Disciplina

This post deals with a category which has little to do with cracking whips.  Even though my main interest is in cracking Mexican whips, I should concede that there are many more interesting techniques that should be registered and explored, and that these sometimes have to do with the darker side of whipmaking.

I got this whip from a friend, who got it when visiting a small town inMexico.  It is a place famous as a destination for spiritual retirement.  Part of this includes self-flagellation, and this kind of whips known in English and Spanish as disciplina, are sold there for that purpose.

 

The whip proper measures around 18-19" long

 

The interesting part is that the more I delve into Mexican whipmaking, the recurring materials are ropes made of natural fibers.  This whip is no exception.  The aim of this post is to give a short description of the Mexican disciplina, and the techniques used and its measurements.

Materials

The whip is made almost entirely of rope, from the natural fibers of one of the plants from the Agave family.  The only other material used is a short piece of wood, to stiffen the hand part.

 

The part where the loop is attached and you can see the wood sticking out a bit

 

The other end of the handle, where the lashes come out

 

Function

On the part opposite the point, there is a loop with which it is hung on a wall when not in use.  It is held by the handle, and there are four short ropes which have a heavier section each to aid in giving a harder hit.  These are swung around and the points are used to strike.

Technology

The techniques involved in making this particular type of whip are very basic and perhaps the idea behind it, is that it evolved from a makeshift object used for self punishment.

 

The overhand knot might as well be replaced with some splicing to achieve a cleaner look

 

Two lengths of rope are cut longer than the final length.  The two ends on each are folded in the opposite direction and hitched back to increase the diameter and weight of these ends.  They are then doubled and a short piece of wood is put separating opposite halves, and pairing one length with the other.  The end of the wooden piece is separated from the middle to aid in forming a space in between them, where the rope loop will pass.  The loop is just a piece of rope where one of the ends is tied in an overhand knot.

 

The point of the lash, where it is doubled and knotted back in the direction of the handle

 

The part where the knotted section ends and meets the lash

 

Aesthetics

The material is left as is, and it has a blond, shiny surface.  The texture is coarse, due to the stiffness of the fibers.  The only elements which aid in its aesthetic dimension are the normal twist of the ropes, and the knots which make the heavier parts in the points of each of its four lashes.  The handle is accented by the use of dyed rope in bright colors, pink and green, by just winding it around the wooden piece and the the four lashes formed by the two doubled ropes.

General dimensions

Loop:  Length 135mm, the rope is a double strand, 3.5mm in diameter.

Handle: Length 104mm, including the orifice where the loop passes.  The handle proper, measures 90mm.  The cross section is oval and measures 30×23.5mm at its widest point.  The rope used for making the grip is again two-strand and  2.5mm in diameter.

Lashes:  Each lash measures 290mm where they leave the handle, and to the point.  Each point measures 102.5mm.  The rope for the flexible part of the lash is 3-strand and 6mm in diameter.  The points measure 13mm and have a cross section which tends to be square-shaped.