Whip Guide: Types, Uses and How to Find the Best One

By Steven Harrisson, May 11, 2021

Throughout history, whips were used in a range of different forms and for different purposes. Nevertheless, it was mainly the same thing. Whips were tools designed to strike animals or people to control them through the fear of pain. In the past, whips have been used by rulers, slavers, law enforcers etc. and nowadays the majority of whips are made to be used on animals. However, even today there are whips designed and used for corporal punishment or human torture in some religious practices, as well as in BDSM activities.

The reason whips make the sound they make or crack is that they break the sound barrier. In fact, they are the first man-made objects that broke it. So, the sound of the whip is actually a small sonic boom, produced by the material of the whip travelling towards the tip of the whip, also known as the “popper”, moving beyond the speed of sound. In other words, the pop is created by the tip of the whip reaching supersonic speed.

Primarily used as a way to urge or drive animals, whips today are sometimes used to strike the animals, and sometimes simply to create the sound as a warning. There are also cases in which they are used simply as a visual cue, like in equestrianism. Stock whips or bullwhips are used to steer herds of cattle or teams of horses, as they are afraid of the sound, or of the pain. These ingenious objects consist of long handles with strands attached to them, generally strips made of leather.

The Different Types of Whips

Nowadays stockmen and women use different types of whips. All of those types are different from others, and with their own advantages and disadvantages. Mostly the choice is a matter of preference. Generally, most whips share the same components: a handle, a thong, a hinge that connects the handle to the thong, a fall – a long strap of material connected to the end of the thong and so on.

There are seven basic types of whips, each good for different application, with their own distinguishing characteristics: stock whip, bullwhips, snake whip, cow whip, signal whip and bullock whip, the most common types amongst stockmen and women, especially when it comes to Australia, are the stockwhips and the bullwhips.

Stock Whips

If you are a herdsman or woman in Australia in need of a whip, at some point you will need to invest in stock whips, because these are among the best-designed whips, native to our country. While the Australian stock whip has probably originated from the English hunting whip, they are quite distinct. These whips have either gotten their name from the fact that they are used to control stock, or because the handle of the whip is called the stock. Furthermore, a stock whip is a classic Australian whip, usually made from kangaroo leather.

The handle of the stock whip is connected to the thong by a keeper made from loops of thick leather on the end of the handle and the beginning of the thong. These loops are fitted together, making the hinge known as the keeper, meaning that the thongs on a stock whip are replaceable, and maybe even interchangeable. The thong is between 1 and 3 metres long and the handle between 38 and 53 cm.

Bull Whips

If you are looking to buy a bullwhip, you are probably in search of something very reliable and durable. These whips, used in some very famous films, including classic Indiana Jones, feature a handle long between 20 and 30 cm, with a thong braided from leather long between 1 and 6 metres. The most important difference between an Australian stockwhip and a bullwhip is that the handle and the thong of the bullwhip are made from the same plait, making them look like one complete unit. The thong connects with the handle in line, covering the handle entirely, with a fall made of leather long between 25 and 76 cm.

The first thing you should think about when you are choosing a whip is the length. Generally, shorter whips are faster, and the crack is softer. On the other hand, longer whips are more difficult to handle, but the cracks are louder. If you are going to use If you use a shorter whip, it will be more difficult for you to crack. Longer whips get more strength and energy, which is why they will be really easy for you to crack. If you are just starting, you should go for something that’s short enough to be easier to handle, but long enough for easier cracking.