Defending self taught whip makers

[@Alucard96744]

As a hobby whipmaker whos sold only a few whips to a few friends and cosplayers this is wonderful to hear others rising to our defense. Ive had people tell me my whips are horrible because ive never been classically trained in the craft yet people have told me my whips are beautiful and roll wonderfully i have evolved my craft over the years and i still am evolving. I may not be the first to use different types of materials in my craft but I won't be the last. We amateurs and hobbyists often blaze new trails for our successors to follow.

[@Okie_bullwhips]

Exactly! We can be just as talented if we’re given a chance!

[@tairach6373]

Agreed to 100% ... Maybe experimenting on Builds and designs doesn't work out all the time ... I think it might be beneficial to learn the basics from someone else or a KZbin video ... but by experimenting and Trial , error and careful observation you can improve in your skills as a Craftsman and explore maybe even never used designs and methods of any craft ...

[@JohnJohn-xb1sn]

I didn't go to the whip con 2024 but a fellow whipmaker I know did. I asked him to try out as many whips by well known whipmaker he could. He's was not that impressed with the difference between his and their's which made him feel nice.

[@Okie_bullwhips]

I’ve got a whip from a well known whipmaker, and it’s not as good as it was played up to be. The transition is loose and it’s kind of unbalanced. A lot of people I know have one of his whips and they’re not to happy with theirs too. The worst part of this the whipmaker in question is really rude to his customers and talks trash about other whipmakers. He sees himself as the best when in actuality his whips are average.

[@nondohagay]

💯

[@Christopher-xd5in]

I love seeing cool stuff then think and figure out that thing. Ive a lot of varied skill sets so i can pick things up quick. Wippersnapper stuff ong fun stuff. I learned whipping oneself stings but still fun as all get out. I built a bullwhip handle fall cracker one unit .. i saw your video said i wonder. Man ill be 55 christsmas this year im old gen x guy. But the plaiting and making it look pretty welll i still need work. I learned to go slow and controlled flicking a lot of forearm work . Like all new workouts i got stronger better at targetting cracking at will. Im a thinker and doer. I saw firewhips now thats some fun wooooo

[@Okie_bullwhips]

That’s awesome! Whip cracking and making is a great skill to have, and it’s so rewarding when you get better at it! I always love seeing comments like this, thank you for watching!

[@Thea_MojaveOutliersWhipmakers]

Haha, tell that to Bernie and Nick, about KZbin videos! Not to mention everyone since then. And by the way, I even successfully replaced the radiator of my own car from a KZbin video, so whoever's saying that, y'all hush! It's funny, because you gotta have a streak of stubborn and a streak of independent as a whip maker, because info IS hard to come by and there's a lot of trial and error, so why some makers think they can boss other makers is beyond me; it's asking for trouble, lol!

[@Okie_bullwhips]

Exactly! Maybe their upset that those who learn from KZbin video can pick up the craft faster than they did!

[@hiroprotagonist525]

Ouf, tough topic. I am mostly self-taught and started making whips, or back then trying to, in the early 80s and it was a very slow process at the time, because there was no internet, so not KZbin and also no Google to find other whipmakers. Back then if you didn't have a name or a city you simply couldn't reach anyone. So if you don't know who is a whipmaker, what their name is or where they live, you can't get help, that also means that until you stumble on a book that talks about whips in a bookstore or a leather craft store, you don't even know there are books written on this subject or who the authors are. What I am getting at here isn't a look at how hard I had it when I was young, no, it's more of a do you understand what having zero help means? So is it fair to say you have no mentors if you talk to a whipmaker? Or if you watch a video (for free) that whipmaker made and posted on KZbin? I dunno... to me that falls into the self-help book section of the library; you are maybe not next to the person, but you are reading their words which they wrote with the idea they wouldn't be there to help you interpret their words and so chose them very carefully as they wrote their book. I honestly don't know how anyone can say thy can make a whip on their own without someone telling them about bellies and bolsters and binding etc. Even if it's on KZbin, it IS a form of mentorship, so it's simply not accurate to say you are doing it on your own. Next, if an experienced whipmaker tells you this is how you should do things because of X-Y or Z, they are actually trying to help you and are doing it for free, for the love of the craft. Now you may take exception with their tone and attitude and fair enough, but that's just hurt feelings and if you look beyond that, you'll see there's a lot of experience behind what they are telling you. Does that mean some aren't prima dona? No of course not. You'll find all sorts of people in this game, same as the rest of the world, but if you are so easily offended that you can't take the grain and sort it from the chafe, you're in for a tough ride. Do you think old mentors were all nice or kind? Not at all! At least not for the first few years until you proved you were serious enough and good enough to deserve their kindness. I hate to say it but you're going to have to differentiate between the tone and the message, or you'll always be put off. If the message is sound, then forget about the tone, who CARES how they talk to you if they've just HELPED you?! Also, don't waste time making videos on how others talk, spend that time perfecting your craft, even if it is part-time. Let others worry about the tone and just carry on with your business. These are words to live by. I know your generation is used to living online and responding to things that upset you online, but trust me, in a few years you'll be looking to delete this video. This idea that you are going to change anyone's mind or that you are somehow avenging some disenfranchised group who will henceforth live more happily as a result is nonsense. Just make your whips and forget about the arrogant assholes, Just do your thing. Everything else is just a waste of time.

[@Okie_bullwhips]

First and foremost, I’m not offended in the slightest, in fact this isn’t even about me personally, I’m merely defending the small time whipmaking community which keeps being attacked by big name whipmakers. The individuals I’m speaking about don’t try to help the new and upcoming talent, in fact it’s the exact opposite. Unfortunately, they feel it’s completely appropriate to insult , berate, & harass the new and upcoming craftsman offering zero constructive criticism. If you would’ve listened to my message you would’ve heard that I and many others not only encourage but invite a constructive critique. But, going on a bashing rant simply because a new talent didn’t do a build “their way” is absolutely absurd. If this “experienced whipmaker” actually offered anything with substance that would be one thing. However, that’s just not the case and it’s unfortunate. Lastly, you’ve come to my post and made an inaccurate assumption of me based on my “generation” and that’s okay, you’re entitled to you’re opinion. I made this post to simply encourage others to keep on keeping on because it was the right thing to do…. That being said it was in no way a waste of my time, and I will not be deleting in the future because right is right & wrong is wrong.