The Kanga-Beauty

     How does this $225. Kangaroo hide whip, braided by anonymous Mexicans compare with similar whip designs by famous American and Australian braiders costing $350. to $600.? ...  Very well indeed!

   Sheer common sense makes us want to say these Kanga-12's "can't be as good" as what we've come to expect from master braiders like Alex Green, Joe Wheeler and top-shelf dealers like Mark Allen and David Morgan. But "Adam," who owns and practices with a Wheeler, a Morgan, and a Green, is hard pressed to say exactly how.

   The lace is as finely cut and precisely braided; the decorative knots are as well-made. From butt to tip there are no broken strands, kinks, or hard spots – the lash is smooth and round. The taper – which Adam positively fetishizes as the determiner of how easily a whip will crack without putting a lot of arm behind the throw – is, if anything, more pronounced: the ¾" diameter handle tapers to a little under ¼" at the tip where the fall joins the thong.

   The hard section of the handle, which is lightly shot-loaded, is 11" long on 8 ft models (12:1 ratio). For comparison, the handle of the 6' Alex Green in Adam's collection measures 11" (9:1) ... also, the"L'il Indie"' 5' has a 9" (10:1) handle, and the David Morgan Target Whip's handle measures an enormous 17" (7.7:1).

   In theory, in the right hand attached to a good strong wrist and arm, the longer handle (barring any other problems) ought to generate more speed, which produces a louder crack with more accuracy in a cross-wind. In practice – "not so much" – especially indoors. It also increases the torque and strain on the whip wrist. If you've got strong opinions on this and are willing to wait 4-6 weeks, we can have the Kanga-Beauty built your way.

   The other difference we can see between this 12-plait Kangaroo hide bullwhip and the "top shelf" bullwhips is (for now) the fall. Aussies like their falls thick and narrow, made from 3/16" thick alum-tanned cowhide – sometimes softened rawhide. Our Kanga-Beauties came with 1/8" thick bullhide falls, which is closer to the Western American cowboy practice.

   Our standard color is a 2-tone Black and Whisky … although single-color and the other standard western colors: Gold, Tan and Brandy, are available by special order, for an additional charge.

A customer just wrote to say:
    "She will be thrilled to know that this whip is being built for Her and not something off the shelf. Thank You for responding and i am happy i found You online to purchase this for Her. FYI She plans on using it to mark Her property so i will be carrying scars from its use LOL. Well i am laughing now. P"

Another told us recently:
   "I got it indeed, yesterday afternoon, very beautiful piece of work, it snaps very nicely :-) Thank you for your quality and express work! JD"