David sling

Cousin Jack

Cousin Jack

Joined
Oct 25, 2002
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47b5dd06b3127cce9088b6bffdff00000016108AbM2jZs2Ytl

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Here is a different project that I completed for another individual...Made entirely out of leather...

These things are surprisingly accurate...I can launch a projectile 200+ yards with one of these!
 
I've fooled with slings for many years, but mine are primitive compared to this. I tend to use old shoe tongues and chunks of heavy-duty shoelace.

As you point out, the simple sling is a capable weapon. I can achieve considerable velocity, but I fear my accuracy is minimal. I can imagine that a young shepherd boy with a sling, a whole lot of rocks, and nothing much else to do could become quite skillful!

The Romans used cast-lead sling ammo which would have clever little sayings cast in. Things like "Take this!"
 
mwerner said:
I've fooled with slings for many years, but mine are primitive compared to this. I tend to use old shoe tongues and chunks of heavy-duty shoelace.

As you point out, the simple sling is a capable weapon. I can achieve considerable velocity, but I fear my accuracy is minimal. I can imagine that a young shepherd boy with a sling, a whole lot of rocks, and nothing much else to do could become quite skillful!

The Romans used cast-lead sling ammo which would have clever little sayings cast in. Things like "Take this!"
Click to expand...

Another testiment to the venerable sling was that the Roman General Vegetius declared that the standard for a slinger was the ability to hit a man sized target regularly at 600' :eek:
 
Very cool!

Could you do an instruction guide as to how you made it?

I've always wanted to put one together... tried a few times, utter failures...
 
Hotrod said:
Very cool!

Could you do an instruction guide as to how you made it?

I've always wanted to put one together... tried a few times, utter failures...
Click to expand...


....wow...that would be alot of pictures...hmmmmmm
 
Ive always wanted to try slings but I know I would wind up whacking myself up side the head ... :(
 
Slinging is lots of fun, my son and I have moved a lot of rocks from their happy homes on the lake shore to the deep water. The ones I've knocked out for us are sorry looking indeed, especially compared to the one posted above, but they send a rock down range at a pretty good clip. Accuracy is a pretty spotty, still need a .22 to keep us in Brunswick stew, but I've scared a couple of squirrels pretty badly.

I'd love to get my hands on one of the woven/braided Andean slings still in use down south, maybe I coul dtalk my daughter into trying to finger weave a couple for us. I made a bunch of my Saturday Night Special versions and took them along on a Royal Rangers (church based Boy Scouts) camp out, and had most of the kids sending rocks in the right general direction in not a lot of time. Warmed them up with D.vs G., and gave dire warnings re popping rocks off at each other before hand. A good time was had by all.

Neat book, and slinging/slingers come up a few times, "The Ten Thousand" by Michael Ford. Fictional retelling of Xenophon's march, if you liked "Gates of Fire" by Pressfield, give this a try (not quite as good as Gates, but certainly not a waste of your time either)
 
I've been slinging since I was a kid. Great fun. Nowadays I'll take the dog to a wide open park and sling a ball a hundred yards. Tires her out in no time!;)
 
Nice work. :cool: I only ever made 1 very crude sling, a very long time ago. My accuracy was non-existent. I've often thought about trying it again. Maybe something out of para-cord and nylon webbing...hmmmmm.....

Am I the only one here who's wife has asked him if he was ever going to grow up? :D

Paul
 
PWork said:
Nice work. :cool: I only ever made 1 very crude sling, a very long time ago. My accuracy was non-existent. I've often thought about trying it again. Maybe something out of para-cord and nylon webbing...hmmmmm.....

Am I the only one here who's wife has asked him if he was ever going to grow up? :D

Paul
Click to expand...

Nope....I love making things like this.....I wanna make an atlatl and a trebuchet soon..... :D
 
Sounds like you're a man after my own heart. I have an atlatl I made a couple of years ago; decidedly non-traditional. It's made from a chunk of 2" lumber and uses those vinyl-covered aluminum lawn stakes for darts.

I keep meaning to refine it a bit more, but I have a hard time finding a place to use it. (The local park rangers get a bit nervous...)

I always wanted a trebuchet, but never had much room. I remember reading Tunis' "Weapons" way back when I was a kid, and being fascinated by all these things. They do some nice ones at the annual "punkin chunkin" contest.

http://www.punkinchunkin.com/
 
Never played with an atlatl, but I'd love to take a stab at it, no regrets from giving the sling a whirl (okay, I'll stop now). There's some nice stuff at the link below, the Wyalusing is on my list, but various knives and impulse control issues keep pushing it further down.

Thunderbird Atlatls
 
Trebuchets are so cool. :cool: I'd like to make a miniature one someday. My only experience with the atlatl was a small tree limb and an aluminum arrow. It actually worked pretty good.
How about boomerangs? :D

Cool site to check out....www.flight-toys.com

Paul
 
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