Gunnedah’s Tony Angel has been making whips for almost 40 years and is hard pressed to meet the demand.
“I sell more than I can make” he says.
Tony has come from his hometown for the Narrabri Show.
He will demonstrate the art of whip making on Friday at 2.30, and Saturday at 11.30 and 4.30.
“I go around the shows demonstrating, showing people basically how to plait a whip” said Tony.
“I make red (cow) hide and ‘roo hide whips, fancy plaits, little sulky whips - everything.
“I’m working on a bull whip now.
“Working with ‘roo hide is very technical” Tony adds.
“There are about five or six components to a ‘roo hide and in a red hide there are only really the belly and the outside.
“I taught myself to make whips, and I know most of the old whip makers, real craftsmen like Malcolm McGregor, Boggabri, and picked up bits and pieces from them.
“Nowadays, I have people ringing me up and saying ‘how do I do this or that?’”
“Keeping up the stock is the biggest thing” he said.
“It takes an hour or two to plait a red hide whip, but maybe a day or two to plait a ‘roo hide.
“A red hide is about five foot, and a ‘roo hide about six foot long plus.
“That’s only the plaited whip part.
“Add the 21 inch handle and the fall, about two foot six and the cracker, about six inches .
Much experience goes into Tony’s whip making.
“To cut out a six foot whip you are cutting nine foot long ‘roo hide strands.
“If you have a 12 strand whip you cut six strands one way and six the others.
“Some people want to make their own. I demonstrate red hides, but if someone is dead set interested I would cut out a ‘roo hide and work on that” he said.
Tony has camped at the Narrabri Showground with his wife June and is looking forward to meeting show goers and talking about and demonstrating the fascinating art of whip making.