Shepard’s Staff Sling

Ken — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 00:48:41 +0000

While viewing some social media videos I was introduced to the Shepard’s Staff Sling. This weapon design has been used over past millennia and continues to be viable today. There have been many artist’s depictions of David and Goliath as mentioned in the Bible where David is shown with a hand sling. It is very possible that he used a staff sling instead where Goliath is quoted in 1 Samuel 17:34 “…am I a dog that thou comest to me with staves?”. What is so impressive is the velocity that this device creates and the large size of it’s payload. The staff sling is similar to a trebuchet in that a sling is attached to the end of a pole, thus adding leverage to it’s launch. I knew that it was something that I had to try.

There are only three components to constructing a Shepard’s Staff Sling: a pole, cordage, and a pouch. I felled some saplings that were about as thick as the diameter of a fifty cent piece and cut a five foot length. I had some 550 paracord that I used for straps and a piece of leather scrap that I cut into shape and punched holes for the attachment of the cordage to form a pouch. The top two inches of the staff was trimmed to reduce it’s diameter by about 3/8 inch that resembled a peg when completed. A second 3/8 inch groove was cut three inches below that. The first length of paracord was fastened around this groove and the second length was tied in a loop using a bowline knot that loosely slipped over the top peg portion.

I found that a stone about the size of a tennis ball worked best for me but larger stones can be thrown as well. Rounded stones work best. The action of throwing the stone reminds me of how a lure is cast using a fishing rod: the timing of release is critical but is learned from practice. Another helpful tip is to focus on your target and all of your muscle motor memory will cooperate to deliver the stone to the target. This method works well for anyone who has shoulder injury limitations.

I can see where developing the launching and targeting skills can be addicting and is a lot of fun to learn!

Trench Lighter

Ken — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 20:44:50 +0000

This lighter has been known by other names such as “shepherds’ lighter” or “rope lighter”. What makes it unique is that conventional fuel is not needed, and there is no flame. The method of operation is to strike the attached flintwheel to create sparks, which are caught on a charred cotton rope, that has been partially withdrawn from a metal tube housing. This was typically used for lighting cigarettes which does not require a flame to accomplish. Once an ember is generated, it is windproof, and is extinguished by retracting the cord back inside the tube and an attached lid snuffs it out. This flame-less feature made it somewhat covert and was often used during WWII. The windproof feature is also advantageous and was useful to shepherds who were out in the windy field while watching their flocks. It is an easy way to create a live ember, when, combined with tinder, can be coaxed into a flame for starting campfires. A related item called a tinder tube was used during the civil war to keep a live coal for lighting cannon fuses during battle. Some black powder rifles used a smoldering rope known as slow match to light their charge rather than a flint. Slow match was often treated with potassium nitrate to enhance it’s smoldering capability. For folks who enjoy a more primitive approach to igniting tinder, this is a fun device to use.

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Shepard’s Staff Sling

Trench Lighter