I just acquired four lawn darts (known as Jarts in some parts of the world) and I want to make a kestros.

The issue is this is obviously very dangerous. I don't want to experiment and end up with one in the back of my skull, so I'm wondering if anyone else knows how to set this up.

I generally use a figure eight, and am more proficient in braiding split pouches.

Also, I will not do this with anyone else nearby.

http://www.missourimarketplace.net/jartsgrass.gif

I have made a kestros and it looks like it should unfortunitly I ca not get the darts to stabilize , Lawn darts seem like a pretty good Ideah thanks. I will let you know how it goes

Also if you need kestros help search kestrosphendone or kestros in the forum search bar and you should be able to find at least 2 old long discussions that are very informative.

Thanks. I was dumb and just searched "lawn darts". :]

I think this thread is the best one because it has several kestros designs! It's a long read, so just skip through until you find a picture you like.
[edit]Woops! Gave you the wrong link! That is a short thread up above with 1 version of the kestros, and this thread is the long one with multiple designs.[/edit]

I almost wish I didn't look at the thread you posted,  Masiakasaurus.  A dangerous seed has been planted in my mind.  

Rat Man wrote on Nov 10^th, 2010 at 6:01pm:

I almost wish I didn't look at the thread you posted,  Masiakasaurus.  A dangerous seed has been planted in my mind.

[smiley=evil.gif]

Come up with a "safety point" for your darts until you get the kinks worked out?

Seems like a cool weapon if not for the cumbersome way that the dart lays in the sling. I wish there was a way to get a shorter dart that is suspended at the very bottom of the slings "pouch". Could make the sling a very viable big game hunting weapon.

Morphy wrote on Nov 12^th, 2010 at 6:46pm:

Seems like a cool weapon if not for the cumbersome way that the dart lays in the sling. I wish there was a way to get a shorter dart that is suspended at the very bottom of the slings "pouch". Could make the sling a very viable big game hunting weapon.

With the tip pointing at the ground and just two strands (retention and release, no middle strand) or do you mean something else? I think there is a pretty simple version with hondero's most recent kestros design.
http://perso.wanadoo.es/s915415926/cestros/cestrohondanue.jpg

Yes that is exactly what I mean. I saw a design like that but I think they mentioned it fouled up on the release a lot. I guess I should have kept looking. I should try this. Does this work good Masi? Do you know?

EDIT: Although I wonder if there is an even simpler design? I was sitting here at the comp spacing out as I went over different kestros designs in my head when you posted that. This sounds like a good project to mess around with...

Morphy wrote on Nov 12^th, 2010 at 6:59pm:

Yes that is exactly what I mean. I saw a design like that but I think they mentioned it fouled up on the release a lot. I guess I should have kept looking. I should try this. Does this work good Masi? Do you know? EDIT: Although I wonder if there is an even simpler design? I was sitting here at the comp spacing out as I went over different kestros designs in my head when you posted that. This sounds like a good project to mess around with...

I made a kestros from Johnny's design
http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v245/shumate/cestros2.jpg
and a giant "split pouch" kestros
http://slinging.org/forum/yabbfiles/Attachments/cestros2.jpg
that was just a length of cord tied in a loop, but I haven't fooled around with one in a while. This design is a sling with one very small modification, so I don't know how much simpler it can get without becoming a plumbata. On page 22 of the second link I posted I think that hondero says the simplicity and smooth release of this design convinced him that it was probably the most accurate recreation. To be honest my attempts failed not because of the sling, but the dart. It became a coal prod for our barbeque last July and I never got over it. :-[edit]Here is the design that hondero based his last sling on. http://perso.wanadoo.es/hondero/Album/cestronuevo.jpg[/edit]

I tried out his "double-flap" pouch design ( dart held nearly vertical, point held in a leather pouch with a small leather flap lying on top). I also had problems with darts..only made two that worked. Design worked well, lost both darts on unexpectedly far throws.