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-12s "can't' be
as good" as what we've come to expect from master braiders
like Alex Green, John Brady, 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, his
"L'il Indie"' 5' has a 9" (10:1) handle, and his
David Morgan Target Whip's handle measures an enormous 17"
(7.7:1).
In theory, 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-12
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. The Australians
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 braider has promised to show
us some alum-tanned falls in the near future. But for now …
Our standard
color is a 2-tone black and whisky … although single-color
and the other standard western colors: gold, tan, whisky and brandy,
are available by special order, for an additional charge.
The Senorita
If you are not ready
to make the investment, but want to start out in bullwhipping, this
is the whip for you.
In a subtle two-tone
pattern, this import has a leather fall, but no popper ... but you
can connect your own if you like.
This is one
of several economy whips in our collection, along with the Stockyard
Whip and the Economy and Moderate
Bullwhip.
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