REALLY weird war darts 

It's a whip bow. You can google search the term and see a description, the Maori were known to use them and called them "Kotaha". The illustration is closer to reality than the prototypes Tod has made, as they were of a similar length to the arrow/spear and were used 2 handed in a side-whipping motion across the body, a little bit like swinging a baseball bat would be the closest modern description i could think of. Larger ones, like this, would have the back end stuck in the ground with the spear point towards the enemy and be yanked out and cast forward by the baseball bat-style swing with both hands.

That knot or bead self-locking release mechnism is very interesting!

The sound that Tod does when throwing the darts sound a lot like Age of Empires sound effects.

I've got a hypothesis regarding the placement of the fletching and the size of the shaft. Perhaps it was to proper scale and the throwing stick is intended to be 2 handed and that the rear end of the dart gets stuck into the ground to hold it, you then attach the loop of the string and then swing it over your shoulder with great leverage.

Amazing! When I saw your image of this, I never would have imagined that something so simple could work so well! I'm kind of amazed that nobody has thought of this arrangement before (that I know of)!

The fletchings being so far up the shaft could indicate that the dart is meant to be stuck into the ground to be launched. The Maori had a similar spear sling combination called a Kopere or Kotaha. I'll just add that I know nothing about Maori warfare I just came across a drawing when researching the Kestros. The drawing seemed to depict a longer spear and a two handed sling.

Hey Tod, why not make an additional dart with the fletching at the very end and you then try to shot that one the same way? Maybe that could give a hint why the fletching is in the middle and not at the end.

Javelins are my prefered weapons (after swords),so I'm really digging all that Plubmata/darts/javelins you are doing.

Wow! It split that branch clear in half! Amazing. The amount of kinetic energy delivered must have been catastrophic.

The drawing reminds me more of a staff sling than an atlatl.

Todd here with Todd's tiny tossable tines, intended to tag targets to 200 treads!

I bet people (and me) would pay good money for a manuscripts of tod's making, full of all these things he build, tried out and learned about by using.

We used to make these when i was a kid, we called then French arrow’s. I found then best, most consistent method of throwing them was to use more of a bowling action than a throw, or as if you were throwing a grenade, try to keep your arm straighter, raise your front leg and as you bring your leg down use that to generate the power through your body with your arm straight and go for a high release point to get a good arc on the throw.

Best thing about this channel is Tod feels like the kinda bloke you could go down the pub with have a pint and real good chit-chat about history and life.

I love the detail of Tod pointing things out with one of his stilettos xD

My brother who's sadly passed away use to make these throwing sticks back in the late 70s out of garden canes with cardboard flights. He use to call them French arrows,wow did they go far. Brings back lovely memories. Thank you

Tod, this reminds me of a similar thing I read about in a book many years ago. I distinctly remember that they described the string as being a flat leather piece that got wrapped around the shaft a few times in order to give the dart rotation for stabilisation. Maybe you could try that out. Oh, btw: great content as always, thank you so much 🙂

These things are fascinating. This, along with your last weird weapons video has really warmed me up to the concept of war darts (which I had kind of glossed over previously), for which I am very grateful.

I made something similar as a kid, based on a book I had, the American Boy's Handybook (which I still have on my shelf.) I used a fiberglass rod from a kid's bike flag (they were popular in the 70s--I don't know why). I put a string on the end of the rod, tied a loop at the end of the string. I made darts with a notch behind the warhead, and fletched them with pine twigs bristling with needles. I held the rod in one hand, put the loop into the notch of the dart, and could pull the darts against the flex of the fiberglass rod and hurl my darts quite a ways, 40-50M.

Something similar was used by children up to the 1960's, my elder brother told me about arrows propelled by string wrapped around the shaft making them spin.

I have a theory that perhaps our manuscript writer had heard of and/or seen both throwing strings and atlatls and was perhaps trying to combine them, create a sort of "best of both" solution. Given that this appears to be a one off reference, I think it may have been Renaissance tacticool, a bright idea that wasn't really practical or useful, like sword-pistols, knuckle duster revolvers, or pistol bayonets.

So, you've got a bunch of various war darts, and you've got your own trebuchet... How far do you think you think you'd be able to lob a bundle of darts like these, and what spread would they have?

Love your content todd. I like the quick pace of backstory ahead of testing the tangible item. You clearly do fabulous work and make great videos.

My first impression of that picture was that the string was tied in a loose noose around the bottom of the dart and you kept a grip in front of the fletching and then I saw you try that and the results that followed. After watching the whole video I have to ask, have you tried a more Atlatl styled hold with your hand behind the fletching, string around the end of the dart and the pulled forward to your hand ( I hope I get my meaning across)? Still interesting video and best of luck with the darts :-)

Todd, one thing that would help eliminate as many variables as possible is the also the easiest... Carry a water bucket with you and give the dart heads a quick swish or two to eliminate the dirt and grass from the barbs. Even a little more dirt on one side will skew the flight. Then you'll know that when you get a wobbly one, it's not the dart.

interesting Tod, my dad used to make me a toy out of a piece of dowel around 1'' thick and around 14" long, with 4 flight made of ice cream container on one end and a grove just below the fights. didn't have a stick attached to the cord, just a cord with a knot and you just wrapped it around your little finger till it was tight. thanks Tod it took me back:)

Hi Tod, Couple of thoughts: Your 17thC Stiletto makes a great pointer for presentations No1. I've been fascinated by the woomera having grown up in Australia which is another leverage tool for throwing spears & long arrows. Same for the Atlatl, which also has the definition of a tool that uses leverage to achieve greater velocity in dart or javelin-throwing. Interesting that darts were so common to throw but history seems to have forgotten them. With the spear throwers the throwing device stays with the thrower & I'm wondering if your drawing is of a two part dart with the back piece beyond the fletching's designed to release the dart and stay with the thrower. This would make your throwing device two pieces of wood connected by a cord. One piece goes in your hand and the other goes into the end of an arrow which has a female receptor for the male end of the top stick. This would explain your groove halfway up the arrow (where the two piece connect). Then a troop of dart throwers could all throw from a uniform stack of shorter arrows designed to carry a javelin punch. And one last thought. If the darts are sometimes inclined to spin (like a bullet in a riffled barrel), could you not fletch the arrow with the feathers spiralling the shaft? This might propel the flight more. Look forward to your next discovery on this & Plumbatas which I want set of once perfected. N

Something like these would make a really fun addition to the tod cutler catalogue

This is baton de commandement, an ancient thrower that predates the atlatl. You need not to put a groove around the shaft. Just a little notch, and it will release more cleanly. A lighter more flexible shaft helps quite a bit. Put a little spin into it like a top, but it needs to be in the same direction as the fletchings. The only reason for flechings in the middle is either an error or an attempt to use the lift to make them fly further. I made one that threw 100+ meters easily.

When I was a kid we used to make dutch arrows using 5 foot bamboo shafts and cornflake-packet flights at the rear. We used a chord with a knot at the end and a small notch just in front of the flights. The chord reached from there to the head which was usually a six inch nail strung and glued in place. They went what seemed like miles and we used to be quite accurate after lots of practice.

We used to make these as kids out of canes about a meter long. We found a very shallow groove on the back of the shaft about two inches below the fletching with the fletching at the end and no stick, just trap the knot and have about 400mm+ of free string with the rest wrapped around your hand.We could clear the entire width of a cricket ground with a bit of grunt.

Looking at the manuscript image at 3:01, there does not appear to be a wooden shaft between the head and the feathers. It looks much thinner, like the metal shaft on a Roman Pilum.

The spin can be from the head pushing through a small breeze. The extra length in the back is for balancing, if the tail was cut you could only tie the string at the very edge and have the latter effect of the dart shooting straight up.

He split the one! Really shows what war darts were capable of. I want to say Gascon light cavalry utilized "winged javelins" in Charlemagne's Day.

This brought back a childhood memory, long, long before the internet so I do not have a clue where I learnt about it, probably TV. I made a stick with a string on it to throw an arrow. It went a really long way. I did not have a knot, I just wrapped the string around the arrow overlapping self for a turn or two then a slow spiral down the rest of the arrow.

Presumably the reason why some of the throws were rotating was because the projectile is quite unstable due to the fletching not being right at the rear. Slight inconsistencies from the thrower will amplify any oscillation in the end of the shaft, and there's nothing back there to stabilise that movement other than the shaft itself

I grew up in South London in the 50s-60s, our version of that was called a Dutch arrow (no idea why). We would usually steal some stoutish canes from somebody's pea patch in the allotments, cut the cane to around 2'0-2'6", whip a 3" nail into the thinner end and then split the back end with a penknife down to the first knuckle, we would cut squares of cereal packet and fold it to make a 4 vaned flight then just tie off the splits with a little string. As 10 or 11 year olds we could easily throw those a good 50 paces and sometimes more, we would take a handful to the local park and compete either for distance or aiming at a piece of cardboard on the ground. One of our 'kid's toys would easily stick well into a tree at a few paces. At short distances like a target on a tree we would often throw sidearm but for distance overarm. The launch method was with a knotted string and no stick, I usually put a loop in the string so that it slipped over my pinky and gauged the string so that the knot was just below the flight and held the arrow just above the nail. After seeing this video, I am thinking of making a couple to play with in my garden.

Two things that you might find of interest Todd. The idea behind the dart reminds me of the arrow whip, similar release but on a arrow. The kern warriors used the Irish dart release but I heard abt those off my grandad, he also told me abt a 2 an half foot dart with a 8 inch spike with arrow head tip. The one end of dart kept the bulk of wood on one end, an tapered to a tip. At the tip abt inch half a cord was tied into a loop, the dart point faced downward. To release the dart, its similar to a staff sling but loop just slips over the neck an no pouch attachment. These darts were also called Romany war darts apparently

To work out the "why!?!" maybe try making some similiar darts, one without the fletching, one with the fletching at the end, one with the "tail" cut off - and see which work better.

The image of 50-80 skilled warriors highly proficient in the use of these, ambushing a mounted patrol from the cover of the tree line would be a terrifying sight to behold. I may have to try my hand at making these, or incorporate them into some of my writing at the least

Put a knot at the end of the rope, then cut a notch at the end of the dart. Place the cord in the notch with the knot on top. I've thrown this way. It takes a bit, but it works.

When we were kids we use to make throwing arrows from a garden cane and cardboard flights using a string with a knot in it to throw them and they use to go 3 parts the way over the cricket pitch

Very nice one Tod, really enjoying the videos on the shooting, throwing and testing stuff. Thank you for your work.

We threw “French arrows” as kids. A string with a knot in one end, loop the string around so that it sits behind the knot, very close to the back. Hold the other end of the string (wrapped around the fist) near the head. As a young teenager we could throw a broom handle half the length of a football pitch. The trick was to throw at roughly 45deg and whip the arm down fast and forward.

With a normal string launched throwing dart/arrow, I'd intentionally twist the string 90-180 degrees around the dart body to give it spin stabilisation. We used to used the bulge of the knots on bamboo canes to hold the string, but never used an additional throwing stick, just the string. All these throwing dart vids are reminding of summer hols where everyone was launching arrows/darts on the the back field. No need to target anything, just launch darts back & forth, until someone was injured. 😂

I think you are right with the atlatl comparison. The string loops along the shaft round the non pointy end, ( notch in base needed?) back to throwing stick. Hence the long string in the manuscript.

This looks quite similar to the mesoamerican atlatl, but in that case they used a wooden concave stick to propel the dart, instead of a string. These look so fun to throw, I'd love to try them someday.

The Ancient Greeks used a throwing thong called an Ankyle with a javelin. Wrapped a couple of times round the shaft it detaches when thrown imparting a spin to stabilise and extend the range. I suspect that due to the position you have the string this sometimes happens with the darts, but the fetchings are stopping the darts from spinning

I wonder if there was a groove like a noc on the end of the shaft ? A fairly wide grove would release the string.

An idea about mid-fletching. With whip bows, you hold the arrow/dart in the hand before shooting(loosing?), which probably allows for a better release. Also reminds me of lawn darts where you can really impart a large amount of force with a handhold like that. As whip bows are significantly cheaper and easier to construct, it's not hard to understand why they would still be around, but not seen highly and therefore preserved.

Aboriginal Australians used a wooden tool called a woomera to launch spears,using the length as leverage to multiply the throwers strength.

Maybe the odd fletching placement was meant so that the enemy couldn't throw it back, kind of like the short arrows that had to be loosed from a bow using grooved stick, a solenarion I think they were called.

Fascinating video. And I appreciate your effort, innovation and narration! One thing, though. The darts don't seem to have much weight in terms of being lethal against armor. Or even unprotected horse flanks.

Thanks for shining a light on the past... can't wait to see your next video

Absolutely fascinating. And now I know why Baldur's Gate is so keen on sending skeletons armed with throwing darts at me as my random-encounter enemies!

This is quite an interesting design. I learned about thong-thrown arrows years ago from a book on primitive skills, but there it works best if the thong is between the head and the fletchings and the hand is near the head.

When i saw it for first time i thought that principal is same as previous darts. String is attached to arrow and stick have same purpose as finger. And the stick allow to have greater reach for release. You have bigger reach and you release from bigger hight.

Fletching in the middle to have the string attachment point adjustable. Darts would likely not be exactly the same, neither would the throwing stick or string or even the thrower. The fletching did seem to work fine. I did not understand why such a short throwing stick.

Half a century ago I made these as a child and I got deadly accurate with it, but I used it all the time. I got rid of the hand stick and used full string and had my fletching at the 3/4 point if I remember right. The throw is the key. It is a style. Each time you throw follow through and hold it exactly the same, and I would whip my right leg and hip as I threw it greatly increasing power. I watched a vintage film(that was old in the 70's) and the warrior had the whole throwing handle (the string)made of wood and it had a hook like shape carved in to recieve the arrow into the handle. The arrow lay in a shallow bed of about half the arrow length. When launched correctly, by the native man in the footage film it easily killed the deer he aimed at. I never tried to hunt with it, but I could make my arrows disappear in the far away sky even as a child. I too found old references drawn in survival manuals that were absolutely wrong as if they wanted the recreator to fail Hope this helps.

Maybe the rear-most sling position allows the thrower to arch the arrow over cover, such as a low wall or shields?

I'd try it with a knock at the end of the shaft and a simple loop on the string. Should give you more range and a much smoother release.

The ending yell was perfect! LOL

It's great to see this channel doing well.

It looks to me like the one that went into "flat spin" was unique in that you had the blades of the head oriented vertically instead of horizontally which would encourage spinning.

Moving the fletching towards the middle allows the cord to avoid touching it on release and disrupting the flight maybe

I remember as a kid (1950's) we used garden canes about 3 ft long fletched at the end, just a length of string with a knot tied just under the fletching's. It may be rose tinted specs but I'm sure we were heaving them half the length of the local football pitch.

If it is a two hand sling throwing a javelin the fletching might be moved to be able to stab the back in to the ground, making for longer reach and faster "reload"

I've seen something like this b4. but no knot. the string wrapped over it self and spun the dart as you throw. like how you throw an American football, or a bullets spin.

Maybe try making the thing with a full size arrow to scale, and use two people -- one to hold the arrow, one to use the lever.

Reverse enginewe it: Take the fletching the way you think would be optimal, then see whether there's any disadvantage and thus reason for the middle fletching.

My Hypothesis why the fletchings are so far forward: The length behind the flething might be used to wrap a longer string in a spiral. It is fastened with the knot/bead techique to the end of the shaft and then spun in spiral (maybe 4-5 windings) around the shaft until it nearly reaches the flechings. This might allow you to throw it similarly as if the string was attached directly behind the fletchings while giving the dart a stronger spin and maybe more time for acceleration.

I believe the reason it is up the shaft is no different from throwing a spear. The closer you can get to the center of gravity, the better. I might even try in front of the fletching just to see what happens.

I think the length of the throwing stick in the illustration is correct, and yes used as a two handed weapon. The power and distance ud gain would be remarkable but it would certainly take some figuring on how to effectively use it

whipping darts were common in europe and also Polynesia.. the maori also had long range ones that are stuck into the ground.. some were propelled with two people at once and used a larger dart like a spear

Tod not sure if you’ve seen it, but the current Lego 3 in 1 castle set comes with a working trebuchet! And is actually powered by a counter weight not a spring. Well worth a look

This Videos about this Darts inspired me to adapt them for Larp and they work great. The Thong doubles the throwing distance (from my larp safe models with 125g).

Perhaps it's illustrating a gunpowder weapon. The barrel is held away from the user (perhaps dangled over a wall), either because such things had a tendency to blow up or to evade enemy fire, as a kind of early prototype for the periscope rifle (that was just waiting for someone to invent the periscope... and rifling).

(in the middle of typing you did what i was wandering and figured something out) String in the middle applies the force close to the center of mass. String at the back you need to align the force with the projectile and your aim. Its why atlattle (don't know the spelling) throwing stick needs a specific springinessand why olimpic Javelin is held in the middle

Could you plant the rear of the dart in the ground in order to set up for a launch from a two-handed stick? Would be a reason to move the fletchings forward. The dart would be planted in the ground like in the picture, initial pull from the stick of about the same relative size in the picture would be up to tighten the noose and then forward for the throw.

Two questions: Have you considered the possibility that the cord is attached to the dart and not the throwing stick? Much like the finger loop concept, but the throwing stick is replacing your finger for added mechanical advantage in the throw. That would make it more like an atlatl. Have you considered the possibility that the cord attaches to the dart at the center of gravity? That would put the fletching forward of the COG, but the extended shaft behind could stabilize the flight similar to a Congreve rocket.

Enjoyed That mate. I wonder if the back end of the shaft is acting as a weighted counter balance when throwing? I think it's preventing the dart tumbling around the pivot point of the string. Remember an atlatl is hooked into the end of the shaft not wrapped around it so the release is entirely different mechanically. It would also be interesting to see one of your war darts with end fletchings thrown with this launcher. If it's unstable, it might explain placing the fletching where it is....

Maybe the fetching was moved forward on the shaft because the throwing string would damage them if it was looped ahead of them?

Perhaps it's more like an Atalan. Requiring a flat surface somewhere along the back haft.

Maybe launching from the back of the dart makes it kick the front around more and a little further up makes it rotate instead but find it's own balance on launch?

Love how he’s using a dagger blade as a pointer

We used to make then when I was a kid (12~13) up in Durham. The (cardboard) fletchings were always at the end and the arrowpoints were cut-down nails The shafts were bamboo.. We could get pretty good accuracy throwing them at targets at about 20 yards. I don't know how we learnt to make then, but all the lads were doing it. I found the same in Yorkshire when we moved there at age 13, so maybe it was a northern thing?

Centre of gravity. Balance point. Plus the fletchings at the end might get caught in the string at release.

Put a sleeve on the bottom of the throwing stick that wraps around your hand.This way it's easier to Control the alignment of your dart and give it a bit more momentum. Also you don't lose your stick by throwing the dart

I think what's needed is more of an atl-atl, except it needs to 'attach' directly onto the head, there's no need for the string. think of two hooks on the 'atl-atl' grabs the head instead of the shaft. You'll have much more consistent throws, it's just a case of fine-tuning the hook length so the bolt releases at the right moment without being obstructed.

Shaft thinner at tail would make the launch more stable. It would have a better moment of inertia.

Having made and thrown 'Dutch Arrows' for years as a kid I feel your pain. Every 4th or 5th one would fly weird. I think the launching notch should be infront of the fletching though, maybe the artist made a mistake?

very nice! Thanks for keeping these things alive!

I love how you just use a stiletto to point on the page, so casually that you don't make any mention of it.

I love this practical archeology so much.

I love the use of a stiletto as a pointer. :)

Reconstructive experimental archeology, this should be recognized as science.

Check out the Woomera which was/is an Australian aboriginal spear/arrow throwing device. Really launches them quite far! They named a town after the Woomera which was the site of Australia's rocket testing facilities in the middle of the South Australian outback.

i am thinking the reason why the fletching is in the middle is maybe they could load the dart into a mechanism as well - like a shooter or something

Keep up the great work Tod! Love your films!

I think this weapon is for doing a shot straight and not a curve shot, Great vídeo!