Slinging.org Forum - Cestrosphendone

Hondero

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Re: Cestrosphendon
Reply #30 - Apr 12^th, 2004 at 5:32pm

Johnny,
the main problem is really how to avoid that the point stick into the pouch. Of course if the point is blunt the problem is less, but the weapon then is not actually lethal Grin

. I´ve used different solutions, one of them been to put a small piece of leather betwen the sharpen point and the pouch, that come off immediately after the throwing.

English,
good idea to make a wooden small pouch for the point, I´ve never tried it. I think a hard wood willl be better. I´ve used sometimes a little coin stuck on the pouch and it works very well.

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He brought a conquering sword..., a shield..., a spear... , a sling from which no erring shot was discharged.&&

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Dan_Bollinger Descens Offline Have Sling, Will Travel Posts: 136 West Lafayette, Indiana, USA Gender:	Re: Cestrosphendon Reply #31 - May 1^st, 2004 at 9:18am I must get my Kestros photos up. But first, I need to toss a few to report on how well (or not) my reconstructions work.
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Hondero Senior Member Offline Posts: 463 Madrid-SPAIN Gender:	Re: Cestrosphendon Reply #32 - May 1^st, 2004 at 9:50am Hi Dan, nice to hear you again, I´m looking forward to see your photos and experiences. Hondero
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Mithras Junior Member Offline Slinging beach pebbles off the Yorkshire coast Posts: 94 East Yorkshire, England Gender:	Re: Cestrosphendon Reply #33 - May 1^st, 2004 at 3:23pm I AM MAKING ME ONE OF THESE! Nice reconstruction work there, and a solid model upon which to base some working reconstructions on. I need to find the original sources, too. I have some arrow parts spare, the sling will be no problem .... I may replace the arrowhead with a blunt weight, though. Happy days ahead
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Mithras

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Re: Cestrosphendon
Reply #34 - May 3^rd, 2004 at 4:24am

I made one! Well, I made a dart and a prototype string sling. Just been to test my release on the field nearby, and I figure a single swing around the side of the body will be best or else the cords get tangled and the beast just tumbles messily in the air.

I'll make a leather sling today and try some full power launches.

If it all displays properly there should be pictures at the bottom of my slinging page: http://www.geocities.com/zozergames/sling.html

You may see a strange resemblance to Hondero's dart ... thanks Hondero!

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They shrink for fear, abated of their rage,&&Nor longer dare in a blind fight engage;&&Contented now to gall them from below&&With darts and slings, and with the distant bow.&&&&Aeneid 9.503&&

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Mithras Junior Member Offline Slinging beach pebbles off the Yorkshire coast Posts: 94 East Yorkshire, England Gender:	Re: Cestrosphendon Reply #35 - May 3^rd, 2004 at 11:31am I've made a leather sling and had some tests, my best range today was 45m, but I have no idea how accurate the dart is, since I was flinging it into a wide open field. Many thanks to everyone on this thread for getting me in gear to create yet another ancient weapon. Brilliant!
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Alan Junior Member Offline Legendary (Sort of) Slinger Posts: 69 USA Gender:	Re: Cestrosphendon Reply #36 - May 5^th, 2004 at 1:41am Cestrosphendons look cool! I want to make one, wonder how accurate they are...
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Mithras

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Slinging beach pebbles
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Re: Cestrosphendon
Reply #37 - Jun 2^nd, 2004 at 2:09pm

Important announcement!! I have just gotten off my arse and attached my kestrosphendone sling to a short (1m) bamboo cane. I've made a staff kestros... A few gentle casts in my 20m garden (akin to fly fishing with a well sprung rod!!) and boy it flies!

I'm off to the field tommorrow (forget about the rain that's forecast) and I'm looking to smash my 45m hand sling attempts. I'll keep you posted.

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They shrink for fear, abated of their rage,&&Nor longer dare in a blind fight engage;&&Contented now to gall them from below&&With darts and slings, and with the distant bow.&&&&Aeneid 9.503&&

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Hondero Senior Member Offline Posts: 463 Madrid-SPAIN Gender:	Re: Cestrosphendon Reply #38 - Jun 2^nd, 2004 at 2:42pm Interesting the staff kestrosphendon!! I´m sure it´ll work though Greeks diden´t use it. In the articles section Paul Elliot says he is trying the kestros and is going to made a staff-kestros too. Luck!!
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VortigernStudies

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Plumbatae - no use hiding

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Re: Cestrosphendon
Reply #39 - Jun 4^th, 2004 at 6:51pm

Hi everyone!
Just joined the forum, and all because of the Cestrosphendon. My game is Late Roman re-eanactments, and this Cestrosphendon dart is looking awfully like a plumbata.

Plumbatae were Late Roman throwing darts, weighted by a ball of lead, but still very similar to the Cestrosphendon, but hand-thrown. The range is usually between 25 and 40 metres. They are thrown underarm and land in a high arc and with high penetrating power.

Now, the interesting thing is that the range is said by Vegetius to have been much longer, which makes me think of the Cestrosphendon again. the 7th-c. Byzantine military manual called the Strategikon also mentions plumbatae, but always straight after the slingers.

And lo and behold, there once was a folk sport called 'arrow-throwing' in Yorkshire, England (West Riding to be precise), where they used slings to throw darts. These darts were wooden rods, the technique was overarm and the record distance was 372 yards.

I will definately try and use the Cestrosphendon with my plumbatae!

Cheers,
Robert
Vortigern Studies

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Johnny Funditor Offline Posts: 620 Goodlettsville,TN Gender:	Re: Cestrosphendon Reply #40 - Jun 4^th, 2004 at 9:15pm Robert Glad you're here with us! I've read several of your threads on RAT. You also have a great website! The arrow throwing sport was very interesting. Where can I read more about this? How much were the slingers used in 7th century Byzantium? Thanks for your efforts! Johnny
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Yurek

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Re: Cestrosphendon
Reply #41 - Jun 5^th, 2004 at 7:30am

I have no experiences with cestrosphendons, but would like to put in some idea, which I have just got. That one is very simple and would work quite well after some tuning. I think a position of the center gravity of the arrow and lenght of the cords are important here.

Here is the picture. This is a quite simple design.

I have no arrows to test it. Maybe it is worth of testing. If someone of you try it and give an opinion, I will be gratefull.

Jurek

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« Last Edit: May 7^th, 2005 at 6:16pm by Yurek »

In the shape, structure and position of each stone, there is recorded a small piece of history. So, slinging them, we add a bit of our history to them.

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Mithras

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Re: Cestrosphendon
Reply #42 - Jun 5^th, 2004 at 10:37am

Jurek, that is an interesting design. I've been wracking my brains trying to think of a 'simple' sling solution, but failed. Not sure about the arrow-head/sling connection. The shape of the arrowhead will make or break the design. Too rounded and the centrifugal pressure on the sling attachment there will slide it over the head. Too sharply tanged and the cord will tangle in the arrow head as it feeds over the shaft upon release.

I'll try a string mock up in my garden later.

BTW: bamboo staff sling - does not work! I got the same range (45m) as with the hand sling. I think its due to the springiness of the staff, it soaked up all the power and didn't transfer any to the dart.

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They shrink for fear, abated of their rage,&&Nor longer dare in a blind fight engage;&&Contented now to gall them from below&&With darts and slings, and with the distant bow.&&&&Aeneid 9.503&&

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Mithras

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Slinging beach pebbles
off the Yorkshire coast

Posts: 94
East Yorkshire, England
Gender: male

Re: Cestrosphendon
Reply #43 - Jun 5^th, 2004 at 11:27am

Ha, just tried Jureks sling design, it seems to work fine! The method of seating the arrow is far more reliable that Hondero's pouch system (sorry Hondero! but I had some great casts with that design!).

I'm simply using a string sling, I can get away with that since my dart is only 50g in weight. I may try to add some weight with a new dart at some point in the future.

Another new toy to play with!

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They shrink for fear, abated of their rage,&&Nor longer dare in a blind fight engage;&&Contented now to gall them from below&&With darts and slings, and with the distant bow.&&&&Aeneid 9.503&&

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Yurek Funditor Past Moderator Offline The best thing, is a good sling. Posts: 942 Poland Gender:	Re: Cestrosphendon Reply #44 - Jun 5^th, 2004 at 4:45pm Mithras, Thanks for testings. I'm glad it working for you. I'm curious of feeling during throwing arrows. I must try it bodily. I'm going to make a simple arrow (or something like Robert's plumbata) and will see. You have stimulated me. Jurek
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