Types of Whips

Basically there are three types of single tail whips:

Bullwhip: These are the classic whips seen everywhere. They generally are around 6'-12' in length, with a rigid handle usually made out of wood that is either left wooden or covered with leather. Some bullwhips have knuckles or hinges between the handle or thong, depending on the style and the owner’s or maker’s choice.

Signal Whips: These are shorter than bullwhips, made in lengths of 3'-4'. They were originally designed to signal dog sled teams — by cracking the whip on one side or the other, the driver can steer the team. They differ from bullwhips in that they do not have a rigid handle but instead are formed with lead shot. The handle flows smoothly and continuously to the thong and they do not have a knuckle. They also will have a combined fall and popper. The fall is made of braided string or nylon, ending with a knot and frayed end like the popper on the bullwhip. When the popper wears down, the fall and the popper are both replaced.

Snakes: These are non-rigid handled bullwhips. They run in a variety of lengths from 6' on. The handle is flexible, often filled with lead shot, and is continuous with the braiding on the thong. The end of the whip does contain a fall and popper as does the bullwhip.