Welcome, Guest. Please Login
SLINGING.ORG
 
Home Help Search Login


Pages: 1 2 
Send Topic Print
Care and feeding of jute slings (Read 4418 times)
NooneOfConsequence
Slinging.org Moderator
*****
Offline



Posts: 2983
Texas
Care and feeding of jute slings
May 2nd, 2018 at 8:08am
 
I’ve made three slings now from a ball of jute twine. It’s inexpensive and they’re easy to make, but if I wanted to preserve the jute fibers better and prevent fraying, can anyone recommend a good wax or maybe something like a polyurethane that remains somewhat flexible after it dries?

I’ve tried using paraffin from an old candle, but I’m not sure if it actually helps anything.
Back to top
 

“My final hour is at hand. We face an enemy more numerous and cunning than the world has yet seen. Remember your training, and do not fear the hordes of Judas. I, without sin, shall cast the first stone. That will be your sign to attack! But you shall not fight this unholy enemy with stones. No! RAZOR GLANDES!  Aim for the eyes! May the Lord have mercy, for we shall show none!“  -Jesus the Noodler
 
IP Logged
 
walter
Interfector Viris Spurii
*****
Offline


Slinging Rocks!

Posts: 2453
Re: Care and feeding of jute slings
Reply #1 - May 2nd, 2018 at 8:29am
 
Bees wax
Back to top
 

Perseverence furthers
 
IP Logged
 
Kick
Forum Moderation
*****
Offline



Posts: 4451
Finland
Re: Care and feeding of jute slings
Reply #2 - May 2nd, 2018 at 12:44pm
 
I've found beeswax stays quite sticky for a fair while and can leave a residue on your hand. What I've found to be better is this stuff:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CHELSEA-LEATHER-FOOD-210ml-for-Chainsaw-Boots-Handbag...

Meant for leather but works great with jute. Helps with flexibility too to some extent. You only need a very small amount but really keeps all the stray fibers together.
Back to top
 

You are a great guy Kick but also slightly scary at times. - Morphy
"Nothing matters, but it’s perhaps more comfortable to keep calm and not interfere with other people." - H.P. Lovecraft, in a letter to Frank Belknap Long, 7 October, 1923
 
IP Logged
 
Morphy
Slinging.org Moderator
*****
Offline


Checkmate

Posts: 8102
Re: Care and feeding of jute slings
Reply #3 - May 2nd, 2018 at 2:13pm
 
Beeswax cut with just a bit of petroleum jelly or Olive oil.straight beeswax I would take a blow dryer and heat the cord till it liquified and melts all the way to the core and then put another light coat on top. Whatever works best for you is good, but I haven't had much luck with paraffin. I dont wax the part I hold because it makes it a bit sticky and throws my release off a bit. (At least I choose to believe that's why I miss!)  Smiley
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
Drakolith
Funditor
****
Offline



Posts: 675
U.S.
Re: Care and feeding of jute slings
Reply #4 - May 2nd, 2018 at 3:22pm
 
I personally use fabric glue.
Back to top
 

“When you do things right, people won’t be sure you’ve done anything at all.”
 
IP Logged
 
Kick
Forum Moderation
*****
Offline



Posts: 4451
Finland
Re: Care and feeding of jute slings
Reply #5 - May 2nd, 2018 at 3:30pm
 
Morphy wrote on May 2nd, 2018 at 2:13pm:
Beeswax cut with just a bit of petroleum jelly or Olive oil.straight beeswax I would take a blow dryer and heat the cord till it liquified and melts all the way to the core and then put another light coat on top. Whatever works best for you is good, but I haven't had much luck with paraffin. I dont wax the part I hold because it makes it a bit sticky and throws my release off a bit. (At least I choose to believe that's why I miss!) 


That's why I like the dubbins. No need to mix it or heat or anything.
Back to top
 

You are a great guy Kick but also slightly scary at times. - Morphy
"Nothing matters, but it’s perhaps more comfortable to keep calm and not interfere with other people." - H.P. Lovecraft, in a letter to Frank Belknap Long, 7 October, 1923
 
IP Logged
 
Rat Man
Slinging.org Administrator
*****
Offline


Slinging Rocks!

Posts: 13666
New Jersey, USA
Gender: male
Re: Care and feeding of jute slings
Reply #6 - May 2nd, 2018 at 4:50pm
 
I wonder if Mink Oil would work. It's also for leather like Chelsea Leather Food. Though Jute slings don't last as long as slings made from synthetics I prefer the look and feel of them to anything else. Plus as NOC mentioned, Jute is cheap and easy to work with. I think I'm going to try Mink Oil on one to see if it helps make it last longer.
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
Morphy
Slinging.org Moderator
*****
Offline


Checkmate

Posts: 8102
Re: Care and feeding of jute slings
Reply #7 - May 2nd, 2018 at 7:21pm
 
Kick wrote on May 2nd, 2018 at 3:30pm:
Morphy wrote on May 2nd, 2018 at 2:13pm:
Beeswax cut with just a bit of petroleum jelly or Olive oil.straight beeswax I would take a blow dryer and heat the cord till it liquified and melts all the way to the core and then put another light coat on top. Whatever works best for you is good, but I haven't had much luck with paraffin. I dont wax the part I hold because it makes it a bit sticky and throws my release off a bit. (At least I choose to believe that's why I miss!) 


That's why I like the dubbins. No need to mix it or heat or anything.


I might have to try some. I'm working with yarn alot right now and it's not the strongest material. I bet a good wax coating would help it just as much as hemp or jute.
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
NooneOfConsequence
Slinging.org Moderator
*****
Offline



Posts: 2983
Texas
Re: Care and feeding of jute slings
Reply #8 - May 3rd, 2018 at 12:11am
 
Thanks for all the ideas!  I will definitely try a few and report back.

One thing I noticed in the last several days of throwing tennis balls with jute is that (compared to leather) the release is much more sensitive to how hard you throw. Hard throws stick in the pouch a fraction of a second longer and the aim is off. This is true for leather too, but the variation seems greater with jute. That’s definitely something I want to test on a trebuchet eventually  too.
Back to top
 

“My final hour is at hand. We face an enemy more numerous and cunning than the world has yet seen. Remember your training, and do not fear the hordes of Judas. I, without sin, shall cast the first stone. That will be your sign to attack! But you shall not fight this unholy enemy with stones. No! RAZOR GLANDES!  Aim for the eyes! May the Lord have mercy, for we shall show none!“  -Jesus the Noodler
 
IP Logged
 
woodssj
Senior Member
****
Offline


That lake isn't going
to fill itself, y'know...

Posts: 302
'Round & about, Here and there
Gender: male
Re: Care and feeding of jute slings
Reply #9 - May 8th, 2018 at 9:03pm
 
Doesn't Jeagor use Bowstring Wax?

Also, what's the life-extension like from conditioning or treating slings? Has anyone really done any experimentation?

If not, we should start some statistical collection sticky threads. We could do some real interesting things with real quantified data.
Back to top
 

Confused Archaeologists are the best Archaeologists.
 
IP Logged
 
woodssj
Senior Member
****
Offline


That lake isn't going
to fill itself, y'know...

Posts: 302
'Round & about, Here and there
Gender: male
Re: Care and feeding of jute slings
Reply #10 - May 8th, 2018 at 10:19pm
 
Speaking of shooting statistics... I just threw these together for record keeping by individuals.

The first is "The Individual Score Book For The Sling." Print it out double-sided, and it should work once it's cut, folded, and stapled or stitched into a chapbook type thing. I might have to do some refinements once I get one or two prototypes printed. Please send any edits or improvements, and I'll make them! I am far from a typesetter, though I wish I was.

The second is a chart for total throws for each sling. Once those throws are recorded, if you're keeping track of the sling itself (Style, Length, Material, treatments, and so on) then we could get a decent idea of how treatments effect them, and the average life of a sling.

Is this perhaps the start of "Funda-metrics", a new field of mostly-useless maths? I'm pretty sure I can get a few math-competent classical historians really hooked on Slinging with this type of thing.
Back to top
 

Confused Archaeologists are the best Archaeologists.
 
IP Logged
 
Jaegoor
Interfector Viris Spurii
*****
Offline


Slinging Rocks!

Posts: 2796
Gender: male
Re: Care and feeding of jute slings
Reply #11 - May 9th, 2018 at 1:43am
 
Ich verwende zwei Arten Wachs. Schuhwachs der Firma Meindl. Und Wachs für die Bogensehne. Dieses verwende ich für denn Brief.
Ich schieße seit 5 Jahren die selbe Schleuder.  Im Monat komme ich etwa auf 1000 bis 1500 Schuß.  Ich mag am liebsten Hanf für meine Slings. Jute ist mir zu faserig.
Back to top
 

Bono Mellius
 
IP Logged
 
NooneOfConsequence
Slinging.org Moderator
*****
Offline



Posts: 2983
Texas
Re: Care and feeding of jute slings
Reply #12 - May 10th, 2018 at 12:08am
 
That’s a great idea woodsj!  I will give your data collection sheets a try.
Back to top
 

“My final hour is at hand. We face an enemy more numerous and cunning than the world has yet seen. Remember your training, and do not fear the hordes of Judas. I, without sin, shall cast the first stone. That will be your sign to attack! But you shall not fight this unholy enemy with stones. No! RAZOR GLANDES!  Aim for the eyes! May the Lord have mercy, for we shall show none!“  -Jesus the Noodler
 
IP Logged
 
woodssj
Senior Member
****
Offline


That lake isn't going
to fill itself, y'know...

Posts: 302
'Round & about, Here and there
Gender: male
Re: Care and feeding of jute slings
Reply #13 - May 10th, 2018 at 9:56pm
 
Thank you.

I've made more here http://slinging.org/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1525833254 , including a google form to submit data for a general aggregate from everyone into a single database. I've made it not collect anything you don't enter manually, and you can see the other results once people start submitting.

There's also a corrected and improved score book on that thread.
Back to top
 

Confused Archaeologists are the best Archaeologists.
 
IP Logged
 
woodssj
Senior Member
****
Offline


That lake isn't going
to fill itself, y'know...

Posts: 302
'Round & about, Here and there
Gender: male
Re: Care and feeding of jute slings
Reply #14 - May 10th, 2018 at 10:01pm
 
Further, with Jeagoor's numbers, we're looking at about 60,000 to 90,000 throws with a treated sling. That's a pretty good service life, actually. 5-10 rifle barrels, off the maximum service life standards of around the first world war.
Back to top
 

Confused Archaeologists are the best Archaeologists.
 
IP Logged
 
Pages: 1 2 
Send Topic Print
(Moderators: Morphy, Rat Man, vetryan15, Kick, joe_meadmaker, Curious Aardvark, Chris)