Shepherd's Sling

People have chucked stones a long way for thousands of years. Sometimes to knock fruit out of trees, maybe scaring birds from crops, or predators from livestock, often (I suspect) to simply relieve boredom. This sling pouch combines the millennia-old tool with modern technology.

It's a classic Shepherd's Sling. Just add your own sling cords made from paracord, bank line, boot laces, artisanal cordage etc. and for heaven's sake, practice somewhere safe. Practice the skill before you discover you need it (or show off to your friends).

It can be printed in TPU or other flexi filament. In my TPU, I can get away with a 1.2mm thick pouch, you may need to go thicker. An SVG outline is provided for those who would like to laser it from soft leather, or print a template and cut by hand.

I've put in a 3MF file that uses no top or bottom layers, a hexagonal fill, and 8 perimeter walls. This gives a very aesthetic print. There's an STL if you wish to experiment with your own fills and perimeters.

I recommend 6mm paracord for the retention cords. Make a loop in each cord as per photo. On each side, thread in through the centre hole then the two side holes. The centre strip goes to the back of the sling pouch. You use loops like this as they are less likely to cut through than a single piece of cord.

One cord (slightly longer) has a loop on it to go onto one or more fingers. This stops the sling flying off when you let go. The other has a large knot tied in the free end. That's what you hang on to. Adjust the loops and knots so the sling hangs level when you're holding the cords.

The length can vary, but I'd recommend you don't make it so long that it touches the ground when you hang your arm down. Use smooth projectiles where possible. Golf balls are great, and sling-golf is a thing! Otherwise the sweet spot for weight is 100-200 grams-ish.

It's a very flat print, very light, very compact, non-metallic. Tuck one away in your bag or wallet. You should always carry some cordage on your person like a good scout. Then, like your ancestors, when you find yourself somewhere boring with a lot of small rocks hanging about...

I won't tell you how to do it here, but there are many social media tutorial videos - and "Fail Army "videos, so be careful! Now, enjoy, and if you liked it I'll have a coffee with cream, no sugar thanks :) https://ko-fi.com/viksworkshop