll out and a more slender appearance without sacrificing weight. This is especially important for shorter scene/play whips, as they do not have a long plaited thong which would allow a very gradual taper with other construction methods.
This is a major upgrade to my whips and whilst is not instantly apparent from the external appearance it will prove itself in performance and brings my whips up to the construction methods of the worlds top whipmakers.

Beginner Whips

I will also be adding a range of beginner whips, based on the construction methods I have developed over the last 4 years.
This range will be limited to short whips that are ideal for scene play, and will have a lead weighted core (not a shot bag but my own design that I have been using for nearly 4 years). These whips will have a 16 plait overlay with a single belly.
  • 3 foot snakes £60 with the option to convert with a cow whip twist
  • 4 foot snakes £70 with the option to convert with a cow whip twist
  • 3 foot bulls £70 with the option to convert with a cow whip twist
  • 4 foot bulls £80 with the option to convert with a cow whip twist

Materials

Paracord

There is great debate about which types of paracord are suitable for whipmaking; genuine (commercial spec) 550 paracord and MIL SPEC 550 paracord and 650 paracord and PET paracord. It can be very confusing (this blogmay help, there is lots of info)
Always bare in mind that paracord is fundamentally designed to keep people alive when using a parachute! Some of the differences are irrelevant for other applications of this material.
The main differences:
  • 550 MIL SPEC paracord - 550 lbs breaking strain, nylon, 7 strand core with each strand made of 3 twisted strands (made to a precise military specification)
  • 550 Commercial paracord - 550 lbs breaking strain, nylon, 7 strand core, designed for non-critical applications
  • 650 paracord - 350 lbs breaking strain, nylon, 4 strand core
  • PET (polyethylene terephthalte) paracord - breaking strain varies, polyester, 7 strand core, designed for non-critical applications
The main difference is in the inner strands; the number of strands, the weight (denier) of ther strands, the way they are twisted together and the construction of the strands...
These differences in the core are irrelevant when making whips as you are hardly going to throw yourself out of a plane, with a whip between you and a grisly end, hoping your whip doesn't break... and anyway, all the inner strands are removed before plaiting most whips (our coyote whip retains the inner core).
PET is another popular cord, and is a polyester (as opposed to nylon) thermoplastic. While I wouldn't make a parachute with it, it is still a very strong cord that in my view is more than suitable for whipmaking. As it is not made to a precise and consistent set of standards, the product can vary by manufacturer and there are some very shoddy cords but there are also some excellent PET cords out there - it's all about finding the good stuff!
The great thing for me is that PET is available in so many colours including glow in the dark variants, camo, multi-coloured and reflective, as opposed to 550/650 which are more limited in their colours (especially compared to MIL SPEC 550). I also find PET is softer, almost silky, so when using the whip it doesn't chafe your hands as much when used for extended periods (also helps me while making them!). Some have commented on PET's lower melting point but lets face it, they aren't fire whips and anyone trying to snuff out candles with a what is at the end of the day a plastic whip needs to think about what they are doing.

A note on Dacron

Dacron is a brand name for a PET product which, incidentally, is used for fillers in duvets and pillows among many other things. In fact Dacron themselves (the owner of the registered trade mark) are best known for making bedding. Dacron also make cords and ropes with their PET, and some of these are all the range at the moment in experimental whipmaking. We're not saying that PET paracord is the same as PET Dacron cord - their construction is different and they are designed for different applications, but they are made of the same material. So when someone knocks PET 'because it's not nylon', it's worth remembering that nylon is not the be all and end all of synthetic whipmaking!

Thanks for reading!

You can find the full range on our website, which has now been fully updated. Any inquiries can be mailed to us on here or sent to sales@impact-toys.com

No comments:

Post a Comment