Just like my Dutch (Swiss) arrow video, this subject is an itch I've been wanting to scratch for some time. I did make an atlatl set with Will Lord in 2016 which l blogged about here but l decided that if l was doing a video/ blog that l'd cover it properly and feature styles from around the world.
So the video covers the various styles being used 'in action and this blog covers the making of the atlatls.
The name is actually what the Aztecs called the device and It's almost become a catch-all name for all styles which l will use a general term hereonin.
The first one l made was a 'stone age' atlatl. I found a slightly curved piece of wood that had actually started to split centrally along It's length so l decided to utilise it.
Once fully split the wood revealed a little spalting which was a nice bonus. Once the shaft was sanded I added some Auroch and Fallow deer pyrographic cave art as an embellishment which I based on real cave I'd seen.
I decided to use some pyrotised (fossiled) wood for the point, it actually sands quite easily and of course It's a little artistic embellishment as this wouldn't have been formed when these were used!
I bound and sealed the point with Lime bast cordage and pine pitch tar and left the handle unwrapped to show the spalting.
The other piece of spalted wood became an American 'basket maker' style atlatl. This style features a finger loop style grip and what is called a banner stone. There are several theories as to what role the stones perform; a counter balance for a weighty projectile, to add measuring a launch, to help silence the movement and a charm being the popular ones.
The material l've used is soapstone which is essentially talc in stone form so is quickly and easily shaped. I cut a small depression for it, glued it with a little pine pitch tar and added some artificial sinew at either end.
The finger grips were leather thongs wrapped around metal rings and bound to the main body.
I cut the basic shape out and sanded it first. I then painted the main body to sort of look like a genuine ochre covered one by mixing a paint test pot and some modeling paint together. Then the black bits were added (to represent the gum used).
The point is filed bone, the handle wrap is veg-tanned salmon skin leather and both tip and handle are finished off with artificial sinew (which would have been Kangaroo tendon).
