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Simple Atlatl (Read 15811 times)
kentuckythrower
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Re: Simple Atlatl
Reply #15 - Feb 12th, 2012 at 6:59am
 
thabaill,

That bow you made was more than sufficient to bring down just about anything here in North America. There have been cases over here where folks have succeeded in dropping Whitetail deer using simple bows with draw weights as low as 25lbs. Manufacturers of modern bows will have you believe that their particular product is the "only" way to successfully hunt, but this isn't the case at all. All they're trying to do is generate income...buy this...buy that...on and on.

Please don't get me wrong here, I am a big proponent of advanced technology, but when it comes to primitive weapons such as slings, spearthowers, bow, etc., I want to keep them just as simple as possible. These weapons have been around for God knows how many thousands of years and despite all the hype foisted on us my various manufactures, the basic examples are more than effective in getting the job done.

While I'm at it, let's talk a bit about personal satidfaction in relation to simple homemade weapons vs. expensive commercial versions of the same thing. With homemade, we do everything from start to finish...absolutely everything is the result of us as individuals. Seeing how we're relatively simple folk, our homemade weapons are simple too...and diabolically effective after we master their use. With the commercial versions, we, as individuals have effectively been taken out of the equation. Folks are duped into buying this...and that...and by the way...it just won't work until you buy this gadget too. HOGWASH!!!!!!!!! Personally speaking, there's nothing quite like making your own equipment and learning how to use it with effect. With my simple slings, spearthrowers, and bows, I can do just as well as anything being sold in the market commercailly. Plus, I have the satisfaction of knowing it's all my doing.








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thabaill
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Re: Simple Atlatl
Reply #16 - Feb 13th, 2012 at 7:38am
 
Hi

Kentuckythrower, I agree with you.

A 70lbs. compound bow is something very powerful and it is a pleasure to shoot one and feel its power. But you will spend a lot of money and you will be almost the same time tunning and adjusting it than shooting.

If you can make your own weapons and if that weapons are as effective for your purposes you don't need that fancy ultra modern machine. After all a bow is a stick and a string, the more components that it have the more prone to break or malfunction it will be.

If people have hunted for thousands of years with spears, atlatls and bows bigger animals than the ones that live nowadays, why that weapons wouldn't be effective today. I think that even that ancient weapons were sadly too effective, because there is no mammoths or mastodons alive today.

Best regards.
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Mauro Fiorentini
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Re: Simple Atlatl
Reply #17 - Feb 13th, 2012 at 7:51am
 
On a side, I invite you archers to look for a book called "Catene operative dell'arco preistorico - Incontro di archeologia sperimentale".
Authors were P. Bellintani and F. Cavulli, and it was published in 2006 in Trento.
They've found some Bronze Age bows in a village in Northern Italy, and have built replicas, using them for hunting.
It's a very nice book as it compare a dried bow with a green one, like these found in the village  Wink
Even if it's written in Italian, it's full of pictures and will surely be a precious add to any archer's library!
Greetings,
Mauro.
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Like! Smiley https://www.facebook.com/Arte-Picena-238289793027749/timeline/
Greetings,
Mauro.

Mauro Fiorentini - 339-525
 
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thabaill
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Re: Simple Atlatl
Reply #18 - Feb 19th, 2012 at 4:47pm
 
Quote:
I can't remember the name of the program or what network it was on. I stumbled on it one afternoon while flipping through the channels. They took 8-10 men and women, put them in an alpine environment, Colorado/Montana maybe, took thier clothes and gave them skins to wear. They had to "survive" for 10 days. No one there knew about the flora or fauna, no one there seemed to have any pre-1800 skills, no one built anything substantial other than a hide covered stack of sticks to sleep in. They didn't seem to do much but sleep and complain about each other. Into the 5th day or so, a gentleman came in with a handful of atlatl. He showed them the basics and part of the group went out hunting. They were able to walk in close enough to a herd of elk, threw their darts into the mass and stuck one of the animals in the neck, eventually killing it. It was little interesting and tragic at the same time.


Perhaps it could be this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdjS3LW93M8&feature=email

Hi Mauro

Thank you for the advice. I will try to find that book.

Greetings.
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timann
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Re: Simple Atlatl
Reply #19 - Apr 24th, 2012 at 2:02pm
 
One hour ago, maybe,  I didn`t have an atlatl, but I do now.  It is pretty primitive so I just use this thread to show it. 
I cut down a couple of hazel saplings for darts some days ago, just in case, so I just whittled out dimples in the ends before I used them.  One is as long as I am, 180 centimeters, the other is slightly longer. 
The atlatl is ash, I think.  Almost as long as my arm, before I could cut it down by trial and error to right lenght I realized I could make a "dart rest" with the spare lenght. 
It is slightly havier than I wished, but it is the one I found, and it doubles as a small club Cheesy.

I have just done some 20ish test throws and is pleasantly surprised.  I did play around a little last summer, learned the basic throwing, and now it went surprisingly well.  Meaning darts went point first pretty often in the general direction I wanted on short range.  Maybe I`ll make some duct tape fletchings later.  This stuff is just for fun, I leave it on site on a nice practice spot, and the more unconspicous the better.  The kindergarten has their "spot" as shown near by and there is plenty of curious kids around during the day.
timann
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timann
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Re: Simple Atlatl
Reply #20 - Apr 24th, 2012 at 2:05pm
 
How I hold the atlatl.  I whittled a pinky stop which made gripping the thing just right.
timann
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Atlatlista
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Re: Simple Atlatl
Reply #21 - Apr 24th, 2012 at 2:35pm
 
Very nice!  Simple branch atlatls are a lot of fun.  Also, you can use roots of trees, and they have a lot of room for figural carving.  I like Eastern Red Cedar best for that.  I made one look like an ugly toad once.
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timann
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Re: Simple Atlatl
Reply #22 - Apr 24th, 2012 at 2:43pm
 
I`ll try to make a real atlatl, with some real darts, later.  You know; bring home, dry out, straighten, shape...  I could probably make a nice kit if I was willing to spend time doing it, as opposed to minutes, as I did on this one Cheesy.
It does the job as survival atlatl, though.  And is fine for a little training Smiley
timann
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Re: Simple Atlatl
Reply #23 - Apr 24th, 2012 at 8:13pm
 
timann wrote on Apr 24th, 2012 at 2:43pm:
I`ll try to make a real atlatl, with some real darts, later.  You know; bring home, dry out, straighten, shape...  I could probably make a nice kit if I was willing to spend time doing it, as opposed to minutes, as I did on this one Cheesy.
It does the job as survival atlatl, though.  And is fine for a little training Smiley
timann


Absolutely, I didn't mean to imply otherwise.  The cool thing about making darts that I've found is that once you have the materials at hand, they're super fast.  It takes me about fifteen minutes to make a dart and that includes cutting the feathers for fletching, chewing the sinew, all of it.  The really time-consuming part is collecting the materials and getting them all together.
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timann
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Re: Simple Atlatl
Reply #24 - Apr 25th, 2012 at 10:34am
 
Quote:
timann wrote on Apr 24th, 2012 at 2:43pm:
I`ll try to make a real atlatl, with some real darts, later.  You know; bring home, dry out, straighten, shape...  I could probably make a nice kit if I was willing to spend time doing it, as opposed to minutes, as I did on this one Cheesy.
It does the job as survival atlatl, though.  And is fine for a little training Smiley
timann


Absolutely, I didn't mean to imply otherwise.  The cool thing about making darts that I've found is that once you have the materials at hand, they're super fast.  It takes me about fifteen minutes to make a dart and that includes cutting the feathers for fletching, chewing the sinew, all of it.  The really time-consuming part is collecting the materials and getting them all together.

I didn`t mean to imply that you ment to imply... Cheesy  
I simply want a better looking atlatl, with the bark removed and other luxury.  This one was in fact nice, and I`m particularly proud of the dart rest, a little U-shaped channel to steady the dart in the front. Made it feel way better than the one I had last summer.
timann

I made this little atlatl video, because I suddenly could Wink
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbyWO0XXLwo
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« Last Edit: Apr 25th, 2012 at 1:49pm by timann »  
 
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Re: Simple Atlatl
Reply #25 - Apr 25th, 2012 at 1:47pm
 
When you take the bark off, the wood will split as the water in it evaporates.  To stop it from splitting, simply rub in some vegatable oil or some type of fat.
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timann
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Re: Simple Atlatl
Reply #26 - Apr 25th, 2012 at 1:57pm
 
Bill Skinner wrote on Apr 25th, 2012 at 1:47pm:
When you take the bark off, the wood will split as the water in it evaporates.  To stop it from splitting, simply rub in some vegatable oil or some type of fat.

I have always used the other way, I leave it to dry out by itself and hope I forget about it, at least for some months Smiley
timann
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Pikåru
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Re: Simple Atlatl
Reply #27 - Apr 25th, 2012 at 2:00pm
 
Bill Skinner wrote on Apr 25th, 2012 at 1:47pm:
...to stop it from splitting, simply rub in... some type of fat.


I volunteer my stomach!

Just gave you a visual didn't I?  Shocked
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timann
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Re: Simple Atlatl
Reply #28 - Apr 26th, 2012 at 11:39am
 
Quote:
Bill Skinner wrote on Apr 25th, 2012 at 1:47pm:
...to stop it from splitting, simply rub in... some type of fat.


I volunteer my stomach!

Just gave you a visual didn't I?  Shocked

Aaargh.  Two horrible but conflicting visuals.  Hopefully I`ll feel better soon  Shocked
timann
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Bill Skinner
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Re: Simple Atlatl
Reply #29 - Apr 27th, 2012 at 12:34am
 
I thought you were about to start scrapeing and whitteling to make them look pretty while they were still green.
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