[Ken]

Hi all,

after being bitten by this slingshot bug REALLY badly, I decided that I needed to buy a few slingshots and even have a go at making one or two. I was inspired by Joerg's Youtube channel and made the simple slingshot on his blog. After that, I thought that I'd have more of a go....and here are the fruits of my recent labour. I must admit, that I was really taken by Snody's Blingshot and that's where my first attempt at cutting a slingshot that I designed. But it was very uncomfortable, so I redrew it and made it. I added a hole copied from A+ Slingshot's PS range and the next few were very similar to Perry's design. I'm sorry for that Perry, but I had to try it out. Then I evolved it a little more and changed a few things and so it went. I have now arrived at a small handful of designs that I am very happy with. I have evolved my shooting and am now shooting more with the slingshot in my left hand, whereas I started out with it in my right. And I have come up with a band and pouch design that I am very happy with for target shooting. Personally I love the double theraband gold bands but I cant pull them all day without aches and pains in my hands and wrist so I went lighter but not too light.

Anyway I hope that you like the pics. I'd really welcome the feedback. And if I decided to sell any of these, do you think they are any good? And on a commercial note, if any of my designs featured a finger hole in the handle, would I be infringing on Perry's design? Perhaps I would need to license the "pinky hole" like a Spyderco hole!

Thanks for looking.

Ken

 

[USASlingshot]

they look good, if you were to sell you need to change the designs a little more because they look to much like perrys. but no, you can have a pinky hole and it can look different than perrys. good luck

 

[Mtnfolk Mike]

nice work.. i especially like the 2 in the 5th pic down...

 

[baumstamm]

they are nice, good work!

 

[Ken]

Thanks guys. I like the security of the pinky hole but with my ones - I get a lot of hand slap (well, middle finger slap!) shooting with those ones much moreso than any of the others. But this is all really enjoyable for me to play with designs and evolve them. I'm a bit of a hobbyist knifemaker and it takes me so long to design and make a knife from scratch - what with grinding the bevels on the blade, heat treat and then to complete the handle. But with slingshots, I can play with a design on a bit of tracing paper and cut it out on the bandsaw quickly and have it in a state that I can experiment with very quickly. If I want to do a proper finish, I just sand a bit more and put a coat of polyurethane on it but I can at least try the design. This hobby is so consuming...great though.

Mtnfolk Mike - thanks - I really like the handle shape of the one on the right of that pic. But the one on the left is not comfy for me to shoot accurately - I think that it favours someone with larger hands.

BTW, you may have noticed that the pouches are made from some scraps of leather that I took off a spare pair of welding gloves. They are perfect - but they do dirty up quick!

 

[dnullify]

very nice!
I really need to make a fork that actually works!

What type of wood and tools did you use?

Also, how did you round off the handle? with a router, or is that by hand?

 

[Ken]

Thanks! Well the wood is just 19mm plywood. I had some lying around the garage so it got used. The handles were rounded off on my knife making grinder that I built. You can see some pics of it here...

http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?88030-Thought-this-might-interest-you-in-here

 

[Dayhiker]

The ones that look just like A+ I wouldn't sell. But you have certainly made some nice slingshots there.

 

[Ken]

Thanks buddy. Yes, fair comment. They are almost identical to Perry's. But I think the proportions on Perry's are much nicer. Still, it's nice to experiment with shapes and contours.

 

[A+ Slingshots]

Ken, I see some fine handiwork there. If you lived here I might have a job for you. I do however feel like I need to say I'm a little concerned by your post.

If you had just said you were personally trying my designs and ideas out, I might not have thought or said anything about it. Indeed I have given my blessing quite a few times now for people who are crafty to try my designs (both for a fee and a few for free) but since you have brought up the fact that you are thinking of selling these, I must say that my designs were carefully created by me to be unique and original enough to truly "stand alone" in this limited market. The look combined with the"pinkie grip hole" is the "A+ Slingshots Signature Series Line." The Dan Kung slingshots have a form of "pinkie hole grip" but to my knowledge no other manufacturer including them used it in this way in wood or metal until after my design became public. I have worked hard at making and keeping a good name for myself always and for my business this year.

I am fully aware that my design features are now turning up more and more everywhere and I rarely say anything....but this is just too close for comfort. I have not made my designs free to the public as some have, and indeed they constitute my personal intellectual property.

Since I am but a small "cottage industry" I rely solely on the"integrity" of others and the "code of a gentleman" to hopefully continue to make my living selling my creations. This is how I am currently making my sole living.

As a business man and vendor here in the States and in the UK, I would just kindly ask that you work at your designs so that they do not appear to be so close to my own. Ken that shouldn't really be difficult with the obvious skill that I see in your work!

 

[NaturalFork]

Ken, I see some fine handiwork there. If you lived here I might have a job for you. I do however feel like I need to say I'm a little concerned by your post.

If you had just said you were personally trying my designs and ideas out, I might not have thought or said anything about it. Indeed I have given my blessing quite a few times now for people who are crafty to try my designs (both for a fee and a few for free) but since you have brought up the fact that you are thinking of selling these, I must say that my designs were carefully created by me to be unique and original enough to truly "stand alone" in this limited market. The look combined with the"pinkie grip hole" is the "A+ Slingshots Signature Series Line." The Dan Kung slingshots have a form of "pinkie hole grip" but to my knowledge no other manufacturer including them used it in this way in wood or metal until after my design became public. I have worked hard at making and keeping a good name for myself always and for my business this year.

I am fully aware that my design features are now turning up more and more everywhere and I rarely say anything....but this is just too close for comfort. I have not made my designs free to the public as some have, and indeed they constitute my personal intellectual property.

Since I am but a small "cottage industry" I rely solely on the"integrity" of others and the "code of a gentleman" to hopefully continue to make my living selling my creations. This is how Iam currently making my sole living.

As a business man and vendor here in the States and in the UK, I would just kindly ask that you work at your designs so that they do not appear to be so close to my own. Ken that shouldn't really be difficult with the obvious skill that see in your work!

The A+ slingshots are one of a kind. Sad to say that yes they will be copied, however they will never be duplicated. As long as you are in business I will buy from A+.

 

[Performance Catapults]

Ken, you do beautiful work, so please don't be discouraged by what Perry had to post. Your work is the best replication i've personally seen. There is no question that you'll have a design all to yourself in the near future and you will do well with it.

Perry, your slingshots are quickly becoming the most recognized shapes in the catapult world.

 

[dnullify]

Thanks! Well the wood is just 19mm plywood. I had some lying around the garage so it got used. The handles were rounded off on my knife making grinder that I built. You can see some pics of it here...

http://www.britishbl...est-you-in-here

cool! i'm somewhat of a knifenut myself!

darn, i was hoping you had some newfangled way to put on such even rounding by hand.

 

[A+ Slingshots]

Ken, you do beautiful work, so please don't be discouraged by what Perry had to post. Your work is the best replication i've personally seen. There is no question that you'll have a design all to yourself in the near future and you will do well with it.

Perry, your slingshots are quickly becoming the most recognized shapes in the catapult world.

Jim, I really tried my best not to be discouraging...... Ken I hope that's not what came across.

 

[e~shot]

I have seen many copies of Perry's PS, but want to tell one thing, none of that come closer to Perry's Brilliant Craftsmanship. It can be easily identify A+ and copies.

 

[Ken]

Oops!

I must apologise for my obvious lack of tact. I think that I'd better explain myself. I've been really excited to have recently rediscovered the joys of playing with a slingshot. It's been many years since my first Barnett Black Widow. But I digress - I've been very excited to try lots of designs out including Perry's which everyone can clearly see. However it was never my intention to copy the design and pass it on as my own and sell a zillion units. When I said that I was interested in some feedback as I was thinking of selling them - I wasn't thinking of selling them in the quantities that Perry or any other vendor here might, but the odd one or two as a personal sale. However I am still keen on feedback.

One theme is clear - back off from Perry's design. And that is fair enough. Message understood.

Note to Perry - thank you for your clear statement. I understand that you felt threatened by my post and I think that it was a bit tactless. I apologise for that and I shall not attempt to copy any of your designs. No hard feelings?

 

[Ken]

I should like to add that I'm keen on Perry's PS range and have a PS2 winging its way over to me as I type. I can't wait!

 

[Ken]

Jim - forgot to thank you for your kind words.

Dnullify - sorry but it's done by hand. When I come up with a gadget that rounds of the boards just like that, I'll post it up here quick fast!!!

 

[A+ Slingshots]

Note to Perry - thank you for your clear statement. I understand that you felt threatened by my post and I think that it was a bit tactless. I apologise for that and I shall not attempt to copy any of your designs. No hard feelings?

Thanks Ken.... Not really threatened...just a bit concerned. Thank you for your PM and your comments here as well. No hard feelings. Keep up the fine work you do and keep shooting. Let me know when you get your catty. Enjoy!!!!

 

[jmplsnt]

Hello Ken.....good work with the wood.

There has been quite a bit of copycat work going on in Slingshot World and this is what has everyone so on edge. Even the Chinese (the greatest thieves of intellectual property in the world and great copiers themselves) have had great problems with others stealing their designs, copying them in cheap pot metal, and as a result people have been very severely injured by these breaking dankung copies. I'm not a dankung person myself but I do think they put out a very good product and it's a real shame they've had to fight the bad p.r. of these crap copies.

In the UK there is a to-remain-unnamed shyster knocking out poor copies of both Perry's A+ and the Fish Hunter. In honour of this chap's lack of dignity and extemely poor products I have renamed his PS-2 clone the "POS-2 F-" and the Fish Hunter copy's name must remain (unfortunately, but it's quite course) unposted. On my primary forum (jacksshed) the reaction has been both vicious and outraged. While I am not a buyer of catapults I will probably get one from most of the cottage industry vendors some day just to have one and support the small-time catapulteer. I wouldn't buy a copy literally to save my life!

In case you didn't know Perry is also a minister; the sale of those PS's allow him to do the Lord's work and to me there's absolutely no higher reason to sell a slingshot.

You seem to be an intelligent and skilled individual. All of the popular catapults made by cottage-industry were invented/designed by their makers. It may take some time but I am certain you are capable of coming up with something good on your own. Keep us posted.