Overview - How to Make a Primitive Survival Atlatl and Dart with Found Materials and Stone Tools

• published: 18 Jul 2015
• views: 945

Hey everyone! Thanks for coming along with me today as we build a survival atlatl and dart from natural found materials. This video is the overview condensed version. You can find the full-length parts here as I add them! Part 1 - Finding Materials and Building the Atlatl - Part 2 - Building and Fletching the Atlatl Dart - Part 3 - Throwing with the Survival Atlatl - Over the last couple years I've been getting into flintknapping and primitive living skills and one of the coolest parts for me is being able to go out into nature and see what I can make with what's available. I do a mix of modern copper knapping with abo style antler and hammerstone work and I also build bamboo arrows and bows with all-natural materials. I can now build simple tools and weapons that look great and work about the same as their modern counterparts. It's a great feeling to be able to make things with your own hands knowing that you were the first person to actually work with the materials. That said, today we're talking about emergency survival. There is a lot you can do with simple tools, but sometimes you won't have your toolkit. Whether it be a modern kit or a primitive one, chances are that if you do find yourself in a true survival situation you won't have either. You can have the best survival kit or plan, but if you get dumped somewhere or something goes wrong and you are alone with nothing, your only chance for survival lies in your mental toolkit. Today is an exercise in developing the mental toolkit by being flexible and thinking through things to get from raw material to finished tool. As part of this little exercise, I'm limiting myself to use only what's available in my back field. I haven't really had the chance yet to fully scope it out, so there are little pockets of materials here and there including knappable stone. Some of it has been turned up or broken open by a brush mower, so in most cases I suggest finding a creek or stream that has done the work of exposing rock for you. I won't be using any pre-made tools or materials and while I have clothes, I won't be using them to help the work or protect myself as if I had absolutely nothing with me (though in a true survival situation guarding from cuts and stone flakes in the eyes could be the difference between life and death and I would use a shirt as eye protection). You may not have the same materials available to you, but the great thing about building tools from nature is that you can be flexible. If you can't find chippable stone, other materials can yield a sharp edge. Other tools and materials can be replaced or improvised. All it takes are open eyes and an open mind to see the possibilities. If nothing else, keep a positive attitude and always be open to learning. Nature and experience can be a great, if strict, teachers. Warning: What I'm doing is very dangerous. Always wear eye protection when chipping stone or chopping wood, and it is a good idea to wear gloves and have good protective clothing when working. I am not extremely experienced, but have enough skill to keep injuries to a minimum and finish the project. My results may not be typical and it does take practice even to do what I show here. That said, if you are interested in learning these skills and are a responsible adult or have your parent/guardian's support, feel free to follow along with me as we build a survival atlatl and dart. Some of my books on Amazon: Simple PVC Pipe Bows - http://www.amazon.com/dp/1478140917/?tag=backyardbowye-20 Take-Down Archery - http://www.amazon.com/dp/1479348481/?tag=backyardbowye-20 The Impossible Bow - http://www.amazon.com/dp/098324815X/?tag=backyardbowye-20 The Backyard Bowyer - http://www.amazon.com/dp/0983248109/?tag=backyardbowye-20 Darts on Target - http://www.amazon.com/dp/151165385X/?tag=backyardbowye-20