Chain Whip recommendations

[Judge Pen]

I'm looking for a good 9 section chain whip. Do you guys have any recommendations? Of course I'm leaning toward the one offered at Martial Arts Mart, but I have questions. What is a "traditional" weight for chain whip? I tend to lean toward heavier weapons for training purposes; is this a good idea for whip or would it be preferable to learn on a lighter whip?

Thanks for your input.

[MasterKiller]

I get most of my weapons from Jinheng Li's store:

http://www.worldmas.com/

[norther practitioner]

I've been told that it doesn't have to be 9 sections, so go with what works, if you have to take a link off, don't be affraid to...
I have a traditional weight (not the biggest, but def. not wushu weight) one that I play around with.. I can tell you, it hurts like a summabiatch when you mess up. They aren't all too expensive, If I were to go and get one now, I'd prob. get a wush weight one. Hey, it is still steel, and would still f**k someone up real good.


They are also usually pretty cheap on ebay here I even did the search for you (http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?cgiurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi.ebay.com%2Fws%2 F&krd=1&from=R8&MfcISAPICommand=GetResult&ht=1&SortProperty=MetaEndSort&query=chain+whip)

[norther practitioner]

Oh, and most of those chain whips on ebay are from Jinheng Li.

[Judge Pen]

Thanks NP. I'm going to try to play around with a couple and see what weight I'd prefer. I expect to feel pain while learning this weapon. In the whips from Jinheng Li do not appear to have a knob handle. Is there a risk of the whip flying out of your hand without one?

E-bay is a wonderful resource. I just bought a nice pair of old hook swords from a guy in Shanghi.

[norther practitioner]

There has been more and more stuff up there for Kung fu..


Mine has a nut type thing on the end..

[Sho-dan]

JP, I practice with a standard weight chainwhip, and as other practitioners mention, it is extremely unforgiving if you don't focus. I started by wrapping the end dart with pipe insullation and duct tape (but it still hurts to get hit, it just doesn't break the skin). I also practice this only when I have people around in case I knock myself out (for instance when I grab the 3rd link in my teeth if the timing of the release isn't correct it can dot your eye/forhead/cheekbone, etc.). It also helps to have a knob at the end of the handle, it does slip when your hands get sweaty and I have to pat my hands in the dirt for grip/friction. It took a lot of practice before I decided to take the protection off. This is my favorite weapon so far.

[MasterKiller]

Mine has a handle, but I always wrap my handles with flag material, and then tape over it with medical tape, to give some cushion.

[John Dufresne]

Ben,

What ever whip you get, just retape the handle to meet your hand specifications- Jin Hung has good whips so does Bak li tat in Ny york-All I can say is remmeber to keep your mouth closed while training, An out of control whip can knock out a tooth very easily. Good luck with it!

Sincerely
Sifu John

[themeecer]

Ben, I really really like the one from tigerclaw (martialartsmart.com) I always wanted one like thaddru has. It was custom made and the guy only made like 13. It is a thing of beauty. It has an iron wood handle. I was afraid all others would be wussy in comparison. Master Green has a wonderful one as well that Master Hiang The found for all the students years ago. They were made by hand in Indonesia. I contacted some of his current students to see if they have a source for some good ones, and they didn't.

I was greatly pleased by the one I bought through here. It has some decent heft to it and the swivel on the handle is nice. I took a black and a white boot lace and crisscrossed it to make a non-slip handle. I also rigged a practice chain whip to start out on. It is basically a rope with a wooden handle and the other end has a racketball filled with BBs. The physics of it is a little different, so I wouldn't use this for too long but it really did help me in the beginning. I'll try to take a digital pic of both of these tomorrow and post it.

I see the chain whip like a woman. You have to respect it. You have to spend time with it. If you don't spend the time with it that it requires it will come back to sting you. I even named mine.

[Ben Gash]

Personally I favour a medium weight one (which is what I learned with). I currently have a heavy one (from Kwon), but it doesn't spin as nicely and isn't as flexible. I've used lightwieght wushu ones, but I find that they whip around too much and you can't get a feel for them.

[Judge Pen]

Originally posted by themeecer

I see the chain whip like a woman. You have to respect it. You have to spend time with it. If you don't spend the time with it that it requires it will come back to sting you. I even named mine.

:eek: Please don't take this anaology too far! :p

Serioulsy, pics would be appreciated. After what Ben posted I'm thinking about a medium weight whip. I want one with the "nut" type handle and I'll be sure to tape the handle and pipe insulate the point while I'm learning the spins this summer.

[themeecer]

Here is the pic of my chain whip I got through tigerclaw. It also came with that carrying pouch.

[themeecer]

Here is my 'starter chain whip.'

[norther practitioner]

Nice whip... lose the rug :p

[themeecer]

My rug rocks!

[MasterKiller]

Originally posted by themeecer
My rug rocks! Your toupee is fine. He meant the carpet.

:D

[themeecer]

I don't need a toupee .. remember I study SD ... we're not monks. ;) Therefore we don't shave our heads.

[Judge Pen]

The Mullet: Business up front; party in the rear!

[LarryD]

Originally posted by themeecer
Here is my 'starter chain whip.'

Nice whip chain but where's the flag? It's got to have a silk/satin flag for the sound effects and to mezmerize the audience.

[themeecer]

A flag for my 'starter chain whip?' Well it doesn't need one .. I only used that for a few weeks. I'll tie one on my real one eventually. Though when I do it won't fit in that neat little carrying case.

Never was a big fan of flags and tassels .. even though they have a practical purpose. I took them off of both my tai chi sword and my broadsword. The broadsword isn't that bad but the one on my tai chi sword was annoying.

[Judge Pen]

I was always under the impression that the flag has a functional purpose on the whip. Helps the swinger have a better feel for the spped and rotation of the tip.

[MasterKiller]

Originally posted by Judge Pen
I was always under the impression that the flag has a functional purpose on the whip. Helps the swinger have a better feel for the spped and rotation of the tip. Word.

[norther practitioner]

Never was a big fan of flags and tassels .. even though they have a practical purpose. I took them off of both my tai chi sword and my broadsword. The broadsword isn't that bad but the one on my tai chi sword was annoying.

When you use a flag or a tassle, they shouldn't bother you, especially when you use the weapon correctly. In our Yang taiji jian we use it in several spots for whips, etc. In my kung fu jian form that I'll be learning, there is a section where we use it too. The broadsword flag should not get in the way, and also can help balance the sword, and also serves as an indicator of speed. I know that a few judges told me to use the flag so long as it doesn't get wrapped up, in comps so that they can here it, to see what type of speed is going on... that being said, I only make it through my new broadsword form about 85% of the time without any flag wraps....

[Judge Pen]

I do usually take the flags off my broadswords, but that's a personal preference. But I'll keep a flag on my whip as it makes sense for me to guage the speed. With a broadsword I know how fast i'm swinging it and where it's going.