|
Swiss Arrow
A Swiss arrow (also known as a Yorkshire arrow, Dutch arrow, Scotch arrow, or Gypsy arrow) is a type of enlarged dart in the shape of an arrow that is thrown with the aid of a lanyard, which is retained by a small notch close to the fletching. It is very similar to an amentum and uses the same throwing principle as a spear-thrower. Design The arrow shaft is made from wood. A slit is cut at one end to take a pair of card flights, and the other end is given a point. An all-important notch or shallow groove is cut into or around the shaft, just below the flights. After the flights are inserted, the open end of the slit is closed with string or a rubber band to prevent the flights from falling out. Use To launch the arrow, the thrower uses a length of string that is longer than the length of the arrow itself. A knot is tied in one end of the string, and this is placed into the notch or groove in the arrow shaft. The rest of the string is then passed around the shaft once, and is ma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dart (missile)
Darts are airborne ranged weapons. They are designed to fly such that a sharp, often weighted point will strike first. They can be distinguished from javelins by the presence of fletching (feathers on the tail) and a shaft that is shorter or more flexible. Darts can be propelled by hand or with the aid of a hand-held implement such as a blowgun. They can be distinguished from arrows because they are not used with a Bow and arrow, bow. Darts have been used since pre-history. The plumbatae were lead-weighted darts thrown by infantrymen in Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Darts can be propelled by a number of means. The atlatl uses leverage to increase the velocity of the dart, the kestros (weapon), kestros increases the range of propelled darts using a sling, and the exhalation of a person's breath through a blowgun propels small stone points or poisoned needles with pneumatic force. In the modern era, darts have been used for recreation in lawn darts and the game of darts. Histo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Arrow
An arrow is a fin-stabilized projectile launched by a bow. A typical arrow usually consists of a long, stiff, straight shaft with a weighty (and usually sharp and pointed) arrowhead attached to the front end, multiple fin-like stabilizers called fletchings mounted near the rear, and a slot at the rear end called a nock for engaging the bowstring. A container or bag carrying additional arrows for convenient reloading is called a quiver. The use of bows and arrows by humans predates recorded history and is common to most cultures. A craftsman who makes arrows is a fletcher, and one who makes arrowheads is an arrowsmith.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 56 History The oldest evidence of likely arrowheads, dating to years ago, were found in Sibudu Cave, current South Africa.Backwell L, d'Errico F, Wadley L.(2008). Middle Stone Age bone tools from the Howiesons Poort layers, Sibudu Cave, South Africa. Journal of Archaeological Science, 35:1566–1580. Backwell L ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lanyard
A lanyard is a length of cord, webbing, or strap that may serve any of various functions, which include a means of attachment, restraint, retrieval, activation, and deactivation. A lanyard is also a piece of rigging used to secure or lower objects aboard a ship."lanyard lan-yrd." Merriam-Webster's Collegiate(R) Dictionary. Springfield: Merriam-Webster, 2004. Credo Reference. Web. 1 October 2012. Origins The earliest references to lanyards date from 15th century France: "lanière" was a thong or strap-on apparatus. Bosun's pipe, marlinspike, and small knives typically had a lanyard consisting of a string loop tied together with a diamond knot. It helped secure the item and gave an extended grip over a small handle. In the French military, lanyards were used to connect a pistol, sword, or whistle (for signaling) to a uniform semi-permanently. Lanyards were used by mounted cavalry on land and naval officers at sea. A pistol lanyard can be easily removed and reat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fletching
Fletching is the fin-shaped aerodynamic stabilization device attached on arrows, crossbow bolts, Dart (missile), darts, and javelins, typically made from light semi-flexible materials such as feathers or Bark (botany), bark. Each piece of such a device is a fletch, also known as a flight or feather. A fletcher is a person who attaches fletchings to the shaft of arrows. Fletchers were traditionally associated with the Worshipful Company of Fletchers, a guild in the City of London. The word is related to the French word , meaning 'arrow', via the ultimate root of Old Frankish . Description As a noun, ''fletching'' refers collectively to the fins or vanes, each of which individually is known as a fletch. Traditionally, the fletching consists of three matched half-feathers attached near the back of the arrow or shaft of the dart that are equally spaced around its circumference. Four fletchings have also been used. In English archery, the male feather, from a cock, is used on the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Amentum
An ''amentum'' (Greek: ''αγκύλη'', ankyle,) was a leather strap attached to a javelin used in ancient Greek athletics, hunting, and warfare, which helped to increase the range and the stability of the javelin in flight. Stability in flight was important because it allowed the javelin to land on its point, which was the only way the throw could be accurately recorded in competition or be useful against a live target. An ''amentum'' also increased the effective length of the throwing arm, as does a spear-thrower, so enhanced speed. It is very similar to the Swiss arrow. Throwing technique The javelin was held at ear level and released after a short run. The ''amentum'' was looped over the first two fingers of the throwing hand so as to slip off when the throw was made. In competition throwing for distance, including the Ancient Olympic pentathlon at Olympia, Greece, a blunt javelin would be launched at about 45 degrees, but in war or the chase, a sharp weapon was thrown muc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spear-thrower
A spear-thrower, spear-throwing lever, or ''atlatl'' (pronounced or ; Classical Nahuatl, Nahuatl ''ahtlatl'' ) is a tool that uses leverage to achieve greater velocity in Dart (missile), dart or javelin-throwing, and includes a Plain bearing, bearing surface that allows the user to store energy during the throw. It may consist of a shaft with a cup or a spur at the end that supports and propels the butt of the spear. It's usually about as long as the user's arm or forearm. The user holds the spear-thrower in one hand, gripping near the end farthest from the cup. The user puts the butt end of the spear, or dart, in the cup, or grabs the spur with the end of the spear. The spear is much longer than the thrower. The user holds the thrower at the grip end, with the spear resting on the thrower and the butt end of the spear resting in the thrower's cup. The user can hold the spear, with the index and thumb, with the same hand as the thrower, with the other fingers. The user reaches b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Javelin Throw
The javelin throw is a track and field event where the javelin, a spear about in length, is thrown as far as possible. The javelin thrower gains momentum by running within a predetermined area. Javelin throwing is an event of both the men's decathlon and the women's heptathlon. History The javelin throw was added to the Ancient Olympic Games as part of the pentathlon in 708 BC. It included two events, one for distance and the other for accuracy in hitting a target. The javelin was thrown with the aid of a thong (''Amentum, ankyle'' in Greek) that was wound around the middle of the shaft. Athletes held the javelin by the ''ankyle'', a leather strap around the shaft, so when they released the javelin, the unwinding of the thong gave the javelin a spiral trajectory. Throwing javelin-like poles into targets was revived in Germany and Sweden in the early 1870s. In Sweden, these poles developed into the modern javelin, and throwing them for distance became a common event ther ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sling (weapon)
A sling is a projectile weapon typically used to hand-throw a blunt projectile such as a stone, clay, or lead " sling-bullet". It is also known as the shepherd's sling or slingshot (in British English, although elsewhere it means something else). Someone who specializes in using slings is called a slinger. A sling has a small cradle or ''pouch'' in the middle of two retention cords, where a projectile is placed. There is a loop on the end of one side of the retention cords. Depending on the design of the sling, either the middle finger or the wrist is placed through a loop on the end of one cord, and a tab at the end of the other cord is placed between the thumb and forefinger. The sling is swung in an arc, and the tab released at a precise moment. This action releases the projectile to fly inertially and ballistically towards the target. By its double-pendulum kinetics, the sling enables stones (or spears) to be thrown much further than they could be by hand alone. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Atlatl
A spear-thrower, spear-throwing lever, or ''atlatl'' (pronounced or ; Classical Nahuatl, Nahuatl ''ahtlatl'' ) is a tool that uses leverage to achieve greater velocity in Dart (missile), dart or javelin-throwing, and includes a Plain bearing, bearing surface that allows the user to store energy during the throw. It may consist of a shaft with a cup or a spur at the end that supports and propels the butt of the spear. It's usually about as long as the user's arm or forearm. The user holds the spear-thrower in one hand, gripping near the end farthest from the cup. The user puts the butt end of the spear, or dart, in the cup, or grabs the spur with the end of the spear. The spear is much longer than the thrower. The user holds the thrower at the grip end, with the spear resting on the thrower and the butt end of the spear resting in the thrower's cup. The user can hold the spear, with the index and thumb, with the same hand as the thrower, with the other fingers. The user reaches b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kestros (weapon)
A ''kestros'' () or ''kestrophendone'' (), respectively Latinized as ''cestrus'' or ''cestrosphendone'', is a specially designed sling that is used to throw a heavy dart. The dart would typically consist of a heavy metal point approximately long, attached to a shaft of wood, typically long, and fletched with feathers or similar materials to provide stability of flight. History The ''kestros'' is mentioned in the writings of Livy and Polybius. It seems to have been invented around 168 BC. and was employed by some of the Macedonian troops of king Perseus of Macedon during the Third Macedonian war. Below are the description of the weapon from Polybius and Livy. From Polybius: From Livy: The exact construction of the ''kestrosphendone'' remains somewhat mysterious. However, experimental reconstructions based on the available information have resulted in quite spectacular results. Nonetheless, the ''kestrosphendone'' did not stand the test of time and seems to have been a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Woomera (spear-thrower)
A woomera is an Australian Indigenous Australians, Aboriginal wooden spear-throwing device. Similar to an atlatl, it serves as an extension of the human arm, enabling a spear to travel at a greater speed and force than possible with only the arm. Name The word "woomera" comes from the Dharug language of the Eora people of the Sydney basin. The name was adopted for the town of Woomera, South Australia, founded in 1947 as the home of the Anglo-Australian Long Range Weapons Establishment, also known as the "Woomera Rocket Range" and now called RAAF Woomera Range Complex. Description The woomera is between in length. It is a left handed tool. Like many Australian Aboriginal tools, there is much diversity in design. Some versions have one end that is wide and possessing a hollow, curved cross-section not unlike an airfoil, while the other is more pointed and has a hook. Other versions used in northern Australia are less than wide, made of flat wood, with a wooden point angled back ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Throwing Weapons
Throwing is a physical action that consists of mechanics, mechanically acceleration, accelerating a projectile and then releasing it into a ballistics, ballistic trajectory, usually with the aim of impact (mechanics), impacting a distant target. ''Throwing'' typically refers to hand-throwing by animals with prehensile forelimbs, in which the projectile is grasping, grasped in a hand and the proximal limb segments move through compounded kinematic chains to impart a mechanical advantage, mechanically advantaged swinging motion. For other animals, the definition of throwing is somewhat unclear, as other actions such as spitting or spray (liquid drop), spraying may or may not be included. Primates are the most proliferative throwers in the animal kingdom, and they typically throw feces as a form of agonistic behavior. Of all primates, Homo, humans are by far the most capable throwers, and throw a large variety of projectiles with a much greater complexity, efficacy and accuracy. T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
