Primitive Weapons

[swedishdwarf]

I figured I'd just throw one of these together.

 

[aarya]

A very good article that details the construction of a bundled bow, like the one shown in the wwmag article above, is found on primitiveways.
Also shows how to make simple, and somewhat primitive arrowheads from small pieces of sheet steel. (A can or suchlike i believe could be used.)

 

[DaleW]

I'd starve before I got a decent bow and arrows made. The atlatl and a sharp stick sounds reasonable-- make the sharp stick first and work up to the thrower.

As to boomerangs, do you know what the Aboriginies call a boomerang that doesn't come back?

A bloody stick, Mate!

 

[TemplarKnight21c]

I'd starve before I got a decent bow and arrows made. The atlatl and a sharp stick sounds reasonable-- make the sharp stick first and work up to the thrower.

As to boomerangs, do you know what the Aboriginies call a boomerang that doesn't come back?

A bloody stick, Mate!

Lol, that's clever. But if I remember correctly, the original boomerangs DIDN'T come back; they were just really heavy and were thrown like a rabbit stick. Eventually, some intelligent fellow figured out how to retrieve it with less walking/searching.

 

[silenthunterstudios]

Also shows how to make simple, and somewhat primitive arrowheads from small pieces of sheet steel. (A can or suchlike i believe could be used.)

I've seen that covered in Backwoodsman, gonna have to find the article. Thanks folks, keep em coming!

 

[Return of the J.D.]

I'm curious to hear how all of you guys do, in actual practice, with an atlatl or sling. I've made, and done target practice with, both, but have never gotten to the point where I would get more accuracy with either than I would with a hand-thrown stick or rock. Yeah, I know, you get greater force with the mechanical aid--but all the force in the world isn't going to talk a rabbit into surrendering if you miss it by a yard. Those of you who've actually used atlatls or slings, at what distance can you actually, in your actual experience, hit a rabbit-sized target more often than you'd miss? (Don't get me wrong: I think atlatls and slings are fascinating and fun--I just wouldn't get my cooking-fire going in advance if I knew that I was going to have to get my meat with one of those pre-neolithic hunting tools.)

Myself, I think I'd do better with even a homemade, quick-and-dirty bow & arrow than with either an atlatl or a sling. For what it's worth, I observe that atlatl-users pretty uniformly dropped them for bows and arrows once the latter technology came along--and, for that matter, users of bows and arrows seem almost universally to have dropped those in favor of firearms. (Exception: the silent nature of arrows, and the slow fire rate and difficulties in obtaining firearm ammunition have caused some warriors to have kept bows and arrows in service after firearms became available.)

 

[TemplarKnight21c]

I'm curious to hear how all of you guys do, in actual practice, with an atlatl or sling. I've made, and done target practice with, both, but have never gotten to the point where I would get more accuracy with either than I would with a hand-thrown stick or rock. Yeah, I know, you get greater force with the mechanical aid--but all the force in the world isn't going to talk a rabbit into surrendering if you miss it by a yard. Those of you who've actually used atlatls or slings, at what distance can you actually, in your actual experience, hit a rabbit-sized target more often than you'd miss? (Don't get me wrong: I think atlatls and slings are fascinating and fun--I just wouldn't get my cooking-fire going in advance if I knew that I was going to have to get my meat with one of those pre-neolithic hunting tools.)

Myself, I think I'd do better with even a homemade, quick-and-dirty bow & arrow than with either an atlatl or a sling. For what it's worth, I observe that atlatl-users pretty uniformly dropped them for bows and arrows once the latter technology came along--and, for that matter, users of bows and arrows seem almost universally to have dropped those in favor of firearms. (Exception: the silent nature of arrows, and the slow fire rate and difficulties in obtaining firearm ammunition have caused some warriors to have kept bows and arrows in service after firearms became available.)

I'm not very good with any of my primitive weapons, and I'm pretty sure that I would either starve or be horribly mutilated and eaten.

 

[bikermikearchery]

I have made all of my hunting gear for the last 25 years. Some things like flintknapping I only do a serviceable job at, but my bow making is very good.
The Tomahawk I made from a piece of lief spring. The knife I made from a lawn mower blade. The Bow is Osage, I make a lot of bows so I don't remember if I cut it with primitive tools or modern tools, but the skills are the same. The arrow heads I made from old saw blades. The Quiver I made from Elk hide.

 

[Watchful]

Templar--

That's an interesting confession, given your endorsement of the sling previously. I state this because I've found (as have many) that the sling is a major pain to control.

The sling is indeed primitive, but is by no means unsophisticated: the sling takes years of practice to really depend on.

I have not experimented with a rudimentary bow or home-made arrows (although I'm a recurve shooter), but can say that while I could never do much with a sling besides lob rocks vaguely near a target, I was able to fire an arrow into a target from a good distance with only about 15 minutes of explanation and experimentation...and only got better at it.

But it would be easier to hand-craft a sling (there's not much to it) than a bow with arrows (as you yourself noted in making good arrows, above).

Interesting, indeed!

 

[Watchful]

...The Bow is Osage, I make a lot of bows so I don't remember if I cut it with primitive tools or modern tools, but the skills are the same. The arrow heads I made from old saw blades. The Quiver I made from Elk hide.

That's some nice looking handiwork, sir! I especially compliment your arrowheads.

 

[TemplarKnight21c]

I like to think of myself as a realist. I can get the ammo to go in the direction I want it, but not to the exact spot. I think if I had more space to practice, I could pull it off. At the moment, I'm just trying no to lob a golf ball over my neighbors' fence and smash something. I have, however, seen people do amazing things with a leather pouch, some string, and a rock.

 

[Scottman]

May I simply suggest Ron Hoods primitive weapons dvd.

Stranded in the wilderness with only a SAK

-A club made of hard wood. For in the hand. Make the handle nice and comfy and just right thickness.
-A 5-6 foot spear, with a basic firehardened point.
-throwing sticks-basically a club.


From there, it progresses to more complex weapons.

 

[Watson-349]

How about a Bo staff/stave. A local street gang really wants me to join them, because I'm pretty good with one...

 

[Scottman]

Stay out of trouble there watson. I mean it.

But a stick is one of the best wilderness and even city weapons out there, I agree with that.

One other is what I refer to as the "gouger". It is simply one branch coming out of another, like a 90 degree or close. The last one I made looks like a pistol in shape. One end is sharpened, the other is your handle. I horizontally placed one of these on my belt while I was out in the woods. Made it handy while gather cedar bark. But I didn't make it as a weapon, I made it to gouge into a cedar bark to separate the bark from the wood, to make cordage/wrappings. But I couldn't help think how this would be a good weapon to help defend oneself in an attack.

I like that bundle bow.

I make a "less primitive" one out of pvc pipe. I am going to someday, make a stock for it, and use it as a crossbow. But it will still sling arrows as it is now.

I like the staff sling. I think its easier than the regular sling, but I am no expert.

Take care everybody,
Scottman

 

[bikermikearchery]

That's some nice looking handiwork, sir! I especially compliment your arrowheads.

Thanks for the compliment. Heres another set up that I made, mostly from things I harvested, found or traded for.
When I first started learning primitive skills I had a "survival" mind set. After gaining some proficiency in primitive tools and weapons I stopped thinking of having to survive in the bush and started to look at it as going home. Everything I need I can find or make.
I could get fat off the land with my bow and traps. With an Atlatl I'd loose weight. With a sling I'd probably hurt my self.

 

[sasha]

Biker Mike i think that everything you made in that pic looks awsome... I think i spend too much time just looking at the pic. Very nice work.

Sasha

 

[tknife]

How about a Bo staff/stave. A local street gang really wants me to join them, because I'm pretty good with one...

Ha, random Napoleon Dynamite quote, lol!

 

[Return of the J.D.]

Fascinating stuff, BikerMike. As you know, I'm with you in my skepticism that I could put an atlatl or sling to good-enough use quickly enough to keep fed on wild game. I'm curious: what's the deal with that double bow setup you show in your second picture? What's it do? How do you do it? Advantage?

Oh: and how do you process the bow wood so that it retains suppleness? Like, how do you dry it, oil it (or whatever), etc.?

 

[andrew7978]

does anyone know a good knot to tie a big rock on the end of a stick to make an axe or hammer?

 

[Raymond1000]

I've played with a sling. Never hit anything I was aiming at.

Armies that used slingers - including the Greeks and Romans - depended on shepards.

You're out in the field all day, watching the wollies. Nothing to do. Better to kill a wolf at a distance than up close. So you practice with your sling. Lots and lots of practice.

Then you end up following Alexander into Persia.