What is a Whip? Bullwhips, Snake whips, Stock whips, and more

What is a Whip: There are many kinds of whips with their own characteristics, but simply put, a whip is a tool used to break the sound barrier and create a sonic boom. Common whip materials are nylon/paracord and leather. The general design of a whip consists of a handle, a plaited body (known as the thong), a thin lashing (known as the fall), and a piece of twine/thread (known as the cracker). The inside of a whip is made up of a core sometimes loaded with a shot (steel bearings), then braided layers (known as bellies).

What is a whip used for: Whips were first manufactured between 200-300 A.D., as an agricultural tool used to herd livestock. Since then, whips have been documented in hunter-gatherer tribes as a tool for hunting. Whips were also unfortunately a weapon used notoriously by slavers against slaves throughout different eras of history. In today's age, whips remain a tool in agriculture, while having also found a niche community amongst hobbyists and competitors.   

Bullwhips: Bullwhips are the most famous style of whip. Iconically used by Indiana Jones, this style unlike others has its handle and thong braided into one piece with the transition between the two being reinforced in order to increase tension. The general build of a Bullwhip is a shot loaded core, 1-3 braided bellies, and an overlay braid. After the single piece that makes up the handle and thong, there is the fall and then the cracker. The majority of Bullwhips have a 10-12 inch handle, whereas Australian style Bullwhips usually have slightly longer handles, with sizes varying from 3ft to as much as 20ft.

Snake Whips: Snake Whips are essentially a Bullwhip without the handle or the transition reinforcement. Some might still have some tension added by the heel knot. The reason they are called Snake Whips is because they resemble a snake when rolled up. Sizes usually vary between 3 to 8 feet. One variation of the Snake Whip is the Signal Whip which has the same build with the absence of a fall.

Stock Whips: A stock Whip, unlike the Bullwhip or Snake whip, does not work through tension or add weight by shot loading, but instead works through leverage alone. Stock Whips have long handles which are a minimum of 16 inches. This allows the user to have great leverage over the thong. The handle and thong of the Stock Whip are 2 separate pieces, each with a loop on the end which attach to each other. These loops are called keepers. Stock Whips are popular for performance and competition. Whether it be target or cracking routines, the light weight makes them ideal for the job

   Cow Whips: The Cow Whip or Florida Cow Whip, is another whip in which the thong and handle are not braided together. Instead, two strands protrude from the thong. This part of the thong goes into the hollow top of the handle and then the two strands come through two holes in the side of the handle and tie off to fix the two pieces together.

   Performance Hybrid Whips: Performance Hybrid Whips are a cross between a Cow Whip and a Stock Whip. The process to attach the thong and handle is the same as with a Cow Whip, but the handles are long and hollow to improve leverage. These whips were developed for their use in performance and competition.

   Bullock Whips: The Bullock Whip resembles a Stock whip in build, although it is much larger. The handle is usually taller than the user's shoulder and the thong is usually 8-10 feet long but can be as much as 20 feet or more, although this is common. Originally used by an Australian Bullock team driver.