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How to Make a an Old Style Slingshot

Convenient, modern-day slingshots are strong, lightweight and sometimes collapsible, made from material other than wood. While your handmade slingshot might prove bulkier than store-bought versions, rest assured knowing your ancestors trusted the bulky, handmade version to hunt small animals for food and protect their land. And, just like your ancestors, you don't need an oven to dry out the wood you've chosen for your slingshot. Once your sling shot is ready to go, "aim high and shoot straight" -- practice makes perfect.

Things You'll Need

Sharp knife
2 pieces of thick rubber band 1-foot long each
Forked branch
Sling Material such as vinyl, rubber, strong cloth or a shoe tongue

Instructions

- 1
  Locate a thick Y-shaped branch. The branch must support the pull of a rubber band, so make sure it's not easy to bend or break. Cut a branch from a tree if you can't find one on the ground.
- 2
  Peel the bark off of the branch. Cut the handle of the wood to a size comfortable for your grip, making sure the two upper forks are the same size as the handle; trim if necessary. Carve an indent about 2-inches deep into the top of each fork for your rubber band support, which should be carved thin enough to keep a knot from sliding through to the other side.
- 3
  Shave any uneven knots to create a smooth surface. Dry the branch completely. The Paper Tiger website suggests drying the branch in a cool, dry area to minimize wood splitting.
- 4
  Cut a piece of thick cloth material for your slingshot, about the size of a shoe tongue; use nylon or leather, if possible. Poke a hole in the middle of the material toward the end of each side.
- 5
  Insert the rubber band string through one hole of the sling material; the rubber band should go in through the front of the sling and loop around the back side. Bring the ends of the rubber band together, slide through one side of the forks and tie a tight knot big enough so it doesn't slide through the slot. Do the same on the other side of the material and fork to complete the slingshot.

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