Another sling

[Wes]

Well here is the latest, 12 strands flat braided hemp with a thin leather pocket. Roughly 7 feet overall. Throws a stone quite nicely, thicker than some of my others, but it feels good in the hand:



Sorry for the poor pic quality...

[M. Demetrius]

Hey, Wes,
Do you think that the ancient slings used both the braided strand sling pocket AND the leather pouch? I don't know for sure, so I'm asking. BTW, that sling you made me is first quality, no doubt about it.

[Wes]

I am not 100% sure either way......anbody??

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Don't know either, but that is nice work on that sling Wes...and 7 FEET long? hock:

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

There is a probably leather pouch published in the last edition of Bishop/ Coulston.

[Wes]

I am going to dig out my copy now, that may have been where I saw it....

[Hibernicus]

Great job Wes!

Here's a pic of one of the versions we've been making for years. Plus two glandes.. one of fired clay and the other of lead. The sling is about 42" / 107mm.

We recently made a batch from horse hair. Adds an interesting "oomph" to the toss .. more distance with the same effort.

[Wes]

Thanks guys!

It was in the Bishop/Coulter that I saw a leather pocket. I dont think you can see it in my picture, but I braid the strands into 3 "staps", 2 go around the outside of he pouch and one through the center. It seems to add a bit more "form" to the pocket......my weaving is not all that great.

This one is going to the San Francisco State University.

Demetrius made my clay glandes.....I have slung a few of those with great results!!

[M. Demetrius]

Here's one without the leather pouch that I made just before Linda went into the hospital. At that time, I hadn't realized that the center braid in the pocket needs to be a couple of stitches longer than the others, but it still works fine with the ceramic balls shown. They're around 1 1/4" (35mm) diameter, and weigh (unfired) about 1.5 oz. (35g). I'm having some fired at this time, and expect them to weigh just a little less. Still enough to raise a knot on a head, though, I reckon.

It's just long enough that when my right arm hangs straight down, the braided socket touches the ground. Around 50" (125cm). Longer gives more potential sling speed/range, of course, but as a beginner, I have trouble controlling the extra length on the first circle around.

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

The leather pouch:

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p239 ... 1194706022

[M. Demetrius]

Alfenus,
I saw sling bullets, arrowpoints and not sure what kind of sticks, but I didn't see a pouch. Did I just miss something?

[Tarbicus]

Number 18? The decorated diamond shape?

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Isn't the pouch the diamond shaped thing, lower right, surrounded by projectiles....?

[M. Demetrius]

Hmm. Could be. Not sure how that would work. I'm probably going to make a simple, round bottomed, leather shoulder bag. I don't think linen would hold up to the friction with stones as well as soft leather.

Here's a related question, mabye it should be on another thread. We know in general that rank and file evidently wore their gladii on the right. Would that be realistic for a right handed slinger? Seems like anything that would interfere with the cord would be a bad idea.

Do we suspect that slinger auxiliae carried gladii?