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Review of sling with grip, made by TechStuf (Read 5252 times)
pancaker
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Review of sling with grip, made by TechStuf
Apr 22nd, 2006 at 7:02pm
 
Reading the thread on pocket clip sling grips, I got curious and wanted to try one. The condensed info is first, the review follows.
Green=good, red=bad, blue=neutral

The grip:
(finished ebony with metallic grommet)
  • useful and ergonomic, faster than fiddling with loops or rings - just grab and go.
  • won't slip - the curved end hooks onto the pinky finger if you relax your hand during the release
  • a must for thin cords, where a finger or wrist loop might cut into the flesh
  • Light and small profile, can be fitted in/around/next to pouch without making the sling bulky
  • looks good, feels good
  • unable to determine if it's easier to sling heavy objects (pouch too small for bricks)
  • highly recommended !!
The swivels:
(brass)
  • easier loading. Can turn the pouch if it is upside down without twisting the cords
  • strong, did not break after hard throws and heavy stones
  • reduce but not eliminate cord twisting. Cords untwist more with heavy stones, but have to wait while cords untwist
  • do not reduce cord tangling, knots in the release cord, etc.
  • if the cords are made from thin fibers, the swivels can catch on the cord and wear it down. In particular, release cord can catch on the retention cord swivel. Not critical, but may require attention
  • recommended for thick cords, where pouch orientation is harder to correct and cord wear matters less
The pouch:
(8oz leather, single piece with cutouts)
  • I had the impression that this pouch was not "standard." You can make your own, and I'm sure TechStuf can make a wide variety of pouch designs. For the particular pouch I got, I had to make a couple of further tweaks but overall I was very pleased. Read below for details.
The cords:
(200lb test Dacron)
  • Zero stretch
  • very light (easy to carry, clean release)
  • thin (low air drag)
  • become fuzzy very quickly, some concerns about wear
  • flexible/soft - can sometimes  tangle or knot, and allows twisting
  • good, might need to replace every couple of months
The release knot:
(leather toggle)
  • smooth surface for easy release that won't abrade the fingers
  • thick profile makes it easy to hold onto the toggle when slinging high speeds or heavy weights
  • no clear marking for consistent gripping, but the shape matches the shape of my bent fingers for a more natural consistent positioning

...
...


The review:


I spoke with TechStuf about getting one of his grip slings, and he was very helpful. He offered a number of options, on pouch type, sling length, and more. I opted for a basic model.
Originally I had some concerns about the grip size because of my small hands, and he just said "I will send something I'm sure you will enjoy." He couldn't be more right.

I receied the sling just over a week ago, on Thursday. The first things that struck me were the incredibly light weight and small size. I had imagined some thick, unwieldy handle, and was shocked by the diminutive sling (handle and all). My normal sling is paracord sheepshank, which is more voluminous despite its simplicity.
...
I was impressed that TechStuf had included a spare pair of cords, just in case. That was very thoughtful.

The sling itself is made with a great attention to details, and the workmanship is excellent. All knots are small, tight, melted closed, and sealed with what looks like a bit of superglue.

The ebony grip has a metal grommet that is installed flush with the wood - very solid, and clean, which must have taken some effort given the toughness of the wood.

The pouch is attractively designed, and came joined to the cords via two aesthetically pleasing intertwined loops, down the center of the pouch. (unfortunately, I don't have pictures of the original attachment)

I could not resist temptation, so I tried out the sling that very day.

It is great.

My accuracy, without exaggeration, improved tenfold. Not that it was any good before, but it instantly became less terrible. I do not understand how or why. Sling length was 1/2 inch longer than my old favorite, and everything was thinner and lighter.

The grip fit perfectly; TechStuf had probably made it to size for a custom fit. The folded sling length was good (66cm/26in, as requested). The release cord needs to be slightly shorter because of the way it is gripped, and that difference was just right - the pouch was held even and horizontal.

There were some pouch issues, which I fixed very easily. The pouch ends were pointy and would catch on the cords, resulting in tangles. I cut them to form stub points. Also, the pouch was attached and supported by two intertwined loops running down the middle. Although that looked nice, it had a tendency to overturn the pouch and spill the rock. It also led to pouch inversions, where the pouch would flip inside out. Fortunately, TechStuf included the extra cord, so I was able to rethread the pouch along the edge for more support. It now has one continuous loop along the edge, sewn shut in the middle.

At first, the swivels moved freely and untwisted the cords. After a week of hard slinging, they have lost some of their freedom of motion. Untwisting is somewhat slow. When the cords are twisted, I find it faster to let go of the release cord, shake it loose, and try again.
Still, the swivels are handy when flipping the pouch over, (usually when reloading).

I like how this particular puch design fits with the grip to make storage very easy. I roll the cords around the pouch; the curved grip end fits through the pouch from one side and into the toggle on the other side of the pouch. Pictures might help:
...
...
...

For those who wish to see how the grip works:
...
...

This has become my favorite sling, to the exclusion of my older ones.

I highly recommend TechStuf's grips, and his slings, if you ever have the occasion to try one or get one for yourself.

I only added enter a few times to keep the photos under each other, instead of side by side.
Willeke
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« Last Edit: Apr 26th, 2006 at 2:25am by Willeke »  
 
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siguy
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Re: Review of sling with grip, made by TechStuf
Reply #1 - Apr 22nd, 2006 at 9:26pm
 
that is pretty awesome.  looks and sounds like everything worked well.  perhaps the increase in accuracy has something to do with the improved grip, which came up a little in the talks about accuracy.  the whole-hand grip seems to work well for accuracy.  it looks like a solid design.  it is good to see some more specific pics, as with techstuff's post, all he posted a pic of was the handle.  now the design makes more sense.
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Dale
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Re: Review of sling with grip, made by TechStuf
Reply #2 - Apr 24th, 2006 at 2:11am
 
Just a note: TechStuf did post a photograph of himself holding one of these grips, last August.
It was  
reply #7 in the thread First steps in slinging - PICTURE
.
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« Last Edit: Apr 24th, 2006 at 12:50pm by Dale »  

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Re: Review of sling with grip, made by TechStuf
Reply #3 - Apr 24th, 2006 at 3:02am
 
Thanks for the kind words Pancaker, if I'd had my mechanical release version production ready by the time I sent your sling....I wouldn't be seeing red right now! (lol)  I will endeavor to get one out to you in the near future as part orders are fulfilled.


I have been testing a prototype for a while now, and after many casts, there is zero wear on the sling cords and virtually none to be seen on the pocket.  I trust it will prove to be the best sling design for serious users ever made.

Some of us who have used slings for any appreciable length of time,  harbor no doubt as to the veracity of the Biblical account of David, as well as other historical records which highlight what can be done with the lowly sling.

Many other important historical events have more than a 'seed' of truth to them as well.


Red Sea Crossing


Ark of the Covenant


More photos



Ron Wyatt was an amateur archaeologist who certainly lived an interesting life!


TS
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« Last Edit: Apr 25th, 2006 at 3:53am by Yahweh Bless you in Yeshua »  

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siguy
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Re: Review of sling with grip, made by TechStuf
Reply #4 - Apr 24th, 2006 at 10:23am
 
sorry dale, i did not realize.   i was unaware of slinging at that point in time.
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Re: Review of sling with grip, made by TechStuf
Reply #5 - Apr 24th, 2006 at 1:36pm
 
Siguy,

No problem.  If all of us researched the forum archives, before posting anything ... none of us
would post anything, we would run out of time!  I have been hanging around here longer, is all.

I like TechStuf's grip design.  In the same post that I linked to above, Techstuf showed
pictures of another grip design; he did not say what he calls it but I call it a
"fingerfingerfingerloop" grip:
...

I made one of those for myself (using heaving multiple-overhand knots instead of the plastic spacers); this sling
is one of my favorites. Very secure on my hand.
...

EDIT: Sorry, wrong name for the knot. They were not heaving knots, they were multiple-overhand knots (five or six overhands in each knot).
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« Last Edit: May 15th, 2006 at 4:50pm by Dale »  

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Re: Review of sling with grip, made by TechStuf
Reply #6 - Apr 24th, 2006 at 5:05pm
 
She's a real beaut, Dale.....I'll bet she's a real distance performer too.  It's getting to be that time of year again.....get a 'water balloon' pocket on that baby and let the fun begin!  People at the beach will be real amazed to see you slinging water balloons twice as heavy as the ones shot from those 3 man slingshot versions, yet going just as far....

Great design!


TS
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siguy
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Re: Review of sling with grip, made by TechStuf
Reply #7 - Apr 24th, 2006 at 5:06pm
 
dale, it looks like that sling is on display.  is that a photo from when you had your presentation board put together?
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Re: Review of sling with grip, made by TechStuf
Reply #8 - Apr 25th, 2006 at 2:06am
 
Siguy,
No, I had not built this sling yet, when I
catalogued all my slings
.  I still have no camera, so I
taped this sling to a piece of display board and laid it on a scanner.

The pouch of this sling is in my catalog, however; second picture, second pouch from the top.
I dismantled that sling, and constructed this sling that used that golf-ball pouch, my copy of
TechStuf's fingerfingerfingerloop grip, and adjustable cords with
Joseph Curwen's slip knot
.
You can see one of the slip knots in the picture above.
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Re: Review of sling with grip, made by TechStuf
Reply #9 - Apr 25th, 2006 at 2:10am
 
TechStuf, you are most gracious!  I have hi-jacked this thread (reviewing your hardwood sling grips), just to brag about my ability to copy other peoples' inventions, and yet you praise my work.  Thank you!

The sling is capable of much more than I am.  My best distance with a golf ball is only about 100 yards (about 90 meters).  I thought I was doing better than that last year, but I fear that I was just incorrectly estimating the range.
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« Last Edit: Apr 26th, 2006 at 5:07pm by Dale »  

No, I don't live in a glass house.&&&&"If builders built buildings the way programmers write programs, then the first woodpecker that came along would destroy civilization."&&&&Context matters!  "Nothing but net" is a BAD thing in tennis...
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Re: Review of sling with grip, made by TechStuf
Reply #10 - Apr 25th, 2006 at 11:04pm
 
I have never seen the two other slings by techstuff. I must say pure talent. With slings that look that cool who cares how good you throw
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