The “Ten-Minute” Atlatl

John Whittaker
The Atlatl 21(4):13

An atlatl is just a stick with a hook. I make a lot of simple atlatls with my students. Many students have little experience in woodworking, and these atlatls are intended to be easy to make and cheap. “Ten-minutes” may be a slight exageration, but not much when I use power tools, and even with hand tools these simple atlatls don’t take too long. They are durable, they work well, and if you spend a bit of extra time and add a nice finish or some decoration, they are even pretty handsome.

Fig. 2

Add the hook. I use two types of hook on my
“ten-minute” atlatls. In Figure 1, the top two atlatls have block hooks, the bottom 4 have peg hooks. A) Hardwood dowel peg hooks are simplest (Figure 2). If you use a simple sharpened tip on the hook, it should be inserted at a fairly low angle into the end of the atlatl, which makes drilling the hole a bit more difficult. I prefer a hook that stands nearly straight up, and has a point and notch as shown. (This idea is from some Australian spear throwers). B) The flat block hook (Figure 3) is easy to glue on (use epoxy or other strong glue) but it requires more precise cutting, and then a chisel to break out the excess wood and leave the triangular hook. The point of the hook must be undercut with a file or dremel tool.

Fig. 3

Add elaborations to suit the maker. Many beginners like a dart rest, which can be easily attached to the end of the grip. Linseed oil is my preferred finish, but others like varnish, or paint the atlatl with wild colors or appropriate designs. Grips can be customized with leather wraps or finger grooves, and hooks can be shaped as animal heads or made of exotic and tougher materials like antler. Even a beginner can produce a personal atlatl that works well and looks good.

NOTICE: One of the most common questions asked by new atlatlists is “How do I make an atlatl, and where do I find designs?” I am starting an album on the WAA webpage for atlatl designs. Send me and/or Margie pictures of your favorite atlatl, your new invention, a cool ethnographic one or whatever, and instructions for making them if you wish, at whittake@grinnell.edu and margieandfrank@1st.net .

Courtney Birkett’s favorite: “I'm still using The Log, the applewood atlatl I made junior year, 1998. I should really have put the hook closer to the end, and people keep telling me to cut the end off, but I'm reluctant to do so. It still seems to work for me.”

Devin Pettigrew. Replica of the Broken Roof Cave atlatl.

Richard Lyon’s traveling display of different atlatl replicas. Starting from the left  the first atlatl is an Midwestern/South- eastern Archaic style atlatl with a knobbed crescent bannerstone, deer antler hook, and antler handle.  The second is another Archaic tyle atlatl with a double notched winged bannerstone, deer antler hook, and antler handle.  The third atlatl is an Australian style atlatl made by Ray Madden.  I believe he said it was a Southeastern style.  The fourth is another Archaic style atlatl with a horned bannerstone with deer antler hook, and bone handle.  The fifth is reproduction of an Eskimo style atlatl that is in the mithsonian Institute.  The sixth is a reproduction of a short style atlatl found in Santa Barbara, CA.  The seventh is a reproduction Basket Maker atlatl.  The eighth is a reproduction of an Archaic style atlatl with a composite weight and deer antler hook.  The ninth is a reproduction Aztec style atlatl.

Margie and Frank Takoch atlatls. Frank’s, top, made with replaceable bow limb. Margie’s, bottom, one-inch dowel rod with “bling.”

 

Basketmaker inspired atlatl by Phil Seely. Atlatls don't have to be perfectly straight if the working elements are all lined up right.

Upper Paleolithic carved antler hooks
by Cyrille Huc, France.

Upper Paleolithic artifacts
Picture from the internet

The Atlatl. April 2004 17(2) 15. Reindeer antler foreshaft (double bevel) and reindeer antler point crotched.
Crotch made with a flint tool. Pictures of foreshaft by Emmanuel Demoulin and Pascal Chavaux