A Swordguy Stock Whip Build 

I've wanted to try that actually! Maybe that'll be my next vid. Anyway I think a whip like that really couldn't be called a bull whip; I would probably end up just calling it some kinda hybrid. It'd probably handle similar to a snake, I'd guess.

dray whip

Interested too to know more.

The link provided shows how to transition from u1o1 to 16 plait herringbone. I'm assuming u2o2 to herringbone would be similar, but I've personally never tried to work it out. Hope it helps. palodurowhips.com/2017/07/05/transition-16-strand-diamond-plait-to-herringbone-plait/

So I don't do the swing in my nylon stock whip bellies this way anymore, I just add more strands to the core to give it that shape and mass. I have a few theories on why the swing is preferable, but I don't believe there's much reference material available, like you said. The whip in this video was less refined than my current work, so it doesn't handle up to my current standards, but I feel the extra mass in the core was still desirable. In a way that's very difficult to describe, yes, I do feel the swell improves the handling, but not all stock whips swell and I've used a few that felt very nice despite the lack of a swell. I would summarize by saying that while it's not exactly necessary, it is a good idea and almost all well-known whipmakers do incorporate the swell. Hope this helps a little

That's actually not easy to explain in text, I plan to make a video specifically on plaiting ring patterns soon. Ultimately you just have to look for horizontal seams instead of vertical seams like in a herringbone. But, you can do rings of any width with any number of strands. LAST POINT, you can consider diamond plait to be rings of 1 strand thickness.