X's on hunt whips

[belstonefox]

Hello I'm a newby to this forum and was wondering if you can help me. I have a few old hunt whips and was wondering if someone could tell me what the XXX's on the antler are for, is it just grip or a notch for every fox as some have more than others?
Thanks

 

[Dogstar]

Good question; I had never thought about this! I would guess grip??

 

[k9h]

Yes it is to aid grip on the gate top when you are trying to huck it! Some have them some don't & the same on numbers of them, depends on the size of the antler.