[N.Bird]

Anyone interested in catapults from less well known areas? The Guatemalan catapult or Honda was mainly used to hunt small birds .Hand carved and stained the common types include the two hole version and the slit top type.

 

[Bob E]

I don't think I have seen the two hole version before.

 

[Ibojoe]

If you hadn’t identified them as slingshots I would have guessed serving forks? Not for the amateur for sure.

 

[Flatband]

Talk about a PFS having a small throat1 Wow-they are something!

 

[MakoPat]

About a 100 years before any other culture I think...but I can't trust my memory. It is so close to my imagination that I can barely tell if I made it up or remembered it.

I dig the frames...I love pfs...but I also get fork hits occasionally so I could never shoot one of those.

 

[Bob E]

I've also heard Guatemalans were supposed to be the first slingshot shooters. Anybody ever hear anything about the rubber they used back in the day?

 

[bigdh2000]

Anyone interested in catapults from less well known areas? The Guatemalan catapult or Honda was mainly used to hunt small birds .Hand carved and stained the common types include the two hole version and the slit top type.

Those are old school designs that are still used regularly down there. Nice collection.

 

[SJAaz]

I've also heard Guatemalans were supposed to be the first slingshot shooters. Anybody ever hear anything about the rubber they used back in the day?

Loved that! One of my neighbors named Javier grew up in southern Mexico. He told me that as a boy all his friends and he slung a slingshot over their heads at all times. If a dove, iguana or the neighbors chicken got within range, he got invited home for dinner. First time he shot one of my naturals, he said " I want one, make it just like this". What could I do? I gave him the one he liked. He said that his older brother and a sister were better than him. And boys he aint bad!!

 

[Tremoside]

Anyone interested in catapults from less well known areas? The Guatemalan catapult or Honda was mainly used to hunt small birds .Hand carved and stained the common types include the two hole version and the slit top type.

Thank you very much N.Bird. I really do like these figurative slingshots. Since I'm involved in many sculpting projects it is inspiring to see these carvings from a professional standpoint too. If you have more and able to share it please do so. Much appreciated.

Have you ever wondered to 3D scan or photoscan these? I made such thing when made the CAD design for SimpleShot Axiom. The original Axiom was scanned to make an industrialized version fro mass production.

Thank you for the share,

Regards,

Mark

 

[N.Bird]

Thank you Tremoside I am really pleased you like them. These three are the only Guatemalan ones I have. There is a book on Guatemalan slingshots, ' Las Hondas Guatemaltecas ' which unfortunately is expensive and hard to get hold of but I believe it contains lots of really good photographs. Interesting clip Bob E found, I like the way they shoot using a thumb grip and long bands that's how we shot as kids.

 

[N.Bird]

Found a second book on these slingshots. 'Collecting Guatemalan Slingshots' by Canadian author, Andrew Malleson which I accidently managed to download, contains loads of interesting photographs and information.

 

[Tremoside]

Thank You N.Bird!

I have seen couple pages from the Guatemalan slingshots book a while ago. This recent title you shared is absolute new to me.

Pictures are great, I was referring to a process that could be used to digitize items as 3D models, but instead of laser it uses a set of pictures to calculate points in space. This requires a set of images from different angles, way more that a book can offer.

Photogrammetry is often used to save and document cultural heritage, clone an object for experimenting, like testing something without destroying the original, even helps to calculate cost of repair (since 3D is capable to calculate damaged surface areas and volumes), also helps to assemble a virtual exhibition.

I see how serious you are about collecting, so thought I mention this process to you. Who knows, you might find it's purpose in the future, or just remember it as an interesting novelty (it's quite old actually as a process and comes from geographical-military research called Stereogrammetry).

Here is a video, that shows the basics. Marketing likes to show this as an easy process, but data cleanup requires professional care.

Thanks again for sharing your pieces time after time!

Regards,

Mark

 

[N.Bird]

Photogrammetry, very, very interesting. As you may have guessed, being old school, I have never heard of this before.

Fortunately I can grasp some of the wonderful applications you mention for such a process.

I think you are right I might find a purpose for it in the future. Thank-you for the information it is much appreciated.

 

[gunslingster]

Works of art.

 

[Vic R]

Anyone interested in catapults from less well known areas? The Guatemalan catapult or Honda was mainly used to hunt small birds .Hand carved and stained the common types include the two hole version and the slit top type.

Not meaning to sound condescending but an "Honda" is a sling. You would most likely call it a resortera. Nonetheless it is a work of art and o had seen a website that sold those exact one with animal carvings on them.

 

[Vic R]

Anyone interested in catapults from less well known areas? The Guatemalan catapult or Honda was mainly used to hunt small birds .Hand carved and stained the common types include the two hole version and the slit top type.

Not meaning to sound condescending but an "Honda" is a sling. You would most likely call it a resortera. Nonetheless it is a work of art and o had seen a website that sold those exact one with animal carvings on them.

My bad, you're right. Guatemalans do call those slingshots "Hondas". What a coincidence that in Spanish it means sling. Could you show me how you downloaded the book. I would like to see those pictures aswell.

 

[Ordo]

In Argentina and other countries in Latinamerica we call honda a slingshot. Let Wiki enlighten us:

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resortera

Su nombre varía en función del país o región:

• tiraule en Yucatan
• tiracroios en Galicia
• tirapiedras o tiralilas en República Dominicana y en el norte de México. Este último nombre se debe a que la semilla del árbol de la lila es redonda y suave, lo que sirve como un proyectil ideal para jugar entre niños.
• resortera en México (a veces en Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile y Venezuela)
• charpe en el sur de México
• resortera - china en Venezuela
• honda en Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, Perú , Uruguay y Venezuela
• gomera en Argentina y Venezuela
• hondera en Argentina
• flecha en Costa Rica, Venezuela
• hondita en Paraguay
• hondilla en El Salvador
• tirachinas - tirador - tiragomas en España
• guindadera, estiladera en Canarias
• tirapiedra - tiraflecha(s) - flecha - tiradera en Cuba
• jebe en Ecuador
• cauchera en Colombia
• biombo en Panamá
• hulera o tiradora en Nicaragua
• gomeru en Asturias
• tirabeque en zonas del norte de España (la Rioja, Navarra, País Vasco, Burgos...).
• tirador en la zona norte del Perú