This Instructable is one on how to create your very own whip out of paracord! Haven't we all wanted to just crack a whip, watching as your friends and family stare in awe of your whippy awesomeness?

Of course, with all things that go really fast there are also dangers (guns, cars, airplanes, Chuck Norris) so you should treat them with respect. Wear safety glasses so you don't hurt your eyes! Unfortunately, I learned this the hard way. Also, you're trying not to whip anyone so make sure all humans and animals are well away before you start swinging your whip. Remember this is going to (hopefully) break the sound barrier, and that's around 768 mph*! What I'm trying to get at is: don't hurt yourself or others.

*it actually depends on your elevation, humidity, and temperature , but 768 mph is at sea level with normal conditions. here is the wiki page on the speed of sound

Step 1: Stuff You Need

~~~~~Stuff~~~~~
Paracord
Two hands
Time

That's right all you need is paracord and you have a whip that should break the sound barrier! (at least mine does)

Depending on how long you want your whip to be you'll need about 30 to 50 yards of paracord to make a whip 8 to 12 feet long the blue one in the first picture was made from 50, and the silver one i'll be making in this instructable was 31 yards.

Step 2: Getting the Cord Ready

I find it hard to get the cord off of a coil without it tangling, and it's a nuisance to deal with this while trying to make your whip so this part is essential. Just uncoil your cord into a pile at your feet! This looks like a mess, but if you use the end on top of the pile it won't tangle. However, if you move the pile it most likely will. You probably don't need to do this step if your paracord comes on a spool, but mine doesn't, so I do this. I know it looks like a mess but it works really well.

Step 3: How to Do the Daisy Chain

Thats right, the daisy chain! You might already know how to do it (boy scouts) or use it to shorten extension cords. It's also known as finger crochet or chain sinnet. The first step is to simply daisy chain all but 3 feet of rope on the very end!

First, make a loop about 1.5 to 2 feet from the end (pic 1). You'll use this to finish to handle later.
Then, pinch the long end of the cord close to the loop and push it through the first loop (pic 2). Picture 3 is the starting knot tightened. You just made a slip knot! This is how you start any daisy chain. Now continue making loops and putting those through the previous loop. Remember to tighten each loop a bit; you don't want them too loose.

Do this until there is about 3 feet left at the end. You might notice the loop getting large, all you have to do is pull the rope and the loop will shrink.

Step 4: Pausing

You've probably figured out by now that this takes a while. I can finish the entire thing in 45 minutes to a hour but I've done this a lot so I'm fast so it would take someone new to it 1.5 to 3 hours to finish the entire thing. So having a rest is good. You might notice that when you pull the end of rope the chain undoes itself. You don't want all your hard work going to waste do you? All you have to do is pull the loop out a bit and you can take a break from chaining for a while.

Step 5: Second Daisy Chain

When you finish chaining all but 3 feet go back to the start and make a slip knot with the previously chained cord and chain the previously chained cord (pic 1). Confusing right? The pictures should help. Do this until there is 3 feet of single daisy chain (pic 2).

Step 6: Making the Handle

This step isn't required, although it makes the whip easier to use. First fold over 4 - 6 inches of the double chained cord and use the 2 feet of cord we saved at the beginning to stitch the doubled over chain to itself (pic 1) Picture 2 is all stitched up. Now you're done! if you want to make a loop at the end just double the single cord over and tie a knot. You can just thread whatever cord you have leftover into the handle.

Step 7: Finished!!!

Now you're done! If you want to you can fray the very end of the cord. I've found that it's easier to crack the whip if you do. Some smaller whips that you see make the crack by the end of the cord hitting itself, which makes a small crack but isn't breaking the sound barrier. This whip actually breaks the sound barrier! You may or may not be able to break the sound barrier with your whip and technique. How I've found the easiest is to sorta spin it around your head and abruptly swing it the other way, it's hard to explain.

Thanks for reading! Please rate and vote! :-)

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13 Comments

SharkWeekEveryweek

8 years ago

Guns cars airplanes Chuck Norris..... LOL

henster22

12 years ago on Step 3

I have always thought that this chain was called monkey chain or slip knot chain plus this instructabal is like mine (we use the same chain)

WataAtaCrackahJack

12 years ago on Step 3

why not braid it?

poptart36

12 years ago on Introduction

I have built two of these, and im working on another right now, and they work great, but there are some improvements ive made, if you tie a loop into the handle string, then do a cobra weave around that, then fold it over, then do a west country whipping around that, it makes a great handle, and if you take the end string, twist it, then fold it and tie it to the end of the daisy chain, so it makes a twisted loop, then take a strip of leather and cow hitch it to the loop, and attach a twisted string cracker to the leather, it makes it much easier to crack. But these are great whips, and very fun to use.