Primitive Weapons

[Watson-349]

Andrew, I've seen an axehead tied up with common lashings within a partially split handle. The head was grooved somewhat and it appeared to be quite sturdy.

 

[Return of the J.D.]

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

The way I've seen stone axe-heads handled is to take a long, flexible stick and wrap it around the axe-head a few times, tying it off so that ultimately you've got the two ends of the stick serving as the handle. There are good pictures of, and instructions on how to do, this in Larry Dean Olsen's book Outdoor Survival Skills. The split-stick idea always seemed to me to be a pretty fragile setup, and very hard to implement with one of those big, heavy, THICK old stone axe-heads.

 

[bikermikearchery]

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.?

Atlatl were replaced with Bows in north America about 2000 years ago, and in Europe about 10000 years ago. Archaeological evidence points to the game at that time being larger animals, IE: Bison, Horse, Mammoth. I think I could hit a Mammoth at 15 paces, but a black tail deer would probably laugh at me.
Doc Canada posted a pic of a Primitive sling he made, very nice work to. He mite shed some light on it.
The double bow is called a Penobscot after the Penobscot Indians. They were Moose hunters and needed a bow that would through a heavy arrow with good speed. Moose being a tough animal. This was there answer.
Making Bows is at the same time both simple and complicated. More than I could explain in one post. www.primitivearcher.com good place to start.

 

[Bowie Mike]

Great thread.:thumbup:

I've made several bows and it is relatively simple for me now. However finding the right kind of wood (in nature) is not easy in my area. As already mentioned, arrows are difficult to make and have to be matched to the bow.

I would recommend, as others have, start simple with throwing sticks, spears, and traps.

Then move to an atlatl. They are very effective - they just take practice, just like everything else. You can broaden the path of the atlatl dart by adding small spikes on the side of the dart, angled forward. You can also split the point of the dart into four points. Both of these made it easier to hit your target. You can build an atlatl in about 10 minutes.

Then move to making a bow and matched arrows.

 

[Texas Slim]

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.

Absolutely beautiful work. You should have your own site where your admirers could linger, and drool, over your craftsmanship...and maybe learn a thing or two while we were at it.

By biker, do you mean "Biker" or "cyclist?"

 

[Myal]

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.

Ummm , here in aus , the returning boomerangs were actualy used for bird hunting , like duck hunting and stuff ...

but yeah , it was a smart bloke figured out there was less work in having a boomerang that came back , the ones for killing big game dont return , but they are used in open country too , in wooded country , throwing sticks were used ( shorter range weapons )
then there is war boomerangs , another thing entirely

 

[Myal]

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

I have seen it done a variety of ways , a stick either side of the axe had , the sticks bound together , before and a bit after the axe had

a length of lawyer vine folded in half around the axe head and the handle was the two end bound together , and the split stick , bound before and after the axe head .

Its well worth noting that here , resin was used as a kind of glue , it is almost like modern epoxy when its hardened .

so the axe head is glued and bound , usualy with sinew , the sinew fron roo tails is dammed handy for stuff like that

sometimes the axe head is grooved to take the handle , others its just flattened where the handles mount . Its basicly a case of what there is whenthe thing is being made .

 

[rzwieg]

bikermike I like your work.

 

[bikermikearchery]

Absolutely beautiful work. You should have your own site where your admirers could linger, and drool, over your craftsmanship...and maybe learn a thing or two while we were at it.

By biker, do you mean "Biker" or "cyclist?"

Check out www.primitivearcher.com there are some really talented bowyers there.

I must profess to having an affinity to any thing with 2 wheels. I have a stock Harley, a chopper, 2 mountain bikes and 2, 21 speeds. That said any one I meet just know I have a Harley. I look like a Buffalo on a ten-speed.
bikermikearchery was a handle that the first sight I signed on to gave me, and it was a lot easer than mikethebackswoodsharleyridingpractionerofprimitivearchery.

 

[bikermikearchery]

It seams that I have killed another thread...... dang.... I was hoping this one would run.
There is a lot of advantage to the throwing stick. I don't have one around right now to take a picture of, but the ones I have learned to make are a slightly bent stick, about 18" to 24" with one end shaved to a flat so as to make a wing. this gives the stick lift so when you side arm through it, it planes. Done correctly a stick like this can double the distance you can throw.