Atlatls, Woomeras, Propulseurs and More

 

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.

  

The atlatl that took the longest to make was the Australian Woomera. This was made from some salvaged pine taken from a Christmas tree delivery palette.

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 grey tip which represents a basic stone tool that l added a 'knapped' texture to with a crook knife

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).

Onto a French atlatl version-the propulseur. This type was usually made with an animal or bird  adornment which often had the point formed from a beak, tail etc or as a standalone point. 

I added some colouring to the shaft with some easy to make DIY onion dye giving a lovely yellowy/ orange hue. The point is bone held in with pine pitch tar.

 

I painted my boar with some of the afore mentioned model paint after dying the shaft and then bound the handle with some veg-tanned Chamois leather.

This launcher us one I've had in mind for ages. I found a massive crab claw some time ago and had a lightbulb moment to save it and use it for an atlatl point. Latterly l found a thin Ash sapling with a large branch growing parallel to it which l thought was perfect.

 

I did however procrastinate so that when l got myself together to start this project l had left the wood outside and misplaced the crab claw. I therefore gave a newer but smaller claw replacement and garnished the wood to give it a bit of strength. The handle is wrapped with around 6 feet of 2 ply corn husk cordage.

 

To add a modern twist l did a black 'tactical one. This again is made from reclaimed pine, has a headless screw for a point (held in with two part glue), a hi-vis nylon cordage grip and a resting poibt for a projectile, something I've not found in more traditional designs.This model is again, pine and has a very modern 'tactical' look about it. 

 

And finally there is a strung design that launches a projectile in the same way as an arrow via a nock. (it's the white fletched one on the far righ in the picture bellow). This is a Willow fork which has had the bark left on the handle and natural cordage string used in the v shape and a decent length wrapped around the top of the handle for spare.

Suggested Further Reading:-

Will Lord Atlatl 1-2-1 https://austinlill.blogspot.com/2016/09/will-lord-1-2-1-day.html

Homemade Atlatl/ Dutch Arrow https://austinlill.blogspot.com/2016/10/homemade-atlatl-dutch-arrows.html

Atlatl Quiver https://austinlill.blogspot.com/2018/01/atl-atl-quiver-v-20.html