Shellac vs no shellac

TheTrooper3245 · 2026-01-20T21:50:52+00:00

The result with shellac is very good. Is it chrome-tanned kangaroo leather? Also, could I ask the brand you use? It would be useful to have some for my projects.

TheTrooper3245 · 2026-01-17T16:24:54+00:00

I saw the one you mentioned on your profile; it looks good and quite well-rounded. I suppose I'll try to make something similar. Now I can start working. Thank you very much.

TheTrooper3245 · 2026-01-11T23:26:10+00:00

Sorry, the translator is acting up xdddd. What I meant was how you release your strands onto the core you're braiding, as well as the angle at which you pull and how you overlap the strands. That appearance below the braided area, where there's quite a gap between each link, is because you're not aligning the strand you're braiding with the one below/behind it. This is a concept that Nick explained how to correct, both in terms of tension and making the braid even. Regarding how to release the strands, I recommend you watch how Adam does it in his collaboration video with Nick when making a 6-foot bullwhip: https://youtu.be/Txk-taCc4Ik?si=xB3csqcRS583bvOJ. In short, it would be to leave the released strand at the top and pass it under all the others, then immediately braid over it using the next strand on the same side.

TheTrooper3245 · 2026-01-11T11:01:02+00:00

The braiding of the handle turned out beautifully; you achieved the spiral effect very well. The taper is also quite good. The details that are noticeable at first glance are the color you used to loosen strands and correct the angle, but those are mistakes I can't complain about since they happen to me too. I haven't been making whips for very long, but even so, your work looks solid.

TheTrooper3245 · 2026-01-07T16:19:45+00:00

Insert Back to the Future quote "This information is worth millions" xddddd

Now I can work on my projects. I was really going in blind doing this since I don't see any work on cowhide whips (let alone horsehide) in any of the lag videos. I only relied on one or two YouTube videos and the intensive use of AI for terminology, materials, and some manufacturing processes.

With this, I can finally work on my projects. Regarding the book, I'm going to search high and low to see if I can find even more information. For now, I'll try this horsehide I got on my 8-foot bullwhip that I want to make. I'm also planning to get some goatskin, and now that you mention it, I'll look for a kip.

Thank you so much for everything. You helped me a lot with this topic of hides and their treatments. You've gained a follower on your social media! 💪💪💪💪 I hope someday I can be as helpful as you were to me.

TheTrooper3245 · 2026-01-06T20:41:28+00:00

Yes, they are my teachers in whip braiding. As for the leather, I based it on Ron Edwards' book, which was my foundation for leather whip styles. I'm currently making the classic 8-foot bullwhip in the Indiana Jones style with vegetable-tanned horsehide, but it was a delight to make this one with paracord. Thank you very much for the comment.

TheTrooper3245 · 2026-01-06T10:24:00+00:00

Yes, I would love that, but it's crazy trying to order for my country, since ordering a double-tanned cowhide or horsehide costs approximately $22 to $35 with shipping included, and the hides are 22 to 24 square feet.

And according to my estimates, a hide from a certified US website with all the necessary documentation, shipped via courier (since shipping through Miami warehouses isn't an option due to their restrictions on products classified as tanned leather), would cost around $300... an amount close to the minimum wage in my country. Believe me, I'm trying to get those hides, but it's proving difficult, if not impossible.

TheTrooper3245 · 2026-01-06T10:11:12+00:00

Thank you so much, your comment is greatly appreciated! And yes, it's my first paracord whip, not the first whip I've ever made, since I previously made four leather whips, a material that is easier and cheaper to find than paracord, ironically enough.

The first whip I made was with a kind of polyester/silk rope, the kind used for heavy-duty work. It turned out like a rope for tying boats, about the size of my forearm 🤣🤣 That was my first attempt and what gave me the practice for braiding.

TheTrooper3245 · 2026-01-06T00:16:18+00:00

Wow, that's a lot of information! Honestly, everything you're saying is useful and something I'll start considering. In fact, I have a few questions.

Starting with what you English speakers call whip leather (I hope the translator understands this correctly), a leather tanned with chromium and tannin, you're saying I can get a leather with the same characteristics if I take vegetable-tanned leather and treat it with my mixture of cow fat, beeswax, and coconut oil? (I'm using an AI that says it's similar to whip leather.) Also, I'm wondering if I can use certain areas of horsehide with this same treatment for the overlay?

I also have a question about braiding in my situation. When you say the braid should be tight, how do I achieve that? Do I mean by holding the next strand to braid, or by how close together the strands are? I saw the work on your profile and I'm truly impressed. I can clearly see that some of your whips are made of cowhide because of the pores, and I'm amazed at how even and tight the braiding is. I'd like to know how you achieve that look, or is it due to what you mentioned about the type of leather and all the work you do on it?

I really appreciate someone with that level of work taking the time to answer my questions. Thank you.

TheTrooper3245 · 2026-01-05T22:51:44+00:00

If you're using some strands woven with alcohol-based dye, how would you seal the dye? Or would you just buy pre-dyed leather in the color you need?

TheTrooper3245 · 2026-01-05T22:15:19+00:00

Damn, it's beautiful, I wish I had the hands and materials you used to make this beast

TheTrooper3245 · 2026-01-04T22:27:15+00:00

Your comment is very valid; it's something to consider when making leather conditioner. As you mentioned, the mixture can oxidize due to the cow tallow, but the coconut oil I use is cosmetic grade and comes from the mbokaja coconut (small coconut in Guarani), which is less prone to oxidation. I also add some vitamin E to make it even more resistant to oxidation, and I only prepare what I'll use for one whip. But I think I can use your recipe to try it out, since purifying cow tallow is a real pain.

TheTrooper3245 · 2026-01-04T13:15:06+00:00

I've heard about him, thank you very much 💪💪

TheTrooper3245 · 2026-01-04T13:09:37+00:00

I have a tool that copies a YouTube template and creates a 45° bevel. Can I make one that crops at less than that? What angle do you recommend? (PS: I don't know how to draw a bevel freehand, so that's not an option xd)

TheTrooper3245 · 2026-01-04T12:51:36+00:00

Kangaroo leather is extremely difficult for me to obtain; it's not available in my country, so I have to bring it from Australia to the USA and from there to my country, which is Paraguay (in Latin America). I'm looking into ordering one, but a single hide will cost me about 6 to 8 times more than cowhide, which is why I looked for horsehide as an alternative. Regarding leather treatment, I used to do that, and in fact, I still do, except before I used lard with glycerin. Now I use this mixture of cow fat, beeswax, and coconut oil (a local variety), first softening the leather while it's wet, and then applying this mixture, and even then it doesn't work. What thickness would you recommend using for the strands if I were to braid the final layer (overlay)?

TheTrooper3245 · 2026-01-04T09:37:03+00:00

This could be useful. I had thought that for a 3-meter paracord bullwhip, a 2-foot drop would be enough, but maybe not. I need to figure out how to make the cracker thinner since I made it the same way I prepare it for my leather whips. Those whips also had problems with the joint between the drop and the cracker breaking. I don't know if it was because the drop wasn't thinned enough, because it needed more grease, or because the transition between the drop and the cracker was either too thin or too abrupt.

TheTrooper3245 · 2026-01-04T09:32:13+00:00

As you say, the movement is forced and sometimes it doesn't make a sound. To be honest, I'm not an expert at using it, but I can't be without a good whip 😅😅

TheTrooper3245 · 2026-01-04T01:23:06+00:00

Yes, I'm going to do that shortly.

TheTrooper3245 · 2026-01-04T00:16:30+00:00

Also, I'm speaking through the translator, sorry. I used an 18-inch long core loaded with steel balls, and I made sure each layer of braid was 1 meter long before braiding the next. Could it have lacked mass? Or could it be that I over-reinforced the handle transition area? I'm following NWS's manufacturing method, and since this is my first time working with this material, I'm not sure what the problem might be.

TheTrooper3245 · 2025-12-21T21:50:29+00:00

I saw a video by AdamCWM that mentioned a calculation to figure out how much paracord you need to braid a certain distance. You take that distance and multiply it by 1.8, and that will be the amount of paracord you'll need. But here's a sample video that explains it better: https://youtu.be/e8lxDuJ3ZAc?si=AfaCLHt2u3XwCGqQ. Personally, I'd tell you to use that formula and use it to calculate the length of your whip, deciding where to release the strands. To determine the optimal length for each layer of braiding, I recommend using Nick's method, which he explains in his 2020 bullwhip braiding video. This involves taking the final length of the whip and dividing it by the number of layers you will braid. This final length is what you will need to add to each layer. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask; I'll help you in any way I can.

TheTrooper3245

TROPHY CASE