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Author Topic: Atlatl build  (Read 17326 times)

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GlassKnapper

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Atlatl build
« on: October 08, 2008, 06:53:46 pm »
Here are some pics of an atlatl that my friend Josh built at the NC KnappIn and Primitive Skills Rendevous this past weekend. This was his first one.




« Last Edit: October 08, 2008, 06:57:21 pm by GlassKnapper »
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Offline JackCrafty

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Re: Atlatl build
« Reply #1 on: October 08, 2008, 06:59:10 pm »
awesome ;D
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GlassKnapper

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Re: Atlatl build
« Reply #2 on: October 08, 2008, 07:02:18 pm »
He made it froma piece of iron wood that I brought for people to try and use. I worked on one made of maple and will finish this weekend while camping. The snake skin is a banded water snake, and i wish i had a close up of the spur because it looks real good 8)
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Offline ahawi stick

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Re: Atlatl build
« Reply #3 on: October 08, 2008, 10:38:51 pm »
Thanks for sharing the pics glassnapper, I was curious how Josh was progressing with his "finish work", he's done a great job, kudos to him! 8)
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" The Right To Keep And Bear Arms"..Bows, Arrows, Spears, Celts...  Kevin , North Carolina

Offline madcrow

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Re: Atlatl build
« Reply #4 on: October 09, 2008, 05:56:26 am »
Looks like the ironwood thins down nice and the skin looks really good on it.  He did a great job on it.  Glad to see that bag of tools I brought got to see some use.  Montana is making one from a piece of hickory limb that was in the shop. 
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Battle w/ Atlatl

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Re: Atlatl build
« Reply #5 on: October 09, 2008, 10:36:24 am »
WOOOHOOO!!!  look at that badass atlatl  :)
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Offline madcrow

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Re: Atlatl build
« Reply #6 on: October 09, 2008, 10:38:37 am »
Hey Josh.  Loks like you are a little excited about it.
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Battle w/ Atlatl

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Re: Atlatl build
« Reply #7 on: October 09, 2008, 01:12:06 pm »
Well it is still incomplete, i am working on the initial carvings I will put to use on the upper/back of the atlatl.  I also have some ideas of the next one i want to build, maybe a carved totem pole theme?  i dunno.  either way its gonna be way cool.
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Offline wally

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Re: Atlatl build
« Reply #8 on: October 10, 2008, 01:26:53 pm »
Hi
 just caught this message on atlatl's. The atl atl shown is really looking good. I've made a few out of yew and other wood in various designs, cobra, bird's head, but the most successful to use is a copy of an Australian aboriginal one, who must be among the last peoples to actually use them. They call them Woomeras, and when Britain first started their space exploration programme they called their launch pad, built in Australia, Woomera. Good name eh?
I've heard that Atlatl is Aztec for 'on water' because they primarily used them to shoot the dart swiftly through the water, from boats, into fish.
I wonder why the Atlatl name has stuck and not woomera, or spear chucker, as other peoples used them as well?
I'll post pics soon
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Offline longfletch

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Re: Atlatl build
« Reply #9 on: October 10, 2008, 06:53:29 pm »
be sure to get some pics when you get it carved

bryan
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Offline madcrow

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Re: Atlatl build
« Reply #10 on: October 10, 2008, 08:26:10 pm »
Wally, be morew specific on the woormera.  I went to the NPAA websit and they have 17 different styles for it. 
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Offline longfletch

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Re: Atlatl build
« Reply #11 on: October 11, 2008, 06:45:46 pm »
madcrow, the woomera is basically the same thing as the atlatl, it was the Aussi abo swiss army knife, they mostly had a long dished out leaf shape to them, they were spear throwers/club/eating bowl/fire board. you could spear a lizard, run over knock em in the head with it, start a fire and serve it up on your woomera ;D  they vary quit a bit, each abos had their own preferace, but most were siimilar.

bryan
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Offline wally

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Re: Atlatl build
« Reply #12 on: October 11, 2008, 07:14:33 pm »
As longfletch said there were different styles for different tribes. I'm out shooting this weekend but will post pictures of 2 types I have made. The aborigines lived in some very harsh climates and the dished out long bowl type was used in Western Australia, where I lived and worked in the goldmines for 12 years. All woomeras as Longfletch said were a versatile weapon. True nomads like the Aborigines in Western Australia did not carry much as they walked across the arid land. The dished woomera was used in this side of Australia and could double up as a moisture carrier. When they found water the soaked vegetable matter in it and pack it in the dish. Also useful as a club and eating bowl.
They work well but I prefer the longer simple straight type copied from one from Queensland. The hook is held on with spinifex gum which they made from the spinifex, a very tough, grass like plant which grows even in the desert land.
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GlassKnapper

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Re: Atlatl build
« Reply #13 on: October 12, 2008, 03:51:21 pm »
WOW, you guys make it hard not to learn somethin new. Didnt get to finish my new chucker this weekend, amazingly i couldnt find any free time while camping?  ;)
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Offline wally

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Re: Atlatl build
« Reply #14 on: October 13, 2008, 04:03:24 pm »
Here are some photo of atlatl's I've made. I'm no artisan but, interested in primitive life, I fiddle around. The black bison head is made from a cow hoove on hawthorn (actually from half a limb of bow that broke in tiller).
    The long one on the deer hide is a copy of a woomera from Eastern Australia and I love to use that one.
My dish shaped woomera I can't find at the moment 'cos the missus decided to tidy my shed!
The others are from odd bits of yew, small old bits of which are great looking for carving.
The feather/beak one is a fun piece that was meant to be eagle beak but not many dead eagles around here (London) so I found a dead sea gull which I used. The feathers are magpie which I like the look of.

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