Hey guys...so I went ahead and started gathering materials for The Discipline whip. I remember the spiral pattern from old hemp-choker necklaces, and the handle is just a braid with multiple strands.
The hardest part with The Discipline is finding the materials. This is a classic RPF story...total creativity, I must say.
So, I went to Michaels crafts, looking for a "thick twine" or a "thin rope"...got nothing. All they had were bead and hemp sets. Then I went to Lowes...more bad luck. They had plenty of rope, but it was all nylon or polyester, and I want that rope look and feel, and plus, a nylon rope won't hold the spiral/braid patterns.
Then, as I was proozing through Tom Thumb, I walked past something that caught my eye...a mop-head replacement. I decided to take my chances, and buy one, hoping that the strand is just one long piece of rope.
I hit the jackpot. One HUGE strand of the perfect color, perfect width, and perfect feel for The Discipline. Plus, there is a lot to work with. More than 2,900 feet worth of this stuff. It's woven cotton, so it's strong and will last forever.
The trouble is, a mop-head is essentiall this big piece of thick twine wrapped over and over and over across two plastic pieces, and all of it is bound by these green connectors, sewn into the piece. It was a huge pain in the neck getting the green connectors out and separating the rope from the plastic ends, but in the end, with a pair of scissors, a seam ripper, and a pair of locking pliers, I got the job done.
Afterward, I made myself a quick little spool and wrapped the rope around. Later tonight I'll get to work on the spiraled ends. I'll keep you guys posted. Check out the progress pics below.
--Ash
First...here is a picture of a real Discipline whip from the Opus Dei Awareness Network. Hopefully mine will be a dead on match when I'm finished.
Click thumbnails for a bigger picture.