Used a toggle for the first time today and it feels great!  

I usually use a finger loop but the harder I sling the more it seems to hurt.  So I just put a piece of wood in the loop and used it as a toggle.  No more fear of hurting my fingers and i could sling just as far.  The spin is of course mostly spiral and it favours long and narrow rocks rather than round ones, it didn't take that long to adjust.  

Accuracy was pretty good too, but then may be  was just lucky :P  

I am thinking to cut a slit in the wood so that the loop will not slide around.  May be glue it in place.    

Any tips on making a better toggle?  

On a few of my slings I use a monkeys fist instead of a finger loops. They work wonderfully.

Loki

to keep the toggle in place, you might try making slings in the future with just a cord instead of a loop, and then you can pull the cord through a hole in the toggle and tie a knot to keep it from sliding out.

or you could use a hole in the toggle, and feed the loop through it.  then pull the entire length of the sling through the loop sticking out.  it will create a slip knot type of thing tied through and around the toggle.

I used to use a finger loop with a slip knot but it kept tightening too tight.  One day I checked all the lengths to make sure they would be correct, formed the loop and held the end parallel to the cord and made a nice tight whip siamesing the cord and its end so the loop is fixed in position and diameter... I ran the whipping up toward the loop until I could just get my finger in it and then finished the whipping.  I found my retained-cord finger relaxed and enjoyed slinging (which I expected) a lot more AND I was more consistently accurate... which was unexpected.

I am a staunch believer that getting the retained cord comfortable and stable on the throwing hand is an imperative to accurate and powerful slinging...  however that is achieved.    :-/

I use a bowline knot for the retention loop. That does not pull tight and I didn't hurt me yet, even after slinging for a longer time. But my throws are probably not as powerful yet.

i like a good toggle i rate that second after the arm loop

has anyone found a toggle or hand-grip belonging to an ancient sling?

SV

Good question, sv.

I think I have seen mostly finger loops on ancient slings.

Werent the Babylonian slings supposed to have hand grips? At least that is what is on some of thier pottery.