# Bullwhips

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bullwhips/242154>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 26, 2004, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bullwhips/242154 "2004-04-26T21:46:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![feppytweed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/feppytweed/32/4280_2.png) [@feppytweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feppytweed)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2004, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bullwhips/242154/1 "2004-04-26T21:46:33Z")

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is it really possible for a whip to be lashed in one stroke so as to go around an object, ie a beam, and be able to support a person?

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**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2004, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bullwhips/242154/2 "2004-04-26T22:34:33Z")

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My WAG is:  
Depends on the length of the whip, the number of wrap-arounds on the object, the braiding of the whip, and the friction coefficients of the object and the whip.

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**Author:** ![flight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbce88/32.png) [@flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flight)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2004, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bullwhips/242154/3 "2004-04-26T23:01:24Z")

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Yes, I’ve done it, it’s cool (wasn’t a real bullwhip though).

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**Author:** ![SSgtBaloo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@SSgtBaloo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSgtBaloo)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2004, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bullwhips/242154/4 "2004-04-26T23:17:14Z")

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> [@MSUbulldogs101](#):
>
> is it really possible for a whip to be lashed in one stroke so as to go around an object, ie a beam, and be able to support a person?

You’ve been watching “Indiana Jones” movies again, haven’t you? 😃

–SSgtBaloo

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**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2004, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bullwhips/242154/5 "2004-04-26T23:54:35Z")

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ZORRO does it.

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**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2004, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bullwhips/242154/6 "2004-04-27T00:36:42Z")

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I’m going to change my sig to movies != reality.

It’s not impossible to wrap a whip around a beam so that you can swing from it. If you do wrap it sufficiently, proably at least two whole wraps, you won’t flick the whip and easily remove it from the beam.

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**Author:** ![feppytweed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/feppytweed/32/4280_2.png) [@feppytweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feppytweed)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2004, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bullwhips/242154/7 "2004-04-27T19:48:30Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> You’ve been watching “Indiana Jones” movies again, haven’t you?

well, sort of. i was reading facts about it and they said the kangaroo leather bullwhip sold for i think 38 thousand at some auction. the smithsonian has the hat and maybe the shirt or somthing.