First whip: handle

My first whip was to be a stockwhip, since "How to make whips" is mainly about them. Also, florida cow whips also have rigid handle so they are sort of like stockwhips. A bit. A very small bit...

I just finished the handle. It is build on a 20mm x 500mm rod of pine (I think). Took me something like 25 hours to make. Learnt a lot, the next will propably be faster.



The keeper is made like suggested in "How to make whips". I carved a groove to the end of the rod for better keeping. Then I plaited 6 strings (50cm) into a flat 6-plait. Then I plaited a few passes over the rod and taped it securely. Over the tape there is 5-part 4-bight turk's head knot.



The plait in the handle is a 16-plait solid band. With 20mm diameter and 550 paracord it seems I would need even more strands to cover it well. The end is again covered with 5-part 4-bight turk's head knot.



The knob in the end is 6-part 5-bight turk's head. It's too big, but 4-part 5-bight was too small and I already have done it again and again for something like 30 times. But now I know how to tie turk's heads without instructions. Well, at least two turk's heads.

A good video in youtube about turk's head in whipmaking.