Years ago I once tried to crack a 12 plait stockwhip that a mate of mine owned and all I did was wrap it around my neck instead and slap myself up the side of the face/head. A real art, not one which I got even close to mastering. He used to use it to cover up for employing his .22 in a built up area. He had Pigeons & used to shoot feral birds that would come around to eat the spilt seed. He'd pot one out through the kitchen window & then rush out into the back yard with the whip & start cracking it. Pretty ingenious. In all the years that he lived there in Baulkham Hills not once did the local constabulary show up in response to neighbours reporting rifle shots. He also had a pet Carpet Snake named Fred that had a rather disturbing habit of appearing out from under the lounge unannounced & often between your feet while you were sitting down watching TV.