Which primitive weapon would you choose?

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Plainsman

Joined
Apr 5, 1999
Messages
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You find yourself in a survival situation where you need a decent weapon! You have a small kit with you including a good fixed bladed knife and a pocket knife along with plenty of cordage and wire.

Let's say that time is available, let's go with two days!

What weapon would you build?

I can think of a whole arsenal full that I could build including a bola, a spear, a sling, and bow with arrows. My goal would be to have a shootable bow with at least a half dozen arrows with another half dozen in the process of being built!



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Plainsman :)
primitiveguy@hotmail.com

You use what you have on you, then you improvise! :)
 
To conserve on my cordage, I would make an atlatl instead of a bow. and make arrow about 1/2 the size of spears to go with it.

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Big-Target>>>>>>SI VIS PACEM PARA BELLUM
 
well, i would build a slingshot..
tear out some cloth, find couple of sturdy branches, and lotsa rocks/pebbles/stones or anything hard enuff to kill.
 
First 10 minutes start with a throwing stick or some stones. So you can hunt from the first (or tenth) minute on. Then with more time make more complicated weapons. Like next could be a spear, then an atl-atl or slingshot, last for me would be bow and arrows or a crossbow like Ron Hood is teaching in his video, cause I know it would take time that I may need otherwise in the beginning.
Dirk
 
My first one would probably be the spear. Then I would work on a slingshot and bow as time permitted.

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Lee

LIfe is too important to be taken seriously. Oscar Wilde
 
I presume since you mention needing a weapon, you are facing some kind of adversary, and not merely hunting. I'd not focus on building weaponry if all I needed was food.

For a weapon, I'd first get a good staff, sharpen on end and fire harden it. Next, I'd make an atl-atl. Bows take much time to make well, especially if you intend on larger game than rabbits. An atl-atl packs a lot more punch, can be made easier and faster, and can be used if it breaks (Then you just have javelins...). I feel fairly comfortable fighting with a short spear, though it's not my preferred weapon.


Stryver, who prefers a short sword and a madu...
 
A decent bowie knife would be your most important weapon! I have seen wild boars killed with a good bowie, and it was impressive!!! For hunting, traps and snares would productive than a spear... A good dog would also be high on my list of essentials!
 
Make a bow-- I first know how to do it and what is essential. It doesn't take much time
you don't have to make a custom recurve. The
arrows take more time than the bow. The stand off capability is very important as
well as the accuracy. I suppose if you wanted
more of chalenge you could go with an atl-atl
or rocks or spear. I suppose I just created
a heated discussion. These comments are my
opinion or 02 worth.

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http://www.imt.net/~goshawk
Don't walk in tradition just because it feels good!!!!!
Romans 10:9,10
Hebrews 4:12-16
Psalm 91

 
4scoleman,
I'd not argue the value of a good bowie, but I think most people are not skilled enough knife fighters to use one and leave unharmed. I do not believe I am. I do believe I could take on the average knife-wielder with my short spear, and leave unharmed.

Goshawk,
You are obviously more skilled in bowery than I. I'd feel comfortable hunting small game with a bow built by my hands, but I don't think I could build one that I'd think would have much chance of stopping a human adversary. I'm out of practice with an atl-atl, but I know that if I hit a person with a javelin from an atl-atl, it's going to do a decent amount of damage. And at any rate, if time is of the essence, an atl-atl would be faster to build than a bow.

Stryver, who still wants a short sword...
 
Hi All,

Is it for hunting or self-defense? Against animal or human? If humans, what do THEY have in their hand? How competent am I with that weapon?
My skill level is 0 (i haven't played with any since 19) and a survival situ is not the best to experiment. So, I would make a club and a heavy spear (~1.5-2 m) that I can still use. Against humans, I would go for a shorter heavier spear (1.2-1.5 m ) sharpened on both ends (one end might be a fork to catch armed hand) and possibly with a ~30 cm cross rod with pointy ends to use as a 'halberd'.
Against animals, I would use a longer (2m) spear with a 30 cm cross rod 50 cm away from sharpened tip (like European boar pears). To finish off animals in trap, I might want to tip it with my STRONG fixed knife. Club is still useful.
Any bola, catapult, sling, bow (enough time?) and arrow would be second and I lack any skills in it. But i would go for the bow...

Yes, I am going to leave the 'single blade bravado' against boars and deers for the skilled ones and the brave ones (see story of single-knifed Marine vs deer somewhere on this forum).

We should ask ourselves how efficient we are with any (especially with the long range) primitive weapons. Answer to yourself....

HM

 
HM: What?! We have to be proficient now too?

I'm proficient enough with a sling to stand in a skirmish line and toss volleys...
smile.gif
I always liked 'em because I could shatter rocks against the concrete dam by my old house. It's rather amazing (And pretty stupid, thinking back on it) to watch a rock explode into fragments because of a little piece of string, and to be able to hear those fragments fly through the air near you...

Stryver, who has to go create a rock-thrower stick now...
 
I would start with a quick selection of rocks and javelins. For squirrels I'd use rocks. For rabbits I'd use a very light javelin. If there were prospects of larger game I'd make larger javelins. As time permitted I'd make a spear thrower. A bow would be great, but I don't run across much springy wood where I wander. I love using a sling (there is nothing like the buzzing sound of a rock going 200 mph), but they are about the least accurate weapon I have ever used. They work best on humans, and I don't expect to resort to canibalism right off.

I'd actually focus on some traps.

[This message has been edited by Jeff Clark (edited 01-04-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Jeff Clark (edited 01-04-2000).]
 
if human, i might just go with some trap/lure type thing, drop rocks on them from a cliff, lead them over caltrops, something similar to weaken/cripple them, and then just club them to death.
if i could sneak up on them, or sit still and jump them when they wandered by, id use the wire for a garotte.

if im concerned with critters, i might just go with a staff/spear(maybe with lugs to prevent charging animals from running up the spear towards you, and make it easier to retract for repeated stabs?) and a club, maybe a sling, but i need a bit of practice with one before i would depend on it as a defensive thing.

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AKTI member #A000911

 
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