Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Cave Men only "Oooga Booga" => Topic started by: stringstretcher on December 09, 2010, 08:19:30 am
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Is there any specific length for atlatl darts? What would be considered to short to use efficently and effectively?
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From everything I've read (just getting in to that atlatl thing) something in the 7' range seems to be the norm. The basketmakers evidently used shorter darts, 5' or so.
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The range worldwide is from 1 meter (40") from the Inuit to 3,4 m (133") from the Aborigines in Australia.
This information is from the book of U. Stodiek "Zur Technologie der jungpaleolithischen Speerschleuder" (About the technologie of the early paleolithics atlatls)
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After making dozens of spear thrower replicas and darts, I have discovered the atlatl and spears kind of fall into two groups. There are the light weight throwers and spears. For the longest time I used only 6 feet long river cane darts 1/2" in diameter on the big end. My large atlatls worked just fine with these and the public who used them seemed to like them better as well. I made a small and thin replica atlatl from the Western US and it was a rotten thrower. Then one day I was throwing with a fellow primitive he had 4 foot long darts that looked like really long arrows about the same diameter too. I tried them with the smaller atlatls and what do you know. They work real well! :o
So you may need to take stock in what kind of atlatl you have. If it is a non-bending heavy thrower you likely will want a heavier and longer spear. If you have a thinner or flexible thrower you will want thinner and shorter spears.
I hope this helps and good luck.
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I'm with swamp monkey. The length of the dart depends on the atlatl and individual style of the thrower.....