Upon delivery, your whip will be quite stiff. Dont worry as this is normal. As you use your whip it will break-in as we say, becoming more supple over time and adapt to your style of cracking. Physical damage such as hitting on sharp objects, gravel, concrete, etc, being jammed in doors or truck tailgates, or chewed by dogs or poddy calves, obviously will destroy a whip quickly. Using the whip with excessive force, as in seeking the loudest possible crack, will cause early breakage of falls and stretch the thong. The usual and preferred crack is that attained with minimum force. A strong wrist action will over-stress the keeper on a stock whip or the junction of thong to butt section on a bullwhip, and will cause early failure. Normal use of these whips should employ very little wrist force.