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 GuruBushHippie
MountainMan
Registered: 04/28/11
Posts: 3,434
Loc: USA 
Last seen: 6 years, 6 months
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 The Rock Sling (Primitive Weapon) 
#18012913 - 03/26/13 07:34 AM (11 years, 23 days ago) |
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Hey folks, it's been a while since i've been online! I've been busy with all kinds of different things, mainly just fun bushcraft projects. One such project turned out to be a full blown addiction: slinging.
Of all the things I enjoy doing outdoors, my favorite thing by far is to make and use primitive weapons. I am always looking for a new weapon to make and just out of curiosity I made a sling out of 550 cord. All it took was one stone. I'm completely hooked.
When I first decided to make a sling I thought that it would be an inefficient and untamable weapon. I hadn't the slightest clue what these things are capable of! On my first day I was lobbing rocks every which way with no control. A few YouTube videos later and I was grouping all my shots into an area the size of a garage door. By my third day I had a grouping area the size of a mini-fridge. I've been slinging for about a month now and I can pretty consistently hit a I gal. Gatorade jug from 100 ft. My progress was so swift and the sling is such a versatile weapon... I was very surprised.
I don't mean to brag, but I have some cool primitive toys; tomahawks, knives, atlatls, slingshots, swiss arrows, blowguns, throwing sticks... Out of all the primitive weapons I have owned, the sling is by far the most enjoyable. Challenging, but simple enough that progress comes quickly an easily. Of course, practice makes perfect.
I now have somewhere around ten handmade slings and try to give them away to anyone who might be interested in slinging. Here's a few pics of my work, if anyone is interested I would be glad to post a tutorial on anything pictured. I would also be glad to elaborate on the many throwing styles, sling types, etc.
[image] [/image]
Here's my most recent bunch. They were all made with jute twine.
Top: Braided long sling, woven pouch.
Left: Braided short sling, split pouch.
Right: Braided short sling, Rockman Style woven split pouch.
Bottom: Braided long sling, 1 pc. woven split pouch.
If anyone has any questions feel free to ask. If you want to learn more then visit http://www.slinging.org/
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Two roads diverged in a wood, and I cut straight through the forest, and that has made all the difference.
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 LustyLocks
Registered: 01/10/12
Posts: 1,513
Loc: Mom's basement
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This is awesome man. I think I'm going to make one of these with some 550. That website is great.
By the way, I can't see your slings in that pic. It's pretty pixelated.
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420milehigh
shaman
Registered: 08/19/12
Posts: 1,229
Loc: third eye
Last seen: 9 years, 7 months
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Re: The Rock Sling (Primitive Weapon) [Re: LustyLocks]
#18026528 - 03/28/13 10:47 PM (11 years, 21 days ago) |
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dude I have always loves the sling, it never runs out of ammo lol... I would love a tutorial on how to do this, I would be ecstatic to have a beautiful sling like that
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All posts are entirely, 100%, conclusively false or complete works of fiction... but I can levitate lol
"Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Benjamin Franklin
if I owe you seeds from a previous trade send me a PM, I will rectify my shortcomings and compensate you for your patience
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sharkeye
Registered: 09/04/10
Posts: 232
Last seen: 8 years, 11 months
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Re: The Rock Sling (Primitive Weapon) [Re: 420milehigh]
#18026576 - 03/28/13 11:02 PM (11 years, 21 days ago) |
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I shall make one from hemp!
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Jadecrayon
Erotic Baker
Registered: 10/02/12
Posts: 118
Loc: USA
Last seen: 9 years, 9 months
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Re: The Rock Sling (Primitive Weapon) [Re: sharkeye]
#18027446 - 03/29/13 09:02 AM (11 years, 20 days ago) |
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Those are great!
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"It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end."
My Trade List
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420milehigh
shaman
Registered: 08/19/12
Posts: 1,229
Loc: third eye
Last seen: 9 years, 7 months
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Re: The Rock Sling (Primitive Weapon) [Re: Jadecrayon]
#18028561 - 03/29/13 02:14 PM (11 years, 20 days ago) |
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I found a cool video on a different type of sling, figured you guys might be interested;
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All posts are entirely, 100%, conclusively false or complete works of fiction... but I can levitate lol
"Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Benjamin Franklin
if I owe you seeds from a previous trade send me a PM, I will rectify my shortcomings and compensate you for your patience
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GuruBushHippie
MountainMan
Registered: 04/28/11
Posts: 3,434
Loc: USA
Last seen: 6 years, 6 months
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Re: The Rock Sling (Primitive Weapon) [Re: sharkeye]
#18029248 - 03/29/13 04:38 PM (11 years, 20 days ago) |
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Quote:
Claybuddy said:
This is awesome man. I think I'm going to make one of these with some 550. That website is great.
By the way, I can't see your slings in that pic. It's pretty pixelated.
550 cord is great for sling making, my first one was paracord. It's a great material to learn with. I'll work on that pic, its from imgur so that might be part of the problem. Quote:
420milehigh said:
dude I have always loves the sling, it never runs out of ammo lol... I would love a tutorial on how to do this, I would be ecstatic to have a beautiful sling like that
I'm about to start work on a triple pouch style sling (triple rockman) so i'll make a tutorial while i'm making it. If you'd like to know more about how to make the woven split pouch, take a look at this tutorial: Woven Split Pouch Tutorial
Quote:
sharkeye said:
I shall make one from hemp!
Hemp is an awesome material for slings, in order I prefer jute twine, hemp, and sisal
Thanks for the love everybody, stay tuned and i'll have a tutorial up and running in a few hours.
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Two roads diverged in a wood, and I cut straight through the forest, and that has made all the difference.
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GuruBushHippie
MountainMan
Registered: 04/28/11
Posts: 3,434
Loc: USA
Last seen: 6 years, 6 months
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Okay folks, here's the tutorial for a triple rockman style sling.
http://imgur.com/a/hyeHy#0
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Two roads diverged in a wood, and I cut straight through the forest, and that has made all the difference.
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theinflictor
Stranger
Registered: 02/07/13
Posts: 11
Last seen: 10 years, 11 months
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Check out this website: http://www.seekyee.com/Slings/howtos/tut1.htm
I have always wanted to make that, but haven't got around to it yet
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GuruBushHippie
MountainMan
Registered: 04/28/11
Posts: 3,434
Loc: USA
Last seen: 6 years, 6 months
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Re: The Rock Sling (Primitive Weapon) [Re: theinflictor]
#18032547 - 03/30/13 11:31 AM (11 years, 19 days ago) |
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Quote:
theinflictor said:
Check out this website: http://www.seekyee.com/Slings/howtos/tut1.htm
I have always wanted to make that, but haven't got around to it yet
I almost started making that one last week, but didn't have a weaving needle. TJ Potter is one hell of a sling maker.
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Two roads diverged in a wood, and I cut straight through the forest, and that has made all the difference.
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420milehigh
shaman
Registered: 08/19/12
Posts: 1,229
Loc: third eye
Last seen: 9 years, 7 months
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just completed my first one with hemp  I just need to refine my technique...
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All posts are entirely, 100%, conclusively false or complete works of fiction... but I can levitate lol
"Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Benjamin Franklin
if I owe you seeds from a previous trade send me a PM, I will rectify my shortcomings and compensate you for your patience
Edited by 420milehigh (03/30/13 04:56 PM)
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GuruBushHippie
MountainMan
Registered: 04/28/11
Posts: 3,434
Loc: USA
Last seen: 6 years, 6 months
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Re: The Rock Sling (Primitive Weapon) [Re: 420milehigh]
#18033926 - 03/30/13 05:04 PM (11 years, 19 days ago) |
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Quote:
420milehigh said:
just completed my first one with hemp I just need to refine my technique...
Nice dude! That's not bad at all 
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Two roads diverged in a wood, and I cut straight through the forest, and that has made all the difference.
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420milehigh
shaman
Registered: 08/19/12
Posts: 1,229
Loc: third eye
Last seen: 9 years, 7 months
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thanks man, you sparked my interest.... I think the pouch might be a bit big because it's like perfect for tennis balls... is the right or should I make the next pouch smaller?
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All posts are entirely, 100%, conclusively false or complete works of fiction... but I can levitate lol
"Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Benjamin Franklin
if I owe you seeds from a previous trade send me a PM, I will rectify my shortcomings and compensate you for your patience
|
GuruBushHippie
MountainMan
Registered: 04/28/11
Posts: 3,434
Loc: USA
Last seen: 6 years, 6 months
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Re: The Rock Sling (Primitive Weapon) [Re: 420milehigh]
#18034146 - 03/30/13 05:51 PM (11 years, 19 days ago) |
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Quote:
420milehigh said:
thanks man, you sparked my interest.... I think the pouch might be a bit big because it's like perfect for tennis balls... is the right or should I make the next pouch smaller?
It depends on your projectile. The one you just made does have a larger split in the pouch so most stones will be out of the question. Tennis balls, snowballs, baseballs, etc should work well in it. If you want to make one that will sling stones then you would definitely need to make one with a smaller pouch. If you are anything like me than you'll end up making a ton of slings anyway. They're so easy you might as well experiment with different styles and sizes.
As far as projectiles go, lately i've been using snowballs dunked in water, but the snow is starting to melt so i'll be switching back to my normal ammo; concrete eggs. I use plastic easter eggs as a mold and fill them with concrete mix using sand as my aggregate. They're the ideal shape and size for most slings and they pack quite a wallop. I've also used the aforementioned plastic eggs filled with a mix of sand and BB's. I then tape it all over with electrical tape so there's no plastic showing. otherwise they'll bust open on impact.
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Two roads diverged in a wood, and I cut straight through the forest, and that has made all the difference.
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420milehigh
shaman
Registered: 08/19/12
Posts: 1,229
Loc: third eye
Last seen: 9 years, 7 months
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 I'm so gonna make concrete eggs, I'd imagine it would kill a bear if you put it in the right place.... yeah I'm totally gonna end up making a ton, I can already tell this is gonna be one of my most favorite tools/weapons... I dappled with it when I was younger with scraps I pieced together but I can't wait to get decently accurate with it...
I decided to rub some bees wax into the hemp before braiding it so it would be more weatherproof, figured it couldn't hurt 
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All posts are entirely, 100%, conclusively false or complete works of fiction... but I can levitate lol
"Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Benjamin Franklin
if I owe you seeds from a previous trade send me a PM, I will rectify my shortcomings and compensate you for your patience
|
GuruBushHippie
MountainMan
Registered: 04/28/11
Posts: 3,434
Loc: USA
Last seen: 6 years, 6 months
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Re: The Rock Sling (Primitive Weapon) [Re: 420milehigh]
#18034589 - 03/30/13 07:59 PM (11 years, 19 days ago) |
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It really didn't take me long at all to dial it in. Some people just "have it" I guess. My dad on the other hand... he just can't get the hang of it. Surprisingly enough I never messed around with slings until recently. I just never really pictured it being an adequate primitive weapon compared to a bow or atlatl. In fact, I had absolutely no idea how long man has been using them nor did I have any knowledge of the slingers importance in ancient warfare. It's just one of those things that gets lost to history for the most part. I'm glad I got into it though, that's for damn sure. It really is most enjoyable. The feeling is like zen, yet also very badass at the same time. Very primal. But I digress...
The concrete eggs make great ammunition for sure. It just sucks because you have to let them dry for several days or even weeks  A far quicker option is to make clay projectiles. Those can be dried over the course of a day in the oven. Unfortunately, clay projectiles break easily. Some folks add small fibers to the clay to help keep it together, but that only does so much.
Oh, and the beeswax is always a good call with hemp. I melt it to secure the tiny loose ends left over from splicing and weaving.
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Two roads diverged in a wood, and I cut straight through the forest, and that has made all the difference.
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420milehigh
shaman
Registered: 08/19/12
Posts: 1,229
Loc: third eye
Last seen: 9 years, 7 months
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I definitely know what you mean about it coming easy to some people, it feels natural to me like an extension of my arm when I'm throwing  I just figured it was like that for most people though... Quote:
The feeling is like zen, yet also very badass at the same time. Very primal
this literally made me laugh out loud, I basically said the same thing to my wife yesterday but she called me a dork haha.... I've actually been finding a lot of river rocks that are almost perfect but I still want to make the concrete eggs 
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All posts are entirely, 100%, conclusively false or complete works of fiction... but I can levitate lol
"Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Benjamin Franklin
if I owe you seeds from a previous trade send me a PM, I will rectify my shortcomings and compensate you for your patience
|
GuruBushHippie
MountainMan
Registered: 04/28/11
Posts: 3,434
Loc: USA
Last seen: 6 years, 6 months
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Re: The Rock Sling (Primitive Weapon) [Re: 420milehigh]
#18036876 - 03/31/13 11:09 AM (11 years, 18 days ago) |
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Since i started slinging I have told all my friends about it and when I describe it to them they just say, "oh, that's cool" or "pretty neat" but the few that have tried it immediately realized why I get so hyped up.
I wish I had nice, round river rocks where I live. Everything in my yard is jagged of square. I guess there probably are some good ones in the nearest river, but I haven't been out there in a while. The main advantage of making concrete eggs is that your ammo is a consistent size, shape, and weight. That makes all the difference when trying to gain accuracy.
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Two roads diverged in a wood, and I cut straight through the forest, and that has made all the difference.
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sharkeye
Registered: 09/04/10
Posts: 232
Last seen: 8 years, 11 months
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I made a short hemp one yesterday. I weaved the pouch. Mine is pretty short but works good with Goofball sized rocks. I plan on making a leather pouch one that is longer.
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GuruBushHippie
MountainMan
Registered: 04/28/11
Posts: 3,434
Loc: USA
Last seen: 6 years, 6 months
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Re: The Rock Sling (Primitive Weapon) [Re: sharkeye]
#18039457 - 03/31/13 08:36 PM (11 years, 18 days ago) |
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Quote:
sharkeye said:
I made a short hemp one yesterday. I weaved the pouch. Mine is pretty short but works good with Goofball sized rocks. I plan on making a leather pouch one that is longer.
Leather pouches are great for smaller and rounder ammo over time it will form a nice little cup for the projectile to sit in. I have a few with leather pouches myself. I used leather from an old pair of shoes I got at goodwill. It's pre-worn, pre-softened, and ready for action from the get go.
As far as length is concerned, I can never decide what I like better. I am far more accurate from a distance with a long sling, but I can execute more throwing styles with a short one. My favorite ones are a good medium between short and long. They're just more versatile and give me the best of both worlds.
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Two roads diverged in a wood, and I cut straight through the forest, and that has made all the difference.
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