How to Construct an Ancient Atlatls Spear Thrower

When stranded in the woods with nothing to eat your best option is to make use of the thousands of trees and ample game trails to fill your stomach. How will you do this? Why not try the atlatl? Learn how to build one below.

Down-n-Dirty Atlatl
At first glance, the simplicity of this primitive technology deceives the beginning practitioner. The idea of making a quickie atlatl from bamboo holds potential for self-reliant living. With a few basic knife skills, even atlatl newbies like me can carve out a very functional weapon.
Material and Tools
Bamboo ~ about thumb-size in diameter and about 2 feet long. River cane will work but is not as bountiful as bamboo in this diameter.
Knife
Fine-toothed saw (hacksaw blade works well)
Awl
Leather ~ used in making finger loops
Fire
Selecting Bamboo
Find a suitable piece of cane and cut it close to the ground. The way in which the nodes grow close together at the base of bamboo will make a heavier handle and add purchase when throwing. Typically, atlatl length is about one-third the length of darts. Cut your bamboo so that a node is left at the smaller end of the atlatl. The end node will serve as the female “spur” which will mate with your dart.
Cut in a “Spur”
Use your knife to cut a long notch in the last joint of the bamboo. Begin by making a stop-cut about 1/4 inch from the end node (spur end) to a depth of 1/3rd to half way through the shaft. The notch should taper from zero to about 1/3rd the depth of the chamber toward the end node. This notch should be about 6 to 8 inches long and wide enough to accept your chosen dart shaft.

cutting into a spurvia Survival Sherpa

Clean up any rough edges with your knife leaving a small semicircle 1/4 inch in front of the end node where the dart seats. Test the seating by placing a dart (river cane in this case) in the female end. Hold the dart in one hand, the atlatl in the other, and check if the dart fits and moves without resistance.
Fire It
Pass your bamboo atlatl over and through a fire. You’ll notice the waxes in the wood will begin to add a sheen to the atlatl. This process will help preserve the wood.
I would recommend using this method for those interested in making a spear-thrower for the first time. The entire process can be complete in an hours time. Finding and straightening darts, well, that’s gonna take some time. But having this survival skill-set in your arsenal is well worth the investment.

leather looped through holes

via Survival Sherpa

If using an atlatl in a survival situation sounds like something you'd want to give a shot, your best bet is to practice building it and throwing darts as often as possible so that you know which techniques work best for you.

Next thing you know, you'll be stalking the woods like a pro and pinning squirrels to trees from fifty feet away. Or unloading a barrage of darts on a stampeding mastodon, whichever comes first.

For more unique survival advice and builds, check out the original article at Survival Sherpa.

Featured Image via Texas Beyond History


13 Comments

  1. David Adams said:

    Make and then take down prey? Why not just make them slow, or immobile? Or already cooked?

  2. John Beale said:

    should you want the skill practice now. Atlatls are trickier to make well than they look and take some practice to use but easily have the potential to take a deer at 10 to 20 yards if your practiced.

  3. Jerin Poliskey said:

    We have bow and arrow sets, old fashioned. I also grew up throwing an atalatle (sp?). I love learning this stuff and we all need practice.

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