We have so many people on this website that have skills, knowledge and talent, that it would be a waste if we don't put something together!

Hey Johnny,

No, I didn't go to Pamplona to run with the bulls (I had to work), but I think they will do it again everyday of this week. So you're still in time to come to Spain and run with the bulls. Would you?
Let's see if Hondero has gone.

Foner

Yes, I imagine you can't come this week. What I meant is if you would dare to run with the bulls.

Foner

Quote:



No, I have not gone to Pamplona either. I have much precaution with the bulls , as is necessary to be familiarized with them to run ahead. Perhaps with a sling I´d dear to face them...

Johnny and enthusiastic collaborators, it´s a pleasure to see you encouraged to undertake so hard and extensive task, although exciting. I had thought about something shorter, just an illustrated historical summary of the sling, similar in extension to publications of Osprey, but with an extensive illustrated content on the basis of your drawings. We live in a time where the image is essential and has as much importance as the text, at least at the time of selling the book.

But if you guys are encouraged to begin a great Encyclopedia of the sling, I already started this way some years ago and maybe we can  continue the work from what I have done: they are 250 pages of text and pictures in DINA4 format that include history(mainly), physics, learning and training, construction, etc. They can be extended and enriched with yours good illustrations, Johnny, more historical references from countries in which I have not deepened too much, like some of Europe, America and Asia, and with studies in depth of dynamics (Yurek would be a good collaborator and perhaps others also), and techniques of construction and braiding (I´m thinking in Ben, who is missing, and others).  The Encyclopedia would be a great book, of 500 pages or more, plenty of illustrations and photographies. Another thing would be the high cost of edition and its commercial succes (there are not too many fans of the sling in the world).
In fact I´m having many difficulties to publish my sling books in Spain and finally I will do it to my expenses, possibly in an cheap edition and with images in black and white. But although one does not expect to earn one euro (or dollar), the satisfaction of well done work and the diffusion of the knowledge of the sling compensates the effort.

Your index is good, enough similar to the one of my books. I am going to translate my index to English and to post it.

You guys (we guys?) need a WIKI. I bet Chris needs a wiki like he needs a sling stone to the kneecap... but it would really be the way to go for trans-oceanic collaborative work like this. Johnny's outline post would then instantly become the working document, and collaborators could edit or make additions as thing progress (for instance, the sling braiders/reconstructors among us would like to see more emphasis placed on the "making sections ) There is so much info already contained in the forums that the inital population would go pretty quickly.

I don't think there are any drop-in wikis for YABB, but they should co-exist reasonably.

Matthias

Mithras
I think your index is great!
I forgot about the staff sling! Good thinking!
What about this being an Osprey Warrior Series book? They seem to be open for new subjects. I've done some illustrations for Osprey and they seem to be a nice, good group to work with.
Thanks
Johnny

I don't see why we can't get several book ideas in the works. I think something for Osprey and something different. Are you familiar with the "Bowyers Bible" series? A large group of archers/bowyers got together and wrote different chapters on how to build bows, arrows, strings, etc.... I would like to see a book like that about slinging. Something where folks on this website could contribute.
Any thoughts?
Johnny