Slinging.org Forum - Why do some Slingers do this?

Donnerschlag

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Why do some Slingers do this?
May 25^th, 2013 at 5:49pm

I've noticed that sometimes slingers will have cloth wadded around their non-dominant hand like a cast. I'm more or less stumped when it comes to understanding why they do it, since it doesn't really seem to a bandage.
My only idea is perhaps it serves as a rudimentary "shield" of sorts? (Which I doubt--while it may be pretty decent insurance when trying to stifle a knife-wielding assailant, I can't see much point in using it against projectiles.)

Here's a picture explaining what I mean:
http://www.masmallorca.cat/images/stories/masmallorca/cultura/honderos_balearico...

Any ideas?

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Caldou Funditor Offline Moving the world... rock by rock. Posts: 779 Picardie, France	Re: Why do some Slingers do this? Reply #1 - May 25^th, 2013 at 5:59pm It's his blanket. He was trying to sleep late when the neighbour child started to throw some tantrum about not wanting to sling for his breakfeast. Or maybe he got his arm broken earlier. Do you have a less modern picture ? It may have been some impro from the artist
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Donnerschlag Interfector Viris Spurii Offline I put the 'K' in "Kwality"! Posts: 1045 Portland, OR Gender:	Re: Why do some Slingers do this? Reply #2 - May 25^th, 2013 at 7:12pm Lol I had a couple of others, but for some reason I can't find them
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walter Interfector Viris Spurii Offline Slinging Rocks! Posts: 2453	Re: Why do some Slingers do this? Reply #3 - May 25^th, 2013 at 10:37pm If you will notice how short the sling is it's obvious the fight will soon become hand to hand. Knife to knife.
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jlasud Interfector Viris Spurii Offline Programming stones Posts: 2358 Transilvania Gender:	Re: Why do some Slingers do this? Reply #4 - May 26^th, 2013 at 1:19am That's the only reference to this. He might have got hit by an enemy slinger,got his arm broken,quickly wrapped it..he wouldn't be holding his freshly broken arm like that.. It may act as a counterweight. A small shield is still a more practical one though. Not much sane explanation.
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Rat Man

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Re: Why do some Slingers do this?
Reply #5 - May 26^th, 2013 at 8:37am

I think that Walter is right. The only use that I can think of for such a wrap in a battle would be to stop someone with a knife. Where I first learned Karate we were taught to wrap our left arm, if right handed, with a shirt or jacket if possible if we found ourselves being attacked by someone with a knife. If that wasn't possible we were taught to give up our palms in order to disarm our opponent. There aren't many nerves or veins in one's palms so if you have to be cut somewhere it's the lesser of all evils. Anyway my guess is that this slinger's wrap is for protection from a knife. That's the only thing that makes sense to me.

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squirrelslinger Interfector Viris Spurii Offline peace through superior firepower Posts: 2870 Ky, USA Gender:	Re: Why do some Slingers do this? Reply #6 - May 26^th, 2013 at 8:47am Perhaps its both a small shield and a counterweight. Keep in mind that IMO slingers were sort of expendable, hence they were sort of not well equipped.
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Dan Interfector Viris Spurii SlingingGuide Moderator Offline Slinging Rocks! Posts: 3974 Gender:	Re: Why do some Slingers do this? Reply #7 - May 26^th, 2013 at 11:32am He was getting tired of hitting his bed roll when he was slinging and it was kind of flopping on his back anyway so he said 'to heck with this!' and just put it in his arm.
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Fundibularius

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Re: Why do some Slingers do this?
Reply #8 - May 26^th, 2013 at 11:37am

I think that image is pure fantasy, except it shows a slinger on his way to or from from the camp toilet.

As Rat Man pointed out, a wrapping around your arm may be useful for hand to hand combat, but then why should a slinger wear one when his strength is fighting from a distance? A light shield would be a much better option for any distance, and it can be combined very well with a sling, as Jaegoor and David Morningstar have shown.

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Noch weiz ich an im mere daz mir ist bekant
einen lintrachen slouch des heledes hant
do badet er in dem blvote des ist der helt gemeit
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squirrelslinger

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Re: Why do some Slingers do this?
Reply #9 - May 26^th, 2013 at 3:55pm

Fundibularius wrote on May 26^th, 2013 at 11:37am:

I think that image is pure fantasy, except it shows a slinger on his way to or from from the camp toilet.

As Rat Man pointed out, a wrapping around your arm may be useful for hand to hand combat, but then why should a slinger wear one when his strength is fighting from a distance? A light shield would be a much better option for any distance, and it can be combined very well with a sling, as Jaegoor and David Morningstar have shown.

Yes, but a light shield is also more expensive than a bedroll. I agree with the fantasy part though.

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“Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results.”
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Thearos

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Re: Why do some Slingers do this?
Reply #10 - May 26^th, 2013 at 5:18pm

It's a modern image, so it's an artist's idea of what a slinger should have looked like. It presumably refers to the ancient habit-- which is attested, and in fact persists into the early modern period, of using clothes or animal hides as shields. Either as a roll, or, more commonly, hanging loose from the arm to entangle thrusts and slow down projectiles.

http://slinging.org/index.php?mact=Album,m5,default,1&m5albumid=4&m5returnid=53&...

col. 2, image 4, must be a vase painting from the C5th BC, illustrates the practice. Apuleius, Metamorphoses, in Book 1, I think. has an example of people wrapping clothes around their arm as shields.

The famous group of the Tyrannicides illustrates the practice too

http://www.beazley.ox.ac.uk/dictionary/Dict/ASP/dictionarybody.asp?name=Tyrannic...

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squirrelslinger Interfector Viris Spurii Offline peace through superior firepower Posts: 2870 Ky, USA Gender:	Re: Why do some Slingers do this? Reply #11 - May 26^th, 2013 at 7:09pm Thanks for clearing this up
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Fundibularius

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Re: Why do some Slingers do this?
Reply #12 - May 26^th, 2013 at 11:24pm

squirrelslinger wrote on May 26^th, 2013 at 3:55pm:

Yes, but a light shield is also more expensive than a bedroll. I agree with the fantasy part though.

Not necessarily. An improvised willow shield may cost nothing, whereas cloth has to be bought (or robbed).

My main question with this picture is, however, how is that guy going to reload with his left hand all wrapped up and his bag on his left side? And how did he load the sling he is swinging at the moment? He must have had some assistance.

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Ferrugo numquam dormit.&&(Nigellus Iuvenis)&&&&

Noch weiz ich an im mere daz mir ist bekant
einen lintrachen slouch des heledes hant
do badet er in dem blvote des ist der helt gemeit
von also vester hvte daz in nie wafen sit versneit.

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Curious Aardvark

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Re: Why do some Slingers do this?
Reply #13 - May 27^th, 2013 at 3:38pm

but a willow shield needs to be made and a soldier will always have clothes with him.
Also slingers weren't traditionally warriors, but shepherds - or at least from a shepherding tradition. A fleece wrapped tight would actually work quite well against a blunt (most were) sword or a knife.
Raw fleeces would be fairly cheap and easy to get hold of (for a shepherd).
Could possibly by the origination of the practice.

But from a practical point of view it would certainly make reloading tricky - particularly if he's got his ammo pouch on the wrong - ie: left - side.

Again I think artistic licence has well and truly been abused there

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Pikåru Interfector Viris Spurii Offline Experience teaches only the teachable... Posts: 1636 Colorado USA Gender:	Re: Why do some Slingers do this? Reply #14 - May 27^th, 2013 at 4:25pm I recall seeing a picture of a Middle-Eastern protestor with a sling, his shemagh wrapped around his free arm. I imagine that in a skirmish, having something wrapped around your arm could have a number of uses including shielding yourself.
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