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Message started by Viscount_Niklos on Feb 23rd, 2004 at 8:51pm

Title: Roman Staff Slings...
Post by Viscount_Niklos on Feb 23rd, 2004 at 8:51pm
Hey Y'all!

Say, I need some help here... I've been slinging for several years now and I love it but here's the problem - I tried to make a Roman staff sling, called a fisbula I think, but it never comes out right. Either the bullet flops out before I can launch it or it stays in the pouch and becomes a huge danger to my legs and anybody around me.

Granted it maybe my technique but I'm more inclined to believe that it's my lack of skill in building it.

Can somebody post a step by step way of making a staff sling? I'd be grateful!

Thanks!

Viscount Niklos
(A grade A SCA Geek who wants to say "Howdy!" to y'all)

Title: Re: Roman Staff Slings...
Post by Hobb on Feb 23rd, 2004 at 11:09pm
I think the "Lloydian Weapons" link (check the 'links' page of this site) gives instructions on making one, or at least decent pictures of one.  I'm trying to come up with a working 'Hoopak' design, myself.  Any other hopeless geeks who read "Dragonlance" novels out there?

Title: Re: Roman Staff Slings...
Post by JeffH on Feb 24th, 2004 at 12:30am
I don't know about Dragonlance, but there are plenty of hopeless geeks out here. ;) ;D

Staff slings look like a good way to hurt myself, so I have not even had an interest in making one.

jeff <><

Title: Re: Roman Staff Slings...
Post by Viscount Niklos on Feb 24th, 2004 at 1:02am

Quote:
Any other hopeless geeks who read "Dragonlance" novels out there?



Dang Kenders. Always getting into something...  ;D

Thanks for the link, Bro!

Niklos

Title: Re: Roman Staff Slings...
Post by Chris on Feb 24th, 2004 at 1:37am
The key to getting the release right is the length of the sling.  To long, at it will release to late.  Too short, and it will release to early.  You should experiment with different lengths until you find a good, consistent release.  Also, make sure that the sling is sliding freely on the pole.  If it is very rough, and doesn't slide of easily, it will make your throws very inconsistent.  

Chris

Title: Re: Roman Staff Slings...
Post by Viscount_Niklos on Feb 25th, 2004 at 12:45am

Quote:
The key to getting the release right is the length of the sling.  To long, at it will release to late.  Too short, and it will release to early.  You should experiment with different lengths until you find a good, consistent release.  Also, make sure that the sling is sliding freely on the pole.  If it is very rough, and doesn't slide of easily, it will make your throws very inconsistent. Chris


Alright. I'll try that and see if that helps...

Thanks!

Niklos

Title: Re: Roman Staff Slings...
Post by Hobb on Feb 25th, 2004 at 6:01pm

Quote:
Dang Kenders. Always getting into something...  


For those who don't know, kenders are fictitious halflings (think kleptomaniac hobbits with more curiosity than common sense), who use a fictional weapon called a Hoopak, which is supposed to work like a staff sling but doesn't have a release cord.  None of the designs in the book or online seem practical to me, but I think I've got a design that should work.  I'm planning to build one and then build a staff sling and see how they compare, but I'm still working out the kinks in the pouch design.  I'll let you know how it turns out.

Title: Re: Roman Staff Slings...
Post by adair3 on Feb 25th, 2004 at 11:09pm
HA HA!

I always thought the few drawings of hoopaks I saw looked like lacross sticks to me.

Scott

Title: Re: Roman Staff Slings...
Post by Hobb on Feb 26th, 2004 at 6:43pm
That's kind of my idea, too -- like a lacrosse stick but with the pouch suspended by three cords, so it'll act like a staff-sling.  My little coat-hanger prototype works well with crumpled paper and tape.  The house-pets live in constant terror.  ;D  Well, more like occasional annoyance...

Title: Re: Roman Staff Slings...
Post by Hobb on Apr 12th, 2004 at 1:59pm
O.K., so weekend before last (sorry, I forgot about this thread), I took my completed 'Hoopak' out for testing.  It's a 6-foot forked stick, with ~4 ft. cords attached at the top of each prong and at the crux of the fork.  The strings are attached to a pouch that's basically a triangle but with more of a pocket to it at the bottom point.  This thing works brilliantly!  I couldn't get quite the distance out of it as I could with my sling, but a friend of mine was winging stones out 100 yards or so, easily.  Also, you can toss HUGE rocks with it.  We were tossing rocks with a 1-foot diameter about 15-20 feet!  I'm thinking about developing a smaller version for water baloons.

Title: Re: Roman Staff Slings...
Post by Sean on Apr 12th, 2004 at 3:57pm
I thought the hookpak was just a stick that had a carved end that could make a very strange noise if twirled around overhaed.  I didn't know they could be used to throw things.  I only read the Summer, Spring, Winter and Fall books(with Tasslehoff and the gang).  I want to read the rest but I haven't been up to the library in a while.

I was thinking and i just thought to describe the curiousity ill tell you one of my favorite quotes from the book, Dragons of Summer Flame.
"And then Palin heard that ominous word-generally the word those who have the misfortune to travel with a kender ever hear in this life.  'OOPS!'"
lol most wont understand that inless they've read the book but its my favorite

Title: Re: Roman Staff Slings...
Post by mgreenfield on Apr 12th, 2004 at 6:14pm
Now THIS is something I'd like to see still pix & action videos of! ;D  mgreenfield

Title: Re: Roman Staff Slings...
Post by Hobb on Apr 12th, 2004 at 6:45pm
I'll have to see if any of my friends can loan me a digital camera.  My wife won't let me have one of my own. :'( ;)

Title: Re: Roman Staff Slings...
Post by WildAtHeart on Apr 12th, 2004 at 10:39pm
Sean -
Those are superb books! I've read the autumn twilight one a couple of times, it's really something else! And this is coming from a guy who has never gotten into D & D  ;)
However, they can't match the Lord of the Rings series. Tolkien was a creative genius.

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