How to Braid a Rope Whip

Braiding a Whip

• 1

  Hammer the nail into the plywood. This will be used as a base to secure one end of your rope. It is important that the thickness of the plywood be heavy enough, and the nail be long enough. If you are using thicker twine, then you might need to secure it with two nails.

• 2

  Uncoil the one-fourth-inch twine and cut into three strands of 6 1/2-foot length. The size varies depending on how tightly you braid (which is dependent on experience). This will yield roughly 3 1/2 feet of whip coil, including the grip.

• 3

  Fold the three strands equally over the nail so that they are secure. Be certain that no strand will slip by tying the twine in a simple knot, and fold up the nail with the hammer. This will leave you with six strands of twine to braid.

• 4

  Braid the six strands by using a simple six-strand braid pattern. (If you are not familiar with higher strand braiding, you can make a more common three-strand braid; however, this is not usually sturdy enough to withstand heavy use of the whip.) Be certain that your braid is as tight as you can make it to prevent unraveling.

• 5

  Secure one of the rubber bands to the end of the braid. This will be the "handle end." Cut the top of the knot, making sure to hold the braid tightly, and secure the other end with the other rubber band. This will be the "whip end."

• 6

  Wrap the twine around the end of handle end of the whip. This will form a grip for the handle. Wrap it tightly roughly 5 inches from the end ---near the rubber band. Occasionally tie a knot in the twine to prevent slippage. The plastic coating will make it easier to poke one end through the strand of the braid. This, too, is to keep the plastic twine from slipping. Think of it as though you were tying off the end of a string after sewing. Remove the rubber band.

• 7

  Dip the whip in water and allow it to soak for 10 minutes. Allow the whip to dry for 24 hours. This will allow the twine to tighten still further.

• 8

  Melt the plastic with the lighter by holding the rope about 2 inches from the tip of the lighter. Be careful not to burn the plastic. There should be very little discoloration. Melting the light coating of plastic causes the handle to be firm, and to help secure the braid from unraveling.

• 9

  Seal the rest of the whip with the sealant by dipping two rubber-encased fingers in the sealant and using the fingers to spread the sealant. Sealant can be found at most craft stores. It needs to be waterproof, but if waterproofing is not necessary, this step can be omitted.

• 10

  Allow the sealant to dry. Remove the last rubber band.