i have seen a drawing of lonardo's version of atlatl, 3 versions acctualy.

in the first one the javelin has a small leather loop straped around it's middle (or more to the end) , so that the tip of the spear ends allmost at the grip of the thrower.

the second one has the thrower shorter, but the strap is now longer, allmost sling-like.

the third one is without the leather, but rather with a small-protruding-part/notch wich is gripped by a hooked end of the thrower.


the main thing about them is that the thrower does not apply it's force to the butt od the javelin, but to it's middle section. in all three versions the spearhead is just before the wrist that is holding the thrower.


so - is this design his invention, or is it known from before, and is anyone using it now, or can anyone guess the difference in effect from the "classic" design?

I have seen pictures for some of da Vinci's weapon sketches, even on this site, but haven't seen any lately. If I do, I'll post them here. I know he drew a sketch for a skepifletta, a stone throwing weapon (there you go, Slingbadger)!

Ok I get it. Maybe that would help the balance. I'll have to try that out.

That thing is called an amentum. Iv'e brought it up before. It goes back to Ancient Rome, at least as far as the Pelopennesian wars. It faded in the 1st cent. AD.
   What you do is wrap the lanyard around the spear, and have your index finger in the last bit of loop, on the outside of the spear.
  It is cast from the side, much like an overhand sling cast. You flick the index finger as you launch. This makes the lanyard unwind, which starts the spear spinning. What happens is you have a self rifling javelin, no fletching needed, like on an arrow or atlatl.
   The Africans had an equivalent called an assegai, which they can make fly 200 feet with pinpoint accuracy.
It also appears seperatly in some areas of Asia.
  The proper place to put the lanyard is not halfway, like Leonardo has it. (I have the same picture. He as not always right about what he drew) Instead you measure one sixth the way up from the rear, and place it there.
   I have an amentum made from a shaft and an old throwing knife for the point. So far I have casts of 50-60 feet with consistant accuracy.

and he always wrote stuff backwards so that noone could read it, which back then was pretty sophisticated ish

Regarding the backwards writing, he wrote left handed. The way he wrote was easier for a left handed person. This way the ink that he used wasn't smeared by his hand.
  Iv'e seen the amentum with the stick, and frankly, I have my doubts about it working. I guess someone will just have to experiment.
  He also shows a sling that launches a caltrop like projectile. The problem I see with that is one of the spikes getting caught up in the sling.

slightly off-topic - i've found that you can easiliy induce drag to javelins by tying thin cords at the rear, like a tassel. it puts it on straight path but also shortens the range somewhat

Ouch!

By the way i dont know if badger has said anything, but the shaft of his precious armentum has snapped

Poor guy

SlingWolf