Making An Atlatl Part II

[MAKAROVOWNER]

Hi Paleoaleo. Never heard of the atlatl befor yesterday reading the traditional bowyers bible. Do hardwoods make good darts? or are they to heavy? Will hardwoods be to ridgid? There is no cane or bamboo here in oregon nature that I know of. Portorford cedar perhaps? Shareing as you are your skill and experiance is awesome. I agree with udokaschper here your aim is awesome and quite the demonstration of this simple but remarkable weapon. Thank you.

[udokaschper]

This is totally cool. Your aiming skills are remarkable.

greetings from germany

[pitviper1976]

I am a member of Paleoplanet I lovethat site/forum youcan learn anything and everything primitive!!! I am just getting started on the Atlatl and once u start its like all the res I do ie. bow making and flint knapping... u get addicted! Take care and thanx for the video!  Russ

[1HarRan1]

id buy dat for around 50 bucks or more

[jacksoncole79]

would you sell me a atlatl? if not do you know of any where i can get one cheap? please help. thanks!

[darkcolmar]

go to primitivewaysdotcom, they have several ways of making an effective atlalt. the simplest is the branch altatl.

[Paleoaleo]

I don't sell any of this stuff. Atlatls are so easy to make! It's the darts that are more difficult but there is lots of info out there on how to make them yourself. It's easy!

[jmsmerdon]

Very nice chisels where could I pick up a set of them.

[Paleoaleo]

I bought mine used at a flea-market for $20.00. They are made by a U.S. company called Miller's Falls.

[billme8]

Very interesting. Those are a blast to throw but I have never made one of my own.

[clemofish]

whats the stone for?? and where does it have what effect?

[Paleoaleo]

The stone is just adding weight/mass to the stick. I like the throwing stick (the atlatl) to weigh about the same as my darts/spears. Prehistoric atlatls from the American Southwest often had stones lashed on. No one knows exactly why, but many people like to argue about it!

[xxsoulcaliburxx1]

good job i used to make these when i was a kid.I used a string with a knot tho and for fleching stole my dads playing cards we called them dutch arrows.

[vukic88]

what is the clamp thing you are using called?

[Paleoaleo]

It's called a shaving horse.

[lebaronr]

hey tom, is that one of your home made knives your using there?

[Paleoaleo]

Nope, that one was made by my friend Tom Mahr. He's a great wood worker. He carved a little bear head on the end of the handle. Don't know if you can see it in the video. Sorry for my late reply! 8 months late...jeez!

[kylegomations]

wait, so the carving for the spur ends like a v, right? or does it end in a point?

[Paleoaleo]

It's sort of like the prow of a row-boat. It's a V shape, but you dig out and undermine the front of the V so the nock of the dart can slide under a slight bit.

[snocamo154]

I take it the notch in the board fits into the notch of the arrow to hold it in place before throwing and to make a smoother throw. Perhaps the stone acts as a stabiler similar to the ones used on compound bows. I know my arrows use to fly differently with the stablizer removed (further but wobblier).

[badsimia]

the stone makes it so the atlatl itself flexes when you throw

[Paleoaleo]

Yes, the notch fits into the back of the dart. The dart has a cup-shapped "notch." I put stones on thin, lightweight atlatls just to bring the mass of the atlatl up to roughly that of the dart.

[GreenLarsen]

nice serie sir, what is the reason to put a stone weight on?? thanks

[Fyremael]

Hey, Tom! Nice job! I've got to get back to palaeoplanet more often, it's been forever and day, it seems, since I was there last. Hope everything's still going well on the boards. See ya round the campfire!

Terrorstrike

[silkgamer555]

i'm maked an atlatl, and its fly very nice. i lerned the skills by paleo videos

[brutallindigo]

Do you actually sell your stuff if so where? thanks

[mikha007]

whats with the weight?the aborigines' woomera which they use as an atlatl doesnt have weights and theyre good at casting their spears/darts.

[Fyremael]

Some atlatls, unlike the woomeras of the aboriginal people, are flexible shafts, instead of the more rigid board type favoured by the abovementioned people. With a flexible atlatl, it is believed the weight added to it regulates its flexibility to enable it to flex a the ideal time in time with the dart.

[menzup123]

Very good video, I like such hand works. I'm gonna to make an atlatl too.

[SailorBarsoom]

See comment pt. I.