The sound of the whip has often fascinated both the adult and the young - its distinctive sound is that of breaking the sound barrier. In fact, the whip was the first man-made object to break the sound barrier in early China around 4000 B.C.

Classification of Whips:

There are many different types of whips, but your purchase should be a combination of both personal preference, chosen venue, and whip use.

• Stock whip - Stock whips feature a specialized pivot joint where the handle meets the whip, permitting quick and easy fluid motions. The handle is often long and thin and made of cane.
• Bull whip - Often heavier that stock whips, bull whips have a much more distinctive natural coil/curl extending out from the handle.
• Black snake - A lead shot-loaded whip with full coil and no handle. Not good for target work, but makes a beautiful sound.

Whip Construction:

Whips can be constructed of a variety of materials, including Kangaroo hide ("Australian"), cowhide ("American"), and nylon cording. However, materials don't necessarily make the whip -- it is the method used to braid the materials. Good whips actually are several whips braided within each other forming the 'core' of the whip. Cheaper whips often only have a rope piece as the core instead of a braided whip.

Whip handles also come in a variety of shapes and sizes: wood, metal, cane, and tubing. The handle can be braided into the whip, but also just attached to the end of the whip. Swivel handles can also be found. Remember that the handle acts like a lever - the longer the handle (to a degree) the more precise the whip can be.

Length of the whip also plays an important role, often anywhere from 4' on up. 88' is the longest known crackable whip. When working indoors on a stage, 4', 6', 8' might be the best options. When on an outdoor stage, 6', 8', 10' work well. As stock whips and bullwhips are measured slightly differently, you cannot assume a 6' radius with a 6' whip (generally with the handle and fall it can vary between 6-7.5').

Whip makers:

Check the Vendors section of the site for whip makers. Mark Allen (Western Stage Props) is a reputable distributor of whips made by Joe Strain, Alex Green, David Morgan, etc. as well as very friendly and knowledgable to talk to to figure out your whip needs.

Whip fights:

Whip fights are an illusion formed by the difference between light and sound. Sound is much slower the light. Therefore, hitting someone with a whip involves intentional missing and an appropriate reaction (distance and timing) and the sound reinforces the action. The act of wrapping someone with a whip does not hurt them, the crack happens past the person and the momentum of the whip finishes with a wrap around the target person.

The standard bull whip was not the whip generally used for punishment. Shipboard punishment was done with a cat o' nine tails. But this does not play well in fight scenes.

Whip warnings:

We strongly recommend learning whip safety and basics from an experienced professional in your area. This will help you to protect your assets (your face/ears/nose - a valuable headshot) from the dangers inherent when first picking up a whip. At the bare minimum - purchase one or more of the whip cracking videos that abound.

When beginning to learn (or attempting some newer, more difficult cracks, it is also recommended to wear safety glasses/goggle to protect your eyes. Ear plugs are also generally needed if practicing indoors and within enclosed spaces -- just think of the echo of a sonic boom.

Whip fights are very dangerous without training. You never want to be hit by a whip or (even worse) to hit anyone. It will still slice through the skin or leave a huge welt - and it is possible to lose an eye. As mentioned before, always wear eye protection in practice.

The whip has a single-action brain - if you give it multiple signals before it has completed its last, it will become confused and either (1) tangle or (2) hit you for confusing it. In addition, think of cracking the whip along parallel tracks with your body - it helps to keep you focused towards the whips' goal.

Do not wrap or swing on your whip. Indiana Jones had the fortune of a multi-millon dollar budget and steel cable pre-attached with a whip exterior. If you wrap your whip around anything, it will not come free. If you swing on it, it will destroy the whip by stretching the braid - leaving it a very expensive and unhappy rope.