Did You Know Whips Have Crackers?

[barry1010]

I learned yesterday that a whip makes that cracking sound - whip crack away! - because it has a cracker, traditionally long lengths of horse tail twisted together and tied in to the end of a whip.

Every day is a school day.  

[Canary42]

Most of the Parliamentary Whips are crackers - they need to e for that job I would have thought. 😀   😀   😀   

[Canary42]

*be

[naomi24]

As far as I know whips crack when they break the sound barrier.   (Information courtesy of QI or Who Wants to be a Millionnaire or one quiz shpw or another).

[davebro3]

I don't think it needs a different end piece to "crack". Possibly a different end piece is a replaceable part to stop the main body if the whip from fraying. 

[barry1010]

From what I learned the cracker is a lot lighter than leather so travels much faster, breaking the sound barrier.  

[1ozzy]

Different ends have different cracks.

[1ozzy]

Some are louder than others

[douglas9401]

Frank Carson was a world authority on the phenomenon.

[barry1010]

https://www.canadawhips.ca/making-and-replacing-a-cracker/

[Canary42]

That's an interesting link Barry.  

"We STRONGLY recommend only using your whip when there is a cracker attached. While your whip may crack without a cracker on it, this will definitely damage your fall and put strain on the rest of your whip. Crackers are meant to help protect the whip from being damaged while travelling at supersonic speeds… and they also help it crack a lot easier, too! "

[barry1010]

I watched Repair Shop Australia which showed a whip being repaired.  Well, a whip handle is all that was brought in.  It was interesting, the handle had a dagger in it.

[straydog]

I'm glad you answered that Barry as my mind was boggling as to how you found that out!!!😘

[New Judge]

Naomi is correct. I'd heard this but always thought it was a joke until I looked it up some time ago:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167278903002215#:~:text=The%20whip%20is%20modeled%20as,decreases%E2%80%94as%20the%20whip%20tapers.

[barry1010]

Agreed, NJ, it's the cracker that makes it easier to break the sound barrier

[davebro3]

Sometimes in the old comics you got a freebie "cracker" that was a triangular piece of foldede card with thinner paper glued inside. When you flicked it the paper shot out and made a loud "crack". Didn't realise it was exceeding the sound barrier!

[barry1010]

Thunder crackers - we made them when I was little and I've made them with my children and grandchildren.  It never fails to amaze me how a piece of paper can make so much noise.

[barry1010]

I'm easily amused 😁

[Canary42]

I remember those Dave - but I don't think that was a breaking sound barrier - it was when the folded paper opened and then closed again with a crack as the two sides came together, rather like clapping hands. 

[douglas9401]

A scientist writes...

[Canary42]

LOL