How to make a sling stick - amazing stone-throwing device allows you to throw rocks huge distances!

The sling stick is a little-known variant of the shepherd sling that was documented in the book "Cache Lake Country: Or, Life in the North Woods" by John C. Rowlands. Rowlands’ friend, Chief Tibeash of the Cree First Nations, showed him how to make this clever, but simple stone-throwing device which was used among the children to play a game.

Unlike the shepherd sling, one side of the sling stick is rigid -- something like a very large wooden spoon. The stone sits in a depression at the end of the stick. A leather strap goes over the top of the stone and then down to the hand that is also holding the sling stick handle.

The user swings the sling stick in a manner similar to throwing an axe overhand and releases the leather strap midway, allowing the stone to fly great distances.

References:

Materials:

00:00-00:22 : What is a Sling Stick?
00:23 - 00:49 : Where did we learn about the Sling Stick?
00:50 - 01:06 : How was the Sling Stick used?
01:07 - 01:27 : Anatomy of the Sling Stick
01:28 - 02:06 : Materials to make a Sling Stick
02:07 - 02:48 : Roughing out the Sling Stick
02:49 - 03:24 : Creating the depression in the end of the Sling Stick
03:25 - 04:04 : Attaching the leather strap to the Sling Stick
04:05 - 04:16 : How is the stone held in the Sling Stick?
04:17 - 04:31 : What finish to apply to a Sling Stick
04:32 - 05:06 : Holding and loading the Sting Stick
05:07 - 05:22 : How to throw with the Sling Stick
05:23 - 05:36 : Demonstration throws using the Sling Stick
05:37 - 06:00 : Conclusion

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[danthesquirrel]

I have seen this game played in parks before. It's called fetch and it really took off in popularity with the invention of dogs.

[ButterflyMatt]

In learning release timing for any kind of sling, I find it’s helpful to think of releasing the retention cord just like releasing a ball or stone thrown by hand. Which is to say you’re not really thinking about a time to release, you’re just feeling it. Don’t think about it too much.

[TheyStoleMyHandleAgain]

I remember making one of these in the fifties or sixties; I had completely forgotten about it until I saw your video.

[rickb]

It also seems convenient to already have a light club in your the is still flopping when you run up to it.

[michaelanderson]

That dimple in the fat end is easy to make by drilling it with another stick (in the method of making fire). It burnishes it while forming.

[electricAB]

Used to make sling sticks as a kid in the 70’s.. only we used lumps of local clay instead of stones.
Had some wicked battles with the other local kids and could get some wicked range..

[Nighthawkinlight]

This is great! I've seen one or two similar designs not including a sling staff, but never quite this same thing. The things you can learn by picking up a book, eh? I'm gonna have to make one.

[jeffreyharville]

My mother showed me another such throwing stick; she took a stalk of corn and cut a bowl in one end, with a cut out on one side of the stalk. Then found a rock, that would be pinched by the sides of the bowl, jammed the rock in and gave it an over-the-head throw. It was very effective in distance throws! She told me that it was a way to hunt rabbits and game with out the skill of other styles of projectiles. (Not her words!) The stalk would not last long, maybe 4 or 5 throws, before it would crack and fall apart. But it was easy to just cut off the broken end and make another bowl in the shorter piece.

[jeffreyyoung]

As a kid, I learned about using sticks to increase the mechanical advantage to throw things, but we called them throwing sticks, or "Chuckers" as we used them to chuck stuff. We could throw rocks, short spears, darts, and even dirt clods when we didn't want to cause damage when we threw dirt clods at each other!

And we looked for sticks with a single branch at the point you burnt a hollow into, in order to hook objects to, or carved a scooped area for the butt of the spear/dart.

It wasn't until I was much older that I found out they were called an "Atlatl" by the natives who still used them.

[tedblack]

Wonderful! The balearic slingers were feared warriors anciently and this little device is easier to make and to learn than their sling

[SandCrabNews]

Circa 1970, I read Cache Lake Country in high school. Loved it!

[TawnyDogger]

Really liked this Dug. Great video. Clear and informative. A really nicely designed presentation too. Very cool weapon/game.

[thorny]

Now I have to make 3. One for me and 2 for the nephews. Thank you. I’ve never heard of these before.

[unclebrownson]

Thanks for the memories: my grandfather showed me how to make one, similar for throwing skipping stones (flat disks). It was just a branch with a groove cut around the top to hold the string, and a bit of a groove to hold the edge of the stone, instead of a bowl, and a loop at the top there to slip partway over the stone disk. We used to sail those rocks way out!

[ahayseed]

Yeh. At 76, I don't throw so good anymore. This will give me back some leverage. Thanks! Love to find that book. Duh!!Just looked in your description box and found the link to the book. Thanks.🙄

[skeletalfluorosis]

my uncle has got a plastic one for the dog, to throw it balls far, from the dollar shop, it was designed to throw tennis balls specifically.
the plastic cup provides enough tension to perfectly hug a tennis ball from the sides, yet also release it forward, at the end of the throw. nifty thing..
but yeh, the strap makes sense, if you want to throw odd sized objects, big and small etc. looks like fun.

[gregkral]

Am so happy I started slinging, great help for injured shoulder, and so much fun as well, scary fun.... I affectionately call mine my 'Assault Style Bootlace'. Feels pretty awesome to be so dangerous. hehe. Thanks for the vid, And belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

[gregkral]

That looks like great fun, am gonna remember that next time looking for good branches.

[uncletoad]

Never heard about that. Gonna give it a try. Thanks!

[jamesbee]

The motion feels like fly fishing. Im going to build some for Christmas this year. 👍