Friday, May 14, 2010

AN OLD INTEREST


I recently had a visit from my nephew. During our conversation I mentioned using a sling when I was a kid. He had never used one and I had to tell him the story of David and Goliath to jog his memory. I had a sling that I had made and we started throwing rocks with it. He took it home and I made another and then after finding some websites about slings I made several more. I always had slings when I was a kid and I never left the house without one in my pocket. I got my first one when I was about 9 years old. My grandmother knitted, braided, and knotted one from wool yarn while she told me the story of King David. I used a sling constantly from then until I graduated from high school. I usually made them from grass rope and old boot leather much like the second one pictured above. You can make them from almost anything.The first and last ones pictured are braided hemp. The second is cotton line and boot leather. The third is 5 strand paracord and the fourth  is braided wool yarn. I have made them from boot laces, bailing twine, fishing line and just about anything you can think of. They all are effective and are a light weight but heavy duty weapon you can carry in your pocket and can construct quickly without a lot of special materials. Shoes strings and a piece of your shirt tail will do.The sling was a standard part of ancient armies and was around until replaced by the bow and arrow. Imagine the sky full of clay or lead bullets raining down on you. Fire could also be flung with a sling. Pretty impressive weapon. Making them is addictive. I like to braid so I had a hard time quiting after I had a drawer full.