[Slingster]

Just thought it would be fun to see your first slingshot and hear a little about it.

As a child of the 80's we lived way out in the boonies on the Palo Duro Canyon and my brother and I both had one of these cheap slingshots that we used to roam an endless Texas frontier playing and enjoying life. It was about 1985 and we shot these at anything and everything. That was my first time with a slingshot as a young boy. What fun we had. Wish I still had it. Those were some great times with my brother and as a child with many remote square miles of land to play on and imagine we were living in the wild west, with slingshots. LOL!

Fast forward some 32 years and I found slingshots again and have had a blast shooting and making them the past few years. Every time I pick up a slingshot I think about those carefree days of my youth, and the time with my brother who has since passed away. Kind of a neat connection to have.

Anyways I do not have that first slingshot, but found a picture on the net of what we had. Looks to be an All Star Slingshot.

What was your first slingshot and what is the story behind it?

Here is the original in the package and a repo.

 

[HOE]

I had the exact same cheap Made in China slingshot! Modified the tips for tying my own looped office rubber bands on! Cheap Hdpe, but strong plastic! My trusty slingshot when I was a teen. And I still have that original piece of leather pouch, tough thing!

Smoothed out the rough edge using fire.

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Considered the first, heat bent rattan. Wrapped with yarn and a bamboo chopstick inside for a swell.

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I had the exact same cheap Made in China slingsjot! Modified the tips for tying my own looped office rubber bands on! Cheap Hdpe, but strong plastic! My trusty slingshot when I was a teen.

Smoothed out the rough edge using fire.

Considered the first, heat bent rattan. Wrapped with yarn and a bamboo chopstick inside for a swell.

Sensitive content, not recommended for those under 18

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[Hermit]

First slingshot was a Whamo my Dad bought me when I was 12. Shot stones back then primarily, on occasion steel balls when I could get them. Wish I had that slingshot...

Rich

 

[Ordo]

My first slingshot since I took up the hobby.

 

[Hermit]

That'll work, looks good to me! Kinda makes one think back to the good old days...

Rich

 

[Tobor8Man]

Trumark FS-1 with uber heavy bands and a single white marble rattling in the hollow handle.

 

[vince4242]

Awesome idea! Very cool to see how people got started with slingshot. For me it was traveling the country in a sprinter van with my ex-wife and needing to use up some Spare Time cheaply. Found an old cutting board at a Goodwill and found a pattern on the internet and the boy scout was made. I shot it with very light bands and garbanzo beans. Fast forward 10 years and I picked it up again while living on a farm.
No one year ago with covid-19 starting I jump back in needing something to do knowing that I be trapped at home extended periods of time. Little did I know how much I would get into this and become such a passion of mine.

Cheers

 

[Hermit]

That is really cool, Vince!

Rich

 

[vince4242]

Thanks Rich. Hope everyone's having an awesome weekend!

 

[MakoPat]

Just thought it would be fun to see your first slingshot and hear a little about it.

As a child of the 80's we lived way out in the boonies on the Palo Duro Canyon and my brother and I both had one of these cheap slingshots that we used to roam an endless Texas frontier playing and enjoying life. It was about 1985 and we shot these at anything and everything. That was my first time with a slingshot as a young boy. What fun we had. Wish I still had it. Those were some great times with my brother and as a child with many remote square miles of land to play on and imagine we were living in the wild west, with slingshots. LOL!

Fast forward some 32 years and I found slingshots again and have had a blast shooting and making them the past few years. Every time I pick up a slingshot I think about those carefree days of my youth, and the time with my brother who has since passed away. Kind of a neat connection to have.

Anyways I do not have that first slingshot, but found a picture on the net of what we had. Looks to be an All Star Slingshot.

What was your first slingshot and what is the story behind it?

Here is the original in the package and a repo.

AS Slingshot.png

My first store-bought was the exact same one. But I saw Rufus Hussey on the Heartland series and my dad's dad helped me make one from a treefork. And I can't remember anything about the wood... the bands were black inner tube and it was hard for me to pull. Not ling afterwards I chained some office bands and made a smaller pouch from an old boot tongue. And bb's were shot as well as river stones.

A few years later... at the age of 13 I believe... a folding wrist rocket was purchased and egg sinkers were used to hunt rabbits.

But mostly I still shot cans and odd targets in the woods with marbles.

Ps- I got a cheap Chinese flip and kept in my backpack... wrapped in paracord with a 'survival kit' under the cord.

Then I found The Slingshot Channel on Youtube... that lead me here in 2018. I made a HPDE Derringer with matchstick attachments and a few other templates from here... a few forumites sent me frames and kit.. then I made the Arber's PFS from 1/2 " aluminium with fore and palm swells. Then my journey began in earnest.

Some many natties, customs, and production flips I refuse to count them. Haha...

current daily shooters are the Scout LT, Mi'kmaq Mini Warrior natty, and either a random natty or PFS. Almost exclusively right now I use 1632 tubes, Roma tabs, and 1/4" steel.

 

[Reed Lukens]

I started with many home made olive branch forks, then moved up to the Marksman Wrist Rocket as a teen in the early 70's. The olive branch slingshots are long gone now, but I still shoot the Marksman daily

 

[Slide-Easy]

Bunny Buster Ergo that I had Tom make me out of black walnut and cherry. I split her down the middle with a lower fork hit. I had a friend put her back together again.

Not much Bunny Buster left in that fork...

 

[ZippyBands]

Here are some photos of my first slingshot. I feel lucky that it still exists! ... I feel lucky that I still exist!

The sling is now banded in modern Linatex which is somewhat like the old red rubber that I used long ago. The original red rubber (now dark red) and original pouch are shown coiled next to the sling. Even Linatex is now harder to find.

The fork is from a Chokecherry bush that grew on our North Dakota farm. I was about 11 years old at the time. This wood is medium strength and slow growing. The fork is nearly symmetrical and has narrow forks. It is held by wrapping the fingers around one side and using the thumb to support the other. It still shoots great…!

 

[snydes]

My SS story is a little less interesting. Late last year I put an order into SMKW for a Case pocket knife I wanted & saw a cheapo wrist rocket for $5 in the back of the catalog. Always wanted one as a kid, but my dad would never let me have one. So, anyways, was surprised how powerful it was & started casting my own lead balls from an old fishing jighead mold - this made it even more fun. Then I did some research online, which brought me into the world of modern flat band slingshots which I never knew existed. The next progression was a $12 amazon imported slingshot & from there, onto Scouts and then I started making my own. What started as something to occupy time during the winter of Covid, has morphed into a bonified hobby ... my work bench is covered in slingshots now & my basement woodworking shop has become a firing range - something I look forward to & do every day ... here's the first "real" slingshot ...

 

[Unionman66]

My first slingshot was a cheap one from the corner store I got in the mid-1970's like the one below. Seems like it was 19 cents or 29 cents. Never got accurate with it. Besides that one, I used tree forks and rubber bands for a couple years then drifted away from shooting. I never bought another slingshot until last year.

 

[MOJAVE MO]

My G-Grandpa hooked me up with my first slingshot around 1969 when I was 5. The Five&Dime always had a bin full of Daisy frames with the little plastic site embedded in a hole below the throat of the forks. And believe it or not they cost about 10cents each. A year later my Dad made me a shepherds sling to help him heard cows around the dairy farm. I went back and forth between slings and my throwing arm until I was 12 when I got the Holy Grail of slingshots for Christmas. I found the Forum by accident a few years ago while looking up Picklefork Speedboats. The sling journey since then has been amazing. Just like when I was a kid.

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[Slingster]

This one! :rofl:

 

[wolfboi823]

I didn't start as a kid or have them gifted to me, so I kind of found my own way into the sport. My first was an Axiom Ocularis. Love that thing. I gifted it to my wife when she showed interest. Hopefully when she gets a few more or makes herself one or has me make one, it'll make it into my son's hands.

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