Amentum and Javelin throwing update

feeds@yuku.com (fiddler49) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 01:49:26 GMT

More javelin chucking and I've refined the strap a bit by making the loop smaller. This keeps your hand from getting too far forward. So the loop is 3 inches to the knot and the over all length is about 15 inches.
I just go around the javelin two and a half times with the tails and tie a square knot. Keeps the strap from
sliding back while skidding on the ground. To throw, place just the tips of two fingers into the loop with the
javelin resting in the open palm and thumb...

Doing bindings archery style

feeds@yuku.com (David Morningstar) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 13:48:59 GMT

I have been reading the Traditional Bowyers Bible Vols 1 to 4 recently and it seem those crafty stave-shavers have been holding out on us.

There is a great method of finishing a binding that they use for serving bowstrings. The two best descriptions I have found with a quick web search are here:

http://www.soton.ac.uk/~archclub/makestuff.php

Woomera article by Whitakker

feeds@yuku.com (the warrior yeti) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 17:08:01 GMT

I wasn't sure if you guys had seen this yet. Its a short, neat article by John Whittaker on Australian atlatls.

Australian Spearthrowers

-Devin

Antler atlatl hook holes,more Jan. 5, 7.

feeds@yuku.com (megalithics) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:41:32 GMT

Here's some of the hook holes.

North Florida Gator Knap '10

feeds@yuku.com (kchango) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 05:16:02 GMT

If you can make it, head out to White Springs Florida at the end of this month for the 3rd annual Gator Knap-In. We fear it may be an off year and we need your support to keep this event and help it grow. Thanks. -Micah

One day gathering in western Massachusetts....

feeds@yuku.com (jkonkapot) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 20:11:21 GMT

Howdy y'all, or as some folks out here use to say out here Kwe nidobak (Hello friends),

My name is John Santos,

I live in Northampton,MA and am a friend of Dane Donato, fine atlatl maker, and fellow board member...I am helping him put together a one day historical time line to be held on April 17th 2010..It's set to be at the Franklin County Sportsman Club in Deerfield,MA (some have you have been there)..The club is located on about a hundred acres of very good...

Back yard moose hunt

feeds@yuku.com (fiddler49) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 16:50:19 GMT

I live in a old cabin [1948 ] right in the middle of Anchorage and when the snow gets deep the city moose
move into the back yard where there is lots of willow and aspen to eat. They also like to munch my raspberries
in the front yard so I usually take a ball tipped dart and give them a whack to move them along. It's very effective but sometimes they will turn and give chase. So when I whacked the...

alabaster bannerstone, and drilling with arundo

feeds@yuku.com (Huey Tlatoani) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 10:56:33 GMT

The other day I made this alabaster flattened prism bannerstone. As an experiment I tried drilling with arundo donax stem, instead of rivercane. It worked well enough, but the arundo was so squeaky it made you shudder, like fingernails on a blackboard. Anyway, after less than .5cm through, I switched over to the (still noisy but not a sharp) rivercane, and finished the piece.

...about them banners,...more Jan1, 2nd, 5th, 7th

feeds@yuku.com (megalithics) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 12:12:44 GMT

Here's some of the bannerstone pics.

The Javelin Strap/ Amentum

feeds@yuku.com (fiddler49) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 20:10:58 GMT

After trying a bunch of methods and materials for the javelin strap, this is what seems to work the best.
I tried soft leather, hard leather, para cord and 5/16" cotton clothes line along with ring hitches, clove hitches,
midshipmans hitches and the good ole square knot. My spruce javelin is 70 inches long and weighs about 2 lbs.
I put some marks on the shaft one inch apart from 34" to 36" The balance point is about 1/3 of the way from
the front end. The...

Heat Straightening Phragmites help

feeds@yuku.com (wildlifewarrior) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:40:22 GMT

Hey guys I went out today and collected like 20 big phragmites stalks. I have never straightened anything before. I have tried on about half of the shafts I have and they have been no good. I get them nice and hot (not enough to char it) then when I begin to bend the shaft it either doesn't bend or it creases and is weakened. Any ideas or anything?

Thanks

mike

Atlatls and slings in South America

feeds@yuku.com (David Morningstar) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 06:23:13 GMT

http://www.slinging.org/wiki/index.php?title=Historia_de_la_Honda_15

This is primarily about slinging in Conquistador era South America, but there are many contemporary quotes and illustrations that include the atlatl as well.

Pine pitch help please(I know it has come up alot)

feeds@yuku.com (wildlifewarrior) — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 19:53:12 GMT

Hey guys,

I was making some pine pitch tonight and the mixture came out very umm chunky i guess, almost grainy and very hard but almost brittle not very hot melt glueish. Most of the pine pitch I collected was very dark brown/black on the outside. Was this a bad choice? should I stick to the inner more yellow stuff? When I was heating it, it was boiling, I added a fair amount of charcoal not a ton but a good amount. Can you guys help me?

Thanks guys,

Mike

European Ice Age Kit.

feeds@yuku.com (Spear Chucker) — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 12:43:20 GMT

Its Christmas Day and I'm thinking about atlatls........ Not strictly all my fault. I called in on a friend yesterday evening and she has been booked to do a workshop/demo at the British Museum next month focussed on ice age antler carving and I've promised to make a thrower and dart for her to take along.

My main query is about the spurs like the ibex & bird and mammoth types. Are these all reindeer antler? and do we know which part of the antler was used ie, which...

Camera on Dart - Video

feeds@yuku.com (PaleoAleo) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:48:48 GMT

I found this Youtube video that's pretty cool. At the end of the film of the guy throwing darts, is a shot with a small camera on the dart. It's not very clear, but you'll like it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGiuKyHkwmw Cool idea. T

PEACE ON EARTH, GOODWILL TOWARDS MEN.

feeds@yuku.com (paleoarts) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:36:39 GMT

just want to wish all my atlatl bretheren a safe and happy holiday. cheers!

Chris Henry/Paleoarts

p.s. can't wait to meet a lot of you for the first time at Valley of Fire!

Help with dart rest

feeds@yuku.com (the warrior yeti) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:09:28 GMT

I made an Alaskan type thrower and I'm extremely happy with the grip. The only problem is its somewhat difficult to hold the dart and this is one thing beginners always have trouble with. I made it for a guy and I want him to be able to use it. I have no experience making dart rests so I thought I'd ask the pros for help. I drilled a small hole part way through the handle and tried a "Y" shaped stick there, but I think even glued it would come out rather easily. Also it...

T-shirt

feeds@yuku.com (paleoarts) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 07:56:10 GMT

i'm launching my website soon and was trying to come up with a good T-shirt design to promote it. this is what i have so far. what do you guys think?

Indian Knoll link

feeds@yuku.com (megalithics) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 07:36:56 GMT

I found this link to a book, written about the Indian knoll site, and thought I'd share. Larry
...

Some antler hook close-ups. More Jan8

feeds@yuku.com (megalithics) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 10:14:05 GMT

Here's some more hooks. The first two are bent. According to an earlier post on PP, antlers can be shaped after being soaked it water. Is that what happened here?

and here?

Here's one with a long hook and small spur.

World Atlatl Association General Discussion Forum