As many of you know I am one of several SCA slingers on this forum. I am also intrested in eventually hunting with the sling. I stumbled onto a group that does medieval hunting, In order to gain admittance you have to send several pics of you wearing your hunting kit. Oh yeah Historically accurate hunting kit. I sent this set of pics which my wife took.

Enjoy

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Here's another

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And another

This one was to show the sling and the actually size of the rock

Marc Adkins

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And yet another

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And the last one,
Yes the sling is being held a little high. I wanted to stage this one so the admittance committee could see the rock in the sling. As member of this forum know the apache style is done with the sling hanging down behind the slingers body.

Enjoy

Marc Adkins

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lol hang on, I'll shrink you down a bit - that's just too much scrolling for me :-)

You know I always imagined you with more hair ;-)

The 5 th picture was the same as the 4th one - just out of focus.

What's that blue igloo thing in the background ?

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Large images don't bother me much, Firefox can handle them: right-click the image, select "View Image" (top item in the pop-up menu), and Firefox automagically resizes the image in a new view.  You can click the image to view it full size again.  Then backspace to return to looking at the posts.  Micro$oft Internet Exploder can do something similar, but you have to put the mouse over the image, wait a second until Bill Gates deigns to show you a "resize" icon in the lower right corner of the screen, and go click on it.  I prefer how Firefox does it.

NP C_A I thought the pics were a bit smaller than they were. My apoligies.

Actually the 5th was a bit diffrent in that the sling was held a bit more to the side so the judging comittee could see the sling.

And yep i've been this way ever since I was about 25 or so, I had no illusions about my hair status after looking at all my male relatives :)

The Blue Igloo thing is my kids climbing toy, pretty much a geodesic dome that they can scramble up on.

Marc Adkins


Curious Aardvark wrote on Jun 16^th, 2008 at 10:26am:

lol hang on, I'll shrink you down a bit - that's just too much scrolling for me :-) You know I always imagined you with more hair ;-) The 5 th picture was the same as the 4th one - just out of focus. What's that blue igloo thing in the background ?

Quote:

Large images don't bother me much, Firefox can handle them: right-click the image, select "View Image" (top item in the pop-up menu), and Firefox automagically resizes the image in a new view.  You can click the image to view it full size again.  Then backspace to return to looking at the posts.  Micro$oft Internet Exploder can do something similar, but you have to put the mouse over the image, wait a second until Bill Gates deigns to show you a "resize" icon in the lower right corner of the screen, and go click on it.  I prefer how Firefox does it.

lol - it was probbly quicker for me to resize and stitch them together :-)

it would look more realistic without the climbing dome in the back

from what I've seen of the weather there, you might be hunting underwater.

Cranky photographer. The spouse didn't wanna to walk down and take the shots by the tree line :(

Actually the clan is O.K. I'm currently in the Texas panhandle where it actually it looks like it might rain here for the first time in months.

Actually heard barck from the Rangers, they think the garb is a little too early for them. So week after next I'm going to break out the 14th century Swiss stuff.

Marc


slingbadger wrote on Jun 18^th, 2008 at 6:13pm:

it would look more realistic without the climbing dome in the back from what I've seen of the weather there, you might be hunting underwater.

Hi ,winkleried. Have studied your pictures.  Later I have done some thinking.
I seem to observ a double split in one of your slings. Does it feel better/safer/different than a normal split?  And I guess you, as a balearic slinger, use different lenghts for different distances. Do you feel a big difference?  
And I think some people around here would like to know more about your ammo bag ;)
timann

One I am from Oklahoma Not from anyof the Balearic Islands, I have been studying the Balearics for a couple of years now. I am wearing ,based on my research, the three slings that were mentioned by the Greek historians. the length of the slings are also based on my research into many historical slinging resources.

yes there is a diffrence in how each of the diffrent sizes handles, mainly between the short and the long sling.

All but one of the slings I am wearing are of the normal split called the Latin stye by the Balearics. That one is the Egyptian ( also called the Eutruscan). This is the one you are wondering about.

Personally I detest split pouches. In my opinion they severely limit your options for ammunition. However for historical reenactment purposes I have to use them. Out of the latin and egyptian styles I would recomend the egyptian ( Eutruscan) it seems to give the rock more support. Another key factor is these slings are designed to use large rocks for thier ammunition.

for my bag check the arcives. I mentioned it several times in the past.

Marc Adkins


timann wrote on Jun 19^th, 2008 at 1:49pm:

Hi ,winkleried. Have studied your pictures.  Later I have done some thinking. I seem to observ a double split in one of your slings. Does it feel better/safer/different than a normal split?  And I guess you, as a balearic slinger, use different lenghts for different distances. Do you feel a big difference?   And I think some people around here would like to know more about your ammo bag ;) timann

Thanks, winkleried.  
I knew that Central Oklahoma is not realy one of the Balearic Islands ;D, I just ment your reenactment as a balearic slinger. It obviously require some investigation :)
timann

I think for realism purposes you are much too clean. Outfit needs to look more "lived in". Good job though.

bigkahuna wrote on Jun 23^rd, 2008 at 9:05pm:

I think for realism purposes you are much too clean. Outfit needs to look more "lived in". Good job though.

nothing a little mud and a roll in the grass couldn't fix. If you are going to do a Swiss costume, what device are you going to use for hunting?

Crossbow
sorry haven't done the new pics.
Thesis just went into final revision. Yay! and Bleeping Ugh

Marc Adkins


macka wrote on Jun 30^th, 2008 at 9:39pm:

bigkahuna wrote on Jun 23rd, 2008 at 9:05pm: I think for realism purposes you are much too clean. Outfit needs to look more "lived in". Good job though. nothing a little mud and a roll in the grass couldn't fix. If you are going to do a Swiss costume, what device are you going to use for hunting?

winkleried wrote on Jul 1^st, 2008 at 12:12am:

Crossbow sorry haven't done the new pics. Thesis just went into final revision. Yay!

Optimist  ;D

Beats the Alternatives.

Marc Adkins


wanderer wrote on Jul 1^st, 2008 at 10:11am:

winkleried wrote on Jul 1st, 2008 at 12:12am: Crossbow sorry haven't done the new pics. Thesis just went into final revision. Yay! Optimist  ;D

What material and what length is the sling? And how many strands of the chosen material did you use and what length were the strands?
I'm quite interested in those big, nasty, brutal, heavy Balearic slings and the accompanying stones ;)

yours sincerely,

HHornblower

Which one ? I am wearing three diffrent slings and carrying a fourth. Not to mention the multiple test pieces i made before I went to braiding the ones I am wearing. Also the one around my shoulder is a test piece as well, have yet to braid it using a period/geographic appropiate material.


Marc Adkins


HHornblower wrote on Jul 19^th, 2008 at 8:46am:

What material and what length is the sling? And how many strands of the chosen material did you use and what length were the strands? I'm quite interested in those big, nasty, brutal, heavy Balearic slings and the accompanying stones ;) yours sincerely, HHornblower

well,

what is the material you made each sling out of? Would love to know to see if i can locate some of material in my surroundings.

yours sincerely,

HHornblower

Test Pieces were made out of Sisal with one sling braided out of  Jutte
Historical pieces were made out of hemp

Marc Adkins


HHornblower wrote on Aug 10^th, 2008 at 4:35pm:

well, what is the material you made each sling out of? Would love to know to see if i can locate some of material in my surroundings. yours sincerely, HHornblower

What is about flax? The "Petrie's sling" from Lahun in Egypt was made out of it. Flax has been grown by menkind since the early stages of agriculture. It was at hand all around the mediterranean sea and it does very well as material for slings. I normally use it and so far it never broke. (I have a flax sling where I covered the pouch with leather. The leather coverings have been torn off twice already, but the flax is still ok.)
Somewhere I read that horse hair was used too. Unfortunately I do not remember the source. I suppose that the hair of the tail is ment. That would be a marvellous material. But horses where expensive in ancient times and theire tails as well, I suppose. So it would not be the cheaply available material for the normally poor slingers (except on the battle field :'().

funda iucunda

Following the Balearic Island Documentation, I can document the use of hemp. If flax ( Linen) was used I don't have a reference yet to it.

And I think the source was one of the same ones that I was using. It's the english translation of L'Arte de la Bassetia that this sites hosts over in the general discussion forum.

Looks like the favortie fiber used by the current Slingers was the Esparato fiber. Unfortunately that fiber causes occupational illness in thos exposed to it. I also keep hearing of a fiber called pita..don't know if it is the same thing or not


Would love to try a horsehair sling but that would probably get me kicked out of my ranching family, not to mention all the jokes at the next family reunion.....


"Hey Marc, why don't ya tell us what you were really doing in the stable that one afternoon........" :)

Marc Adkins


funda_iucunda wrote on Aug 30^th, 2008 at 5:25pm:

What is about flax? The "Petrie's sling" from Lahun in Egypt was made out of it. Flax has been grown by menkind since the early stages of agriculture. It was at hand all around the mediterranean sea and it does very well as material for slings. I normally use it and so far it never broke. (I have a flax sling where I covered the pouch with leather. The leather coverings have been torn off twice already, but the flax is still ok.) Somewhere I read that horse hair was used too. Unfortunately I do not remember the source. I suppose that the hair of the tail is ment. That would be a marvellous material. But horses where expensive in ancient times and theire tails as well, I suppose. So it would not be the cheaply available material for the normally poor slingers (except on the battle field :'(). funda iucunda

doing some bare ones research it looks like Pita fiber comes from the american agave plant. Which would make it related to sisal.

From Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agave

The leaves of several species yield fiber: for instance, Agave rigida var. sisalana, Sisal hemp, Agave decipiens, False Sisal Hemp. Agave americana is the source of pita fiber and is used as a fiber plant in Mexico, the West Indies and southern Europe.

Marc Adkins

Winkleried,

your family must be really nice  :)

Esparto is a good material for slings too. I have bought an esparto sling last year in Andalusia. Though it first made an impression of being inflexible and not smooth enough (like sisal which I do not use any more for this reason) it turned out to work very well. So far I didn't get ill from it (except a rapidly growing slinging adiction without any antidote) ;).

funda iucunda

funda_iucunda wrote on Sep 1^st, 2008 at 4:24pm:

Winkleried, your family must be really nice  :) MA: Welcome to Ranching Clans. Forget every romantic notion you have ever had about cowboys. Reality is low pay, brutal hours, ugly work conditions and you get your laughs where ever ya can. Oh yeah lots of cheap booze (Alcohol for you non americans) Esparto is a good material for slings too. I have bought an esparto sling last year in Andalusia. Though it first made an impression of being inflexible and not smooth enough (like sisal which I do not use any more for this reason) it turned out to work very well. So far I didn't get ill from it (except a rapidly growing slinging adiction without any antidote) ;). MA:Actually inhaling small portions of the fiber while working it that will cause the illness. Actual illness is Hypersensitivity pneumonitis and bronchial asthma. There should be no problems with using the sling. As soon as I graduate I am going to be ordering a esperato sling from the balearics. I'll use it to sling a few rocks and then put it with the rest of my ethnic slings.   You are on your own for your slinging addiction, I'm having problems dealing with my own addiction to it :) funda iucunda

Marc Adkins

winkleried wrote on Jun 16^th, 2008 at 12:00pm:

The Blue Igloo thing is my kids climbing toy, pretty much a geodesic dome that they can scramble up on.

I like that way of putting it.  "scramble upon"I got a chuckle outta that phrase

;D ;D

:o
dude, ur stoned. why don't you just delete that post and comeback in about six hours if you don't pass out before then.

otherwise, lols.

The post referred to above was deleted by moderator. It was both stupid and offensive. Stupid we can tolerate, but offensive gets the chop. This ain't YouTube.

Thanks Aussie! I was trying to cool off and come back with a intellegent and non emotional laden response. I was out of town on a job that was not going well when I saw the post in question, Decided that I would need to calm down a bit before I responded.

Marc Adkins


Aussie wrote on Jul 6^th, 2010 at 3:03am:

The post referred to above was deleted by moderator. It was both stupid and offensive. Stupid we can tolerate, but offensive gets the chop. This ain't YouTube.