Customer Reviews

How to Make Whips (Bushcraft)

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Mr. Edwards teaches you every single detail you have to know to get started. You only have to really fall in love to such a beautiful craft, and you'll have half way done. Practice is important too, but you have everything to become a master whipmaker: different styles (bullwhips, redhide whips, stockwhips, shotwhips, hatbands, etc.), even a section on very complex plaiting patterns, how to make use of the hide in a proper way, and many other things which won't let you down. Absolutely recommendable.

Mr. Edwards has written a simple to use instructional and reference book. Having worked as a professional leatherworker for 2 years, I took an interest in being able to produce additional stock for my boss' business. Having learned basic plaiting (mystery braids, 4-round, et cetera) I wanted to expand my knowledge. After doing some research I found that books on the subject were limited and Mr. Edwards and David Morgan's books were the only ones available. I went ahead and got both.

Mr. Morgan's book is excellent for those who want to learn a variety of skills in order to hone one's leather plaiting. These lend well to the basics behind how a whip is made. Mr. Edward's prepares you to make your first whip shortly after opening the book.

I was able to start making a whip within 2 hours of sitting down and beginning this book. It was a 4-strand stock whip with a twisted belly from which I was able to get a nice firm crack as soon as it was completed. From there it is simple to continue practicing and moving towards the more advanced plaitings.

As the cover says, "All you need for a start is a piece of leather, a sharp knife, a steady hand, and some patience." This is very true.

A must for anyone interested in whip history or making whips. Has simplified by illustration and explanation. He has taken a difficult art and made it user friendly to the novice or to the master.As a master whip maker for 30 years I enjoyed it thoroughly. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in leather or plaiting. This is a real masterpiece.

I found this book an excellent source for the beginner and intermediate whip maker. I did not know how to make a whip prior to reading this book even though I had read David Morgan's Book titled "Whips and Whip Making" which does not really tell you how to make a whip. If you want to learn to make a whip. This book will definately show you how. You will keep this as your constant reference source.

This book adds depth to an understanding of knot and ropework if you have that understanding, and if you don't it'll still set you up with a good foundation of basic and advanced whipmaking techniques. I can see where someone with no leather or cordworking experience can pick this up and go with it. At the same time, having worked as a commercial fisherman and also as a ranch hand, I have some experience with plaiting, splicing and whipping. This book added a new layer to that understanding for me. I've made flat-braided snakewhips for several years, and while they're OK they're just not quite 'right.'

Starting out with the very first lessons in this book, Mr. Edwards goes through the basics of making a fairly simple stockwhip (that can be as plain or as fancy as you wish). He builds on that grounding in technique to cover increasingly complex plaiting and knotting in a way that will have you nodding your head after a little practice and saying, "Aha! Now I understand." This book won't make you a professional whipmaker, but only practice and patience will do that. Mr. Edwards points out that pride in the craft and a willingness to do things until they're dead-on right are what can make a professional or respected amateur whipmaker. This book will give you every technique you'll need to know to make just about any kind of whip.

My own interest is in plaiting whips in nylon parachute cord, so the information on selecting hides and cutting and skiving leather was not so critical for me. Though it isn't as necessary to my own understanding, if this book were merely written about how to make nylon cording whips it would be much less useful than it is. I recommend it highly (as if you couldn't tell!) along with a copy of David Morgan's "Whips and Whipmaking" which will go deeper into the history and uses of whips -- a topic not covered in detail in Mr. Edwards' volume.

If you want to make whips...this is the book you need! I knew nothing about making whips or braiding leather. This book shows you everything you need to know and makes it very simple.

I seen a fair amount of how-to books (not just on whip making)and found this book not only the best at explaining how to make whips but the best on the subject of decortive rope work for the novice that I have ever found. This book is a must have for anyone who would like to add a bit of flair to a walking stick, bedpost, outdoor railing, etc. A+

I must say I did find this book fascinating and the information contained in it provided an overview of the entire process of whipmaking form skiving a core to to plaiting the overlay. However, If your looking for a step by step, ultra-specific instruction manual, taking you completely thru the process of making a whip from scratch, this book still is not quite it!!! Don't get me wrong, there is alot of great information, and this is certainly THE Published book to get that comes closest to an instruction manual, but I feel, if your an absolute beginner, you're still not quite going to be able to knock out a COMPLETE whip from scratch after reading this book. Unfortunately, that's exactly what I was looking for when I got this book.

For instance, whenever Mr. Edwards talks about anything to do with the "set"(the overlay plait) he is very specific. But he quickly glances over other parts of the whip that are equally as important(i.e. he never fully explains exactly how to correctly taper and shape cores or bellies for certain whips which is going to be devastating to the overall whip taper if you don't have it right). The section right in the beginning explaining the different types of Leather and Hides was also lacking. And I know he's an Australian, but he spends WAY to much time emphasizing Stockwhips and barely anytime on the most popular American whip, the Bullwhip(you will DEFINITELY NOT be able to make a proper bullwhip after reading this book).
If you really want an INSTRUCTION MANUAL guiding you specifically thru every single step in making a Bullwhip, then go to www.dukewhips.com and buy Rob Duke's Bullwhip Making Instruction Guide.
I really did enjoy Mr. Edwards book. As I said there are a number of extremely vital techniques explained that are invaluable to the whipmaking process. I just wish it would have pulled the entire whipmaking process together more coherently.

Great reference, but not an easy read. Just like most know tying books, it is good to read how to do it, but more illustrations on actual technique would be an improvement

Over all it's a good book. I would have liked to see real photos other then pencil sketches but it works. The book is set up to focus on Australian whips. The one thing the book needs is some more solid number. I am very new to whips and find that I don't know how long I should make the different parts. I understand that whips very but a clear here do this for your first whip then see what happens when you change them would be very welcome. The snake and bull whips do get there chance at the end but they build off the knowledge you learn while making more traditional Australian cattle whips. I for one still would tell anyone that wants to learn how to make a whip to pick this book up but you will have to read it very closely to get all the information worked out.