ten-row, two-strand, blue/red-green piebald projectile

This one was a grand success, it's good size the closing went better and others but I packed it too tight and so it still hurts... It's easy to do that with two strands because you end up tugging on the stitches pretty tightly and thereby making the whole ball harder than usual.  Considering going back to single strange maybe 12 or 14 rows.

two strand crochet projectile

This is the best one yet.  It is small, tight, and the closing was a sewing-like stitch using the tail ends of both sides.   Monochromatism (is this a word?) hides the stitch and prevents more splicing which weakens the ball.  For the first time... I am pleased.  I smell massproduction...

10 row first piebald projectile

This was my first piebald.  And though it made it possible... the stitch I used to close actually took up two rows and ruined the shape... but I learned that two joined halves is possible, and it sure is patriotic looking. 

19 row buck eye projectile

This Buckeye Beast took a long time to make and is a failure because it hurts upon impact.  19 rows is just too much mass.  I can personally attest to this.  But it did prove the two starts joined is easier and has a tighter weave than the decrease stitch closing, and it just looks cool.

12 row single strand

added a stripe to this one for variety.  But mostly this one was to confirm the size 12 row single strand is about the same size though a bit smaller than a 10 row double strand.  Bit still a nasty closing with burnt marks all over.  I really don't like the decrease stitches they leave ugly holes and make the ball look like it's falling apart on that end...

12 row single strand tabby

difficult to make but it seemed like it had potential.  I like the size though and think twelve rows single strand is just right for slinging.  And still... need a clean/invisible closing.

early attempts at crochet projectiles

Using at multistrand nylon led to similar conclusions.  Good feel but the closing was consistently awkward despite fluctuation in strand gauge and number.  Need a better closing.  However these have slick texture and wouldn't cause any trouble upon exiting a sling.  The material is also durable though loosened significantly allowing the stuffing to start leaking.

Slingmoore

1mm nylon string

is superior.  ~1mm woven nylon thread is stretchy much like yarn and can be coaxed into tight stitches.Despite the larger crochet hook they require.  However the closing is still awkward.  Need a better closing.

magnetic projectiles

So the grandparents bought these magnetic balls for my boys to play with but you know what I am thinking?   A metal target and half hour of shoulder straining slinging is whats on my mind.  I spoke with a guy that only slings 3/4 inch steel bearings... I can only dream...well back to reality...where's my crochet needle?

perfect crochet projectiles...the code is cracked

Slinging friends.  I have cracked the code for projectiles that sling well and don't hurt/kill.  Its not in the stuffing.  The trick was the weave.  I kept trying thicker and thicker string/yarn and kept getting the same effect, they were just hard on impact.  In this last experiment, I used multiple (in this case 4 strands of thin unsheathed nylon thread, and plastic beads for stuffing.  The multiple strands produced a sliding-over-each-other effect on impact significantly lessening the blow.  Next I am going to try six strands with dried white peas as filler.  These really don't hurt.  I had a friend beam me at five feet and it stung but even a blow to the face would be unlikely to break my nose.  What is everyone else using?


Crocheting Pattern:
Rows
1.  magic circle: six stitches
2.  6 increase stiches at every stich makes 12 stitches total
3.  6 increase stitches every other stitch makes 18 stitches total
4.  6 increase stitches ever third stitch makes 24 stitches total
5.  6 increase stitches every fourth stitch makes 30 stitches total
6-8  3 rows of thirty stitches each
9.  6 decrease stitches every fourth stitch makes 24 stitches total
10.  6 decrease stitches every third stitch makes 18 stitches total
11.  6 decrease stitches every other stitch makes 12 stitches total
12. 6 decrease stitches every stitch makes 6 stitches total
13.  3 stitches by. skipping every other stitch
closing it up:  tie a double overhand close to the last stitch and melt to seal

so when you sling an alvacado pit into a brick wall...

what happens exactly?  Hmm... let's find out shall we?

perfect projectiles

beyond perfect... I wonder what kind of distance I can sling outta this little guy.  What kind of distance records do you slingers have?

I crocheting sling projectiles...girly?

For perfect projectile possibilities, get your crochet on.  Materials are cheap, the pattern is relatively easy, and you can stuff it with anything.  I am thinking about plastic beans of various kinds for this purpose.  The surrounding pictures are some of my first attempts.  If you wanna give this a shot, check out youtube on crocheting amigurumi crochet balls, they have lots of good technique tips.  My only caution is that I have not yet let anyone hit me with one and so until then I cannot officially recommend them as projectiles... I just think that this is going in a good direction.  And it ain't girly... especially if you're making projectiles.

Slingmoore in Bhutan

Just want to point out that I did not sling at the Buddha.  It would have been easy though, his ear is taller than three men stacked up.  Bhutan is a beautiful country, almost beyond description.  A lot like Sikkim except the mountains are taller, the valleys deeper, and there are far fewer people.  I really wanted to sling here, not because of the big golden guy but rather because it was the first place I had seen in a week with no people in sight, but I thought the possible offense was too high a risk.  The, "but I wasn't aiming at it..." defense rings hollow when dealing with a national treasure I suppose.

Looking North into Thimpu

how to sling at people...and not hurt them...

The sling community is chomping at the bit to design a sling sport that will allow us to sling at the best target ever... other slingers.  The central problem has always been the scarcity of slingers.  To quote a another member of slinging.org's forums, "I have never seen more than ten slingers together at one time, and when I do, nine of them are beginners."  If slinging ever gets a bit more mainstream, our secondary problem will be what projectile to use.  I have slung uncut tennis balls at people but unless you're fifty yards away... it hurts.  Every projectile with enough weight to make it worth slinging would be injurious, and anything that would not be injurious is too light weight to bother with... so what to do.  It seems to me we need a projectile that absorbs much of it's own impact.  My first idea is this tennis ball.  I have cut it along two dimensions to allow for severe shape distortion on impact but.  It still hurts, and it's not very stable, they fall apart after a few hard impacts, the cut continues to grow and I think they wouldn't last long.  So the search continues.  Maybe eggs?

Slingmoore...Wicket Master

Cricketers bowl at three sticks called wickets
they are a kind of target.
The batsman is outed when struck.

So I'm in a crowd of young men who are playing cricket.  They see my interest and think they will get a laugh out of watching me "bowl," which is like pitching for cricket.  They were not disappointed as my bowl totally fizzled barely making it to the batsman.  But as they were giggling at the clearly uncoordinated foreigner (honestly...who can't bowl a simple cricket ball?), I drew out my sling and said in what I'm sure was weird Nepali "I will do this in my own way."1  Loading my sling with a tennis ball that I carry around with me I slung and slammed the wicket dead on, it went flying...  As it fell to the ground the giggling morphed into gasps of shock and awe... or maybe I imagined that... I wish I had made a video of it but here is the evidence... at 17 paces, note the fallen wicket to the right.  Ah accuracy... like an illusive friend, hard to get a hold of, but always pleasant to be visited by.

1 Mero afno tarikale garchu la?

Smaller is Better...sometimes

Introducing a smaller sized Spring 2013 Duouble Tuck Sling. I have run out of blue-speckled 3mm cord and so I won't be making any more than these, but it's the first sling I've ever made that can sling a large marble without fear of the thing flying out the back in some unintended direction.  Email your orders to slingmoore@gmail.com, and sling on.

Smaller Sized Spring 2013 Sling Tan Leather Speckled-Blue 3mm Accessory Cord Rod-Handle and Beaded Trigger
	Draw Lengths in Stock 1. 54 cm 2. 55 cm 3. 86 cm

Spring 2013 Double Tuck Slings in Action...

I like pretty things as much as the next guy but with slings... pretty is not even close to good enough.  It has to work.  So I took our Spring 2013 Double Tucks out for a test run on a target at about 15 feet.  The release time is faster.  Even my accuracy was was improved.  They load quick, grip tight and release like they're playing hot potato.   The target was fun but not strong enough.  Every strike punched holes straight through the poor thing.   Hats off to my two assistants, they helped paint the target, chase errant projectiles and bring color to my video.   Thanks guys.  Check out our Warehouse for our slings in stock.

Spring 2013 Slings...The Double-Tuck, Our First Design Innovation in Years

 

  ...has come to Slingmoore.  Our Spring 2013 slings sport a double-tucked pocket that protects the stays.  I admit it doesn't look like much of a change but the improvement in performance is surprising.  The tuck decreases the pocket-width without decreasing pocket-length making the it more subtle.  And in the realm of slings, pocket-subtlety means reduced drag, better release time, which equals... accuracy.  And as if this wasn't enough, since the length isn't reduced the sling can handle a much larger range of objects.  This reddish street-cricket ball (a bit smaller than a racquetball) and this orange are equally secure since the sides gripped them both firmly.  The stays come in blue or OD green with different handle and trigger designs, see the warehouse for pictures and details.  As always, you can email your sling order to slingmoore@gmail.com, we'll email you a paypal request and your sling will ship as fast as you fill it out.  Happy slinging and remember why should you throw it...when you could sling it.

Slingmoore is Back

Our brief venture into the world of cannon making has come to an end.  We are returning to making and producing the simplest, most ancient and most powerful throwing tool under two ounces.  We are glad actually, cannons were so very difficult to ship.

Happy April Fools Day.

Slingmoore is Now Cannon Moore

We at Slingmoore have grown tired of slinging.  Tired of light-weight sling projectiles made of rubber or fruit.  We don't want to hit trees, rocks, and the broad sides of barns.  We want to sink pirate ships and wade through over-night bombardments of enemy positions.  And so, without further ado, today we are introducing a minor change in the focus of Slingmoore.  Turning away from the two-ounce sling, with it's sub two-ounce, super-simple construction...we now turn towards designing and producing the throwing tool that truly changed the world many times over.  Introducing....(drumroll)

Cannon Moore, 

dedicated to the most simple, ancient 

and powerful throwing tool known to man

...under two tons.  

Keep a few in your trunk

Leave your sling at home?... Pull this baby
out at your next family reunion.

Have trouble hitting squirrels?...
Next time take out the whole tree.

Problems breaching that wall?
Not anymoore

They never hit the same thing twice
Because the second time around
The thing isn't there anymore

No longer will we be talking of baseballs and lemons, but rather twenty pound balls of pig-iron.  We won't be making suggestions on how to coil your sling so you can tuck it into your pocket, but rather how you can mount your cannon to the bed of your Chevy.  Instead of demonstrating simple loading techniques, we'll tell you how to assemble your five-man crew.  Given our new focus, we have also moved to a more appropriate location.  We are currently storing our cannons on The Battery in beautiful Charleston South Carolina.   Looking over the harbor onto Fort Sumter, a place where cannon fire, whether for good or ill (we will not comment here due to the sensitivity of the Charleston natives), played a significant role in American History.  Our new Spring 2013 Cannons boast of multiple ranges and take many different sizes of projectiles.  Some units are more mobile than others but none will fail to impress with their solid metal construction and explosive power. But whether you are planning to overtake a well-defended fortress, or lob explosives rounds over a castle wall, Cannon Moore has the cannon for you.  More detailed instructions to follow.  Remember firing cannons is inherently dangerous, so please be careful.  The good news is, prices are not going up.  All our cannons are still available at the reasonable price of $19.95 plus a $30,000 shipping and handling fee.  Just email your orders to sales@cannonmoore.com.  Happy bombardment, and Happy April Fools Day.

New Sling Trigger...the Monkey Fist Knot

Slingmoore handle-rods, beads and monkey first triggers

The Scene:  You and your sling atop a mountain of egg-shapped and sized rocks on the shore of an ocean with no other soul in sight.  It's sling time.  You load, rev-up and fire.  One after the other... all goes well until an overhead release brings your trigger bead down hard and BAM!  You can't even find the pieces.  Is your sling day finished?  No... you just tie an overhand or two as a trigger and continue but with more caution and decreased power.   So if you end up with a knot anyway, why not just start with one?  Enter the monkey-fist trigger stage right.   The monkey-fist is a bead-sized knot that provides the same amount of grip as a bead but can take whatever impact you can dish out.  A small innovation that requires several minutes of extra knotting, and lots of extra cord, but it's nice to not have a great slinging session blown because of a broken trigger.  Whatever your trigger preference check out our Warehouse for the sling that works best for you.  Happy slinging.

Number 7 in the Places Not to Sling Top-Ten

Among the Top Ten Places not to sling, the Chihuly Exhibit at the Dallas Arboretum stands at number 7.  We're basically talking about a china shop but perhaps worse.  Slinging inside a small space is not tempting... but outside?  in a park?  surrounded by brightly colored targets?...made of blown glass?!  Now that's tempting...but let me be perfectly clear.  They are not targets.  Rather they are beautifully bizarre pieces of art...  So though they are a feast for the eyes they make for a pretty bad place to go slinging.  I didn't ask, but I got the feeling that slinging here would fall somewhere between "frowned upon" and "you'll-be-dropped-to-the-ground-by-the-guys-with-shotguns"  So I refrained.  You should too.  Go find an open field or something.

floating...glass...spheres...

this one was almost more temptation than I
could bear

Spring 2012 Slings have Arrived...

The Handle, secured with a modified sheepshank.

The Trigger, a single bead for ease of release.

...and aside from having all the usual wonderful-nesses of slingmoore slings, there are also some addendums.   Closely cropped loose ends for a cleaner look, OD green paracord and.... drumroll... short draw lengths.  The draw is the distance between the handle and the pocket.  For you slingmoore fans (all fifteen of you) that have been asking for shorter draws, congratulations, they have finally come.  I wish I could say it was a carefully considered administrative decision, however, it was more like an accident, but the kind of accident that one hopes will come again.  For reasons unknown even to myself, I have always preferred extra long draws, my personal sling having a full 100 cm of draw.  Slings with shorter draws, however, are easier to control and will noticeably improve your aim.  As for our slings' features, the usual suspects are still there... high quality 7-core 550 sheathed nylon paracord, continuous stays across the back of the pocket, subtly curved pocket for maximum hold and release, genuine leather, hand-made (by an American, but in India with Indian products, so does that make them 'American Made?'"), beaded handle and trigger, and of course, knots instead of connectors since fewer parts means less weight and more strength.  Check out our current stock and order today by sending an email to slingmoore@gmail.com.  

7-core 550 sheathed nylon paracord, OD green.

Slings are best stored with handle and trigger
tucked inside the pocket minimizing tangle

Impossible?

Went to an archery compitition in foot hills of the Himilayas and on the way there (with sling in pocket) I was thinking "bet I could hit their silly target with my sling."  Then, emerging from the capsicum plants I saw it.  The afore mentioned target was like a salad plate set at 130 yards.  After much fanfare which included drinking heavily from the intoxicating contents of copper grog bowl visible to the left, the competition began.  There are few things more attention grabbing than a pack of tipsy archers firing at a target less than 15 feet from where you are sitting.  In fact the only thing that I can think of that would be more attention grabbing would be a sling competition under similar circumstances.