The SAK Whittling Club

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Nice natural forks mate

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[Smaug]

 

What do you use for the bands? Surgical tubing, proper slingshot bands, or ??

Also, what are your targets? Just plinking around?

I'm on the lookout for natural forks now. Might have to break out the Hiker one day soon.

[Luna Knife]

What do you use for the bands? Surgical tubing, proper slingshot bands, or ??

Also, what are your targets? Just plinking around?

I'm on the lookout for natural forks now. Might have to break out the Hiker one day soon.

Natural forks shoot better with flatbands.  This stuff is called theraband gold.  You can buy it in bulk and cut it yourself into strips. i have been buying these precut on e##y from a good seller.

Targets are plinking cans or dead branches when walking in the woods.  Or at home or at the ranch, vermin(mice, barn-rats) or small game(doves, rabbit).  Ive yet to hit a dove

I made a backstop out of an old trashcan with a rubber mat on the bottom and i fill with cardborad boxes.  I lay it sideways and hang a can or something small to shoot at that makes sound.  Right now I have an imitation china sak getting slammed with rocks and marbles.  The backstop is nice because you get to find and reuse your ammo with little effort

I llike primitave things.  It is a connection to the past.  I prefer rifles that are single shot or bolt action also.

[Luna Knife]

Nice natural forks mate

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Thanks fren.  I forgot to mention that you have to use hardwood from desidious trees.  never trees with needles like pine or fur(theyre soft)

[SAK Guy]

My Uncle had a special kit to build these (pocketknife, small saw, manual drill. rubbers, string and leathers)...he and my Dad used their slingshots to feed their family in 1940's Oklahoma. I always had one growing up.  Still a few of my Uncle's forks around here.

Here's an unused one that my Uncle made my Dad...

[Smaug]

I llike primitave things.  It is a connection to the past.  I prefer rifles that are single shot or bolt action also.

There are some AMAZING marksmen with slingshots. Some guys can shoot almost as well with a slingshot as with a high-end airgun. There's one guy on YouTube who posts his hunting videos where he'll knock a squirrel out of a tree at respectable distances (40m?), then have to go finish him off.

You said you've yet to hit a dove. Stationary or on the wing?

What do you use for the pouch? Bits of old leather?

How do you attach it to the slingshots?

My Uncle had a special kit to build these (pocketknife, small saw, manual drill. rubbers, string and leathers)...he and my Dad used their slingshots to feed their family in 1940's Oklahoma. I always had one growing up.  Still a few of my Uncle's forks around here.

Wow! A couple of my great uncles helped feed the family with an old shotgun, and I thought THAT was amazing. We've gotten soft over the years.

My son's at an age now where we would LOVE to go wandering with airguns or slingshots, hunting. But he's an impulsive and irresponsible 11 year-old and we live in an urban area. I have to forbid video games and TV to get him outdoors sometimes.

[Luna Knife]

My Uncle had a special kit to build these (pocketknife, small saw, manual drill. rubbers, string and leathers)...he and my Dad used their slingshots to feed their family in 1940's Oklahoma. I always had one growing up.  Still a few of my Uncle's forks around here.

Here's an unused one that my Uncle made my Dad...

SAK Guy, you need to finish that catapault and make some stew for the kids.  When they ask whats in it, just say "meat and veggies."

Smaug-  Shooting a live animal is really different from shooting a can on a string.  Doves never wait around for a second shot.  I wish I could shoot a flying dove out of the sky. 

The guy i buy theraband gold bands from pre ties the leather bits

[Smaug]

Finished my first slingshot today.

I cut the fork a few weeks ago, and ordered the bands from a Hong Kong seller, which arrived last week.

Today, I cut the notches in the fork "tines" and attached the band. First, I tried tying the backs of them on with string. But the band came off about every shot that way. (The first pix show this setup)

Then, I decided to just drill holes through the tines, run the bands through, and wedge them in place with two whittled sections of branch. That seemed to work great, but I need to do some performance testing yet.

I did the whole project just with the Soldier. The whittling parts weren't easy, thanks to the serrations and the chisel grind...

[Smaug]

The other day, my lad used his Swisschamp to cut a fallen tree into a slingshot shape:




We haven't finished it yet, but the end is in sight!

We figure we'll take our slingshots and a pocketful of stones into the woods and harass the squirrels. Don't worry, they'll be perfectly safe.

[Luna Knife]

its nice to see youngsters doing things i did when i was young.  Good Luck hunting

[this_is_nascar]

Finished my first slingshot today.

I cut the fork a few weeks ago, and ordered the bands from a Hong Kong seller, which arrived last week.

Today, I cut the notches in the fork "tines" and attached the band. First, I tried tying the backs of them on with string. But the band came off about every shot that way. (The first pix show this setup)

Then, I decided to just drill holes through the tines, run the bands through, and wedge them in place with two whittled sections of branch. That seemed to work great, but I need to do some performance testing yet.

I did the whole project just with the Soldier. The whittling parts weren't easy, thanks to the serrations and the chisel grind...

Thank God you're not in NJ.  Possession of this is a felony offence, if caught.  Nice job.  Great to see the kids getting involved.  A great bonding experience.


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[twiliter]

...Thank God you're not in NJ.  Possession of this is a felony offence, if caught...

A slingshot? Do they use them for grenade launchers up there or what? 

[this_is_nascar]

...Thank God you're not in NJ.  Possession of this is a felony offence, if caught...

A slingshot? Do they use them for grenade launchers up there or what? 

It's sad, but true.


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[eamo]

Great thread, one of my young lads was asking me about whittling/carving using his hiker and i was going to start a thread asking whats a recommended book or two. I think this thread deserves a bump instead

[Luna Knife]

Smuag.  How does that shoot with tubular bands?

[eamo]

ok, ordered a copy of the little book of whittling for my lads (and me ) - best deal i could find online was €12.97 inc shipping, which is pretty ok i think.

[Steinar]

ok, ordered a copy of the little book of whittling for my lads (and me ) - best deal i could find online was €12.97 inc shipping, which is pretty ok i think.

We want pictures of your projects when you start up.   

[eamo]

ok, ordered a copy of the little book of whittling for my lads (and me ) - best deal i could find online was €12.97 inc shipping, which is pretty ok i think.

We want pictures of your projects when you start up.   

yeah i ordered the book more for my lads then myself but i'll give it a try though.

[gene stoner]

The other day, my lad used his Swisschamp to cut a fallen tree into a slingshot shape:




We haven't finished it yet, but the end is in sight!

We figure we'll take our slingshots and a pocketful of stones into the woods and harass the squirrels. Don't worry, they'll be perfectly safe.

Good job Dad. I like the idea of doing slingshots so me and the older grandchildren may have to try this one.

[captain spaulding]

...Thank God you're not in NJ.  Possession of this is a felony offence, if caught...

A slingshot? Do they use them for grenade launchers up there or what? 

It's sad, but true.


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Very ridiculous. Every boy/girl should grow up shooting a sling shot (if they are interested). It taught me basic right vs wrong decision making as well as consequences of shooting animals with anything. Lessons children should learn young in my opinion. Not just pertaining to animals, but shooting things that will break and cause monetary damage. 

Catching a felony for a slingshot is just about the dumbest thing I have heard in a while. 

[Smaug]

Smuag.  How does that shoot with tubular bands?

Pretty well, I think. The reason I say 'I think' is that I've not shot any truly round ammo out of it yet, just roundish stones at posts sticking out of the water, seagulls, etc. Haven't hit a seagull yet, as it would have to be on the first shot, and they don't stick around after the first miss.

[Smaug]

Catching a felony for a slingshot is just about the dumbest thing I have heard in a while. 

I think they do it because it is easy and cheap to cause hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of damage with a slingshot, and almost impossible to catch someone at it, so they make the penalty steep.

But I agree, it's dumb. I'd bet that if an officer caught you with one NOT doing something bad, he'd let you off on a lesser offense.

Here's a slingshot story from my youth. We were maybe 11 or 12:

A friend and I had slingshots and were shooting rocks at the wooden fence of the local pool. (it was closed) Nothing more.

A cop came by and picked us up for shooting out one of the pool lights, which happened to be broken.

The thing we didn't think to mention at the time was that the light was half full of water from rain the night before, and it hadn't rained the day we were there. So we got in a lot of trouble over nothing. 

[Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!]

I got the ideal to carve something using a Spirit...

I used the blade, awl and wood saw...along with a spoon knife. It was somewhat of an ordeal because the factory bevel is less than ideal for carving and I did not want to change it. It did stay sharp during the process with just stropping. The Spirit was surprisingly comfortable...not hot spots, a bit clumsy though being so handle heavy.

The model for the spoon was an antique Baskin-Robbins ice cream spoon I found in the back of a kitchen drawer.

[Gareth]

I'd happily eat some ice cream with that mate.

[Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!]

I'd happily eat some ice cream with that mate.

 

[Poncho65]

I'd happily eat some ice cream with that mate.

 

+1 That is a very nice looking spoon Spork

[Spork, Lord of Lime Jello!]

I'd happily eat some ice cream with that mate.

 

+1 That is a very nice looking spoon Spork

Thanks. I forgot to mention that I left the back of the spoon "as carved" and only sanded the front...first time I've tried it that way and I like the results.

[Barry Rowland]

We just got the little book too....can hardly wait to start! 

[caninesapien]

Fantastic thread! I'm eager to start whittling this year, and I have a few projects in mind already.

Have a couple questions for more experienced whittlers though -

1) Any recommendations for a good starter hook/spoon knife? I've seen a few around but keen to hear recommendations if any. Or is there another way for carving spoons using use a SAK (I have a Climber and a Hiker)

2) Anyone aware of the legality of sawing off a small branch or twig from a tree in a woodland or even from a tree on the side of the street (in the UK)? There are a few different woods I want to try out and I think I've spotted a few on local streets. Obviously I don't want to break the law or damage anything in a woodland reserve, but does anyone have any tips with this? Should you stick to fallen branches and dead wood?

Thanks!

[shibafu]

2) Anyone aware of the legality of sawing off a small branch or twig from a tree in a woodland or even from a tree on the side of the street (in the UK)? There are a few different woods I want to try out and I think I've spotted a few on local streets. Obviously I don't want to break the law or damage anything in a woodland reserve, but does anyone have any tips with this? Should you stick to fallen branches and dead wood?

Thanks!

In the UK even fallen wood is the property of the land owner and to take it is theft.  In the countryside that will usually be either private land owners or the Forestry Commission; in urban streets likely the local council.  You might take the view that no-one is going to get too upset over someone picking up a single fallen branch.  But to cut a branch from a living tree that is owned by someone else will surely be considered criminal damage or theft.

In past centuries, we had ancient rights to gather firewood on common land, but those rights have been removed for good reason.  The decay of dead wood is an essential part of the ecosystem, and if you had millions of people hoovering it all up for their fashionable log-burning stoves it would be bad for the health of the woodland.