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My Balearic sling just arrived (Read 4485 times)
Thearos
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My Balearic sling just arrived
Apr 22nd, 2009 at 8:17am
 
A friend just brought me a Balearic sling. She bought it in Ibiza, at some sort of fair, from a 60 year old woman (who called it with the Catalan word, bassetja). Length: tip of my middle finger to middle of my sternum. esparto grass. Very stiff, like basket handles (should I soak it ?). Not quite centred for my usual grip-- I have to stuff three fingers in the loop and hold btw index an thumb. Have not tried it yet-- narrow slit pouch will require, I think, full engagement with nice stone, rather than the pebbles I sometimes throw with my twine and denim job !


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David Morningstar
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Re: My Balearic sling just arrived
Reply #1 - Apr 22nd, 2009 at 8:44am
 
It might be made for an inside grip like this:

...
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Re: My Balearic sling just arrived
Reply #2 - Apr 22nd, 2009 at 9:01am
 
Don't soak it that could be a huge mistake. Just use it and I'm sure it will break in. Some of my slings are pretty stiff after I make them but after a couple of throws they soften up a little.
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Thearos
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Re: My Balearic sling just arrived
Reply #3 - Apr 22nd, 2009 at 9:36am
 
Thanks. I took it out for a few spins, until I started attracting attention in the park...

Not bad, actually, though I had to figure out the  right grip (middle finger, looped around hand seems to work). V. narrow pouch. It works well if you don't hesitate and, so to speak, throw yourself into the throw. Hesitation will lead to escaping stones, cord tangling and catching in the stone, etc.


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Re: My Balearic sling just arrived
Reply #4 - Apr 22nd, 2009 at 2:53pm
 
I once bought such esparto sling in Andalusia. It works pretty well. For its stiffness I first thought that I would be able to sling only heavy stones, but it shoots tennis balls very well too. I never soaked it, just used it.

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Re: My Balearic sling just arrived
Reply #5 - Apr 22nd, 2009 at 3:23pm
 
If the finger loop is too wide for you, you can whip wrap it to close it up a little.  How to is shown on this page:
http://slinging.org/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1229714126/15

Would be great if you could post some pictures of your new sling.  Did you see the post about mine from Luis Livermore:
http://slinging.org/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1239216669/0#0
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Cords, pouch, stone, and time -&&Today, just as yesterday,&&Ages stand as one.
 
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Thearos
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Re: My Balearic sling just arrived
Reply #6 - Apr 22nd, 2009 at 5:29pm
 
Yes, great post about your Livermore special, with the leather wrapping. It's your post that inspired me to ask my friend to look out for me when she went to Ibiza !
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Re: My Balearic sling just arrived
Reply #7 - Apr 22nd, 2009 at 6:56pm
 
Is yours very similar?  Would be great to see pictures.  Thanks.
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Re: My Balearic sling just arrived
Reply #8 - Apr 22nd, 2009 at 8:46pm
 
I just received my Balearic sling from Luis.  Like yours, mine is a little stiff.  Haven't gotten a chance to do much slinging with it yet , but did sneak in a few throws.  Very light and quick.  Very much like a whip with a split pouch.  Can't wait to really see what it can do.  I asked Luis how to care for it and he said don't worry too much about it. If it get's wet, wait till it dries to use it, and hang it by the pouch to keep it's shape.  Mine is mostly hemp fiber with a pita finish.
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Thearos
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Re: My Balearic sling just arrived
Reply #9 - Apr 23rd, 2009 at 4:53pm
 
Will post photos soon. The proportions btw cords not quite right for my hand: should I shoot with pouch slightly off centre (by 1 cm or so), or should I hook the retention cord on ring finger and pass it over pinkie and across my palm, a slightly unfamiliar position ? The 60 year old Ibizan woman who wove this learnt from her father, and I suppose the sling is made for the hand and style of an old Menorcan.
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Re: My Balearic sling just arrived
Reply #10 - Apr 27th, 2009 at 5:51pm
 
I haven't photographed my Ibizan sling. But here's a close up of the slings on Mrs Maria Torres Onay's table, as she works and sells slings and espadrilles on Ibiza-- stiff straps of esparto grass, whiplike, with a slit pouch. Long-- you need to put the loop on ring finger, over little finger, across palm, and gra knot in release cord index-thumb


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