Giant Spear Thrower

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Tod's Workshop

Tod's Workshop

2 жыл бұрын

It seems that the medieval period was full of all sorts of throwing darts as well as spears and javelins and I am interested in them all. And then of course there is the classical world of Rome and Greece and then those naughty Vikings and Saxons and they all had throwing 'spears' of some kind that I really want to investigate.
But I can't throw very well, so I made an adjustable, massive, rubber powered throwing thing that I can set to replicate throwing different darts, javelins and spears. If you have ideas of how you want to see it used, just let me know.
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Пікірлер: 789
@ronwingrove683
@ronwingrove683 2 жыл бұрын
Just when you thought the trebuchet was bad enough, Tod makes a post-apocalyptic anti-aircraft spear thrower. If you weren't on a watch list already...
@SirVerdown
@SirVerdown 2 жыл бұрын
Ive been working on a 4 armed ballista based off of how Genghis Khans triple siege crossbows design, taking mainly the style he used for linking the sets of limbs together. Its a smallish scale model though around 5 foot long since the price of lumber is ridiculous right now.
@Przykominku
@Przykominku 2 жыл бұрын
More like a dragon hunting device.
@michaelmay5453
@michaelmay5453 2 жыл бұрын
Ship it to Ukraine. Add some trigger point silver nitrate and a load of RDX, should do nicely against unarmoured targets, For armoured targets... Well, there is the Ukranian tractor. ;)
@ClericalErrors-o6l
@ClericalErrors-o6l 2 жыл бұрын
A seige tower will replace his sedan.
@r0cketplumber
@r0cketplumber 2 жыл бұрын
Supersonic post-apocalyptic trebuchet! kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ncqIgrZep5ampac.html
@Slingshotchannel
@Slingshotchannel 2 жыл бұрын
Very cool tests! The result was predictable of course. This super wide tip would require a huge amount of energy to cut through any halfway tough matter. Humans can't throw hard enough to generate that much kinetic energy. But it would be interesting to see what happens if you put a very thin hardened steel tip on the dart. I think it would go through the chain mail, but certainly not through the plated armor. I once made a monster version of your launcher, using a huge amount of rubber, and the dart was able to go all the way through a car door... so Achilles would have ruled the battlefield with those darts for sure!
@tods_workshop
@tods_workshop 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for popping by Joerg. You are right, but if there is one thing I have found out about history, is people have assumed too much and so I like to go and try things and find out if they fit with what is written in the books and usually they do, sometimes they don't. In the case of the Irish throwing darts at the English, of course nobody much cared about looking from the Irish point of view and so many details of 'can they?' and such things are lost
@domm5715
@domm5715 2 жыл бұрын
That was the episode that made me rethink everything I thought I knew about rubber power! That was devastating
@paulweiterer6630
@paulweiterer6630 Жыл бұрын
Well, I guess you could throw this with a simple rope as a spear thrower, those where called "Swiss arrows". That would increase range and power a whole lot, and maybe be enough to penetrate some simple armour like a gambeson. I always wondered if this is the way they where originally intended for.
@anomalyp8584
@anomalyp8584 Жыл бұрын
I have always had a strong throwing arm. I got hold of a piece of rebar steel, that was heavy (like the Roman pilum). When i threw it, at +- 10 m, it went straight through a wooden door and to my amazement stuck into the brick wall behind it. All that weight concentrated in that one small point is absolutely devastating. There is no doubt in my mind that strong throwers can easily pierce armor with this or render a shield useless.
@themecoptera9258
@themecoptera9258 2 жыл бұрын
*deep laugh* “let me show you it’s features”
@Joe_for_real
@Joe_for_real 2 жыл бұрын
Tod: Let's downgrade our spear thrower so that it accurately represents a grizzled medieval solder on the battlefield. Joerg Sprave: Let's not only upgrade our spear thrower to the point that only a giant german powerhouse can set it, but let's also make it a repeater that can fire 25 spears in 2 seconds. I started typing this comment while watching the vid and halfway through typing Tod gave Joerg a shout out. Not really surprising.
@tods_workshop
@tods_workshop 2 жыл бұрын
Joerg after all is the bench mark for this kind of thing
@CristiNeagu
@CristiNeagu 2 жыл бұрын
You forgot to show us its features.
@r0cketplumber
@r0cketplumber 2 жыл бұрын
@@tods_workshop He's not just the benchmark, he's also the bench.
@stillenacht8518
@stillenacht8518 2 жыл бұрын
@@r0cketplumber I mean, gigglegrass was involved, but I laughed out loud.
@cinedelasestrellas
@cinedelasestrellas 2 жыл бұрын
Joerg did build something like this a while back: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/hdWcZMxqncDDemQ.html
@Lionbug
@Lionbug 2 жыл бұрын
I just absolutely Love that you go for the scientific, ‚correct‘ way of measuring things but then also do those ‚champion of the tribe‘ Test. It‘s just so fun AND informative! Lovely.
@Vivi-yw1eu
@Vivi-yw1eu 2 жыл бұрын
reminds me of how Mythbusters did with replicating the method and then the result, it's really fun way of doing science
@QuantumHistorian
@QuantumHistorian 2 жыл бұрын
You're back! After 3 weeks and no updates I was worried that the Trebuchet had got the better of you. Glad to see you're still finding new ways of throwing painful things a long way :D
@tods_workshop
@tods_workshop 2 жыл бұрын
sorry - got side tracked
@IamOutOfNames
@IamOutOfNames 2 жыл бұрын
@@tods_workshop Let me guess, you got the gang together, Joe the archer, Will the fletcher, Kevin the armorer, Toby the knight and now Bill the javelineer and took over Dover Castle?
@michelguevara151
@michelguevara151 2 жыл бұрын
@@tods_workshop ring mail! 'chainmail' is a victorian neologism
@RainMakeR_Workshop
@RainMakeR_Workshop 2 жыл бұрын
After Tod said his test ballista thing was very post-apocalyptic, I pictured a pair of them up on some ramparts made of rusty junk that are flanking the gate into some sort of post-apocalyptic survivor/trader junk town.
@silverbladeTE
@silverbladeTE 2 жыл бұрын
...coming to England, 2023! ;)
@RainMakeR_Workshop
@RainMakeR_Workshop 2 жыл бұрын
@@silverbladeTE Honestly, that would make for a siiiick post-apoc LARP location.
@silverbladeTE
@silverbladeTE 2 жыл бұрын
@@RainMakeR_Workshop "LARP"? I'm talking about real life (tm) !! lol way things are going, Todd, Matt Easton etc maybe the kings of the "wasteland" ;)
@tods_workshop
@tods_workshop 2 жыл бұрын
Krulty - Brexit should accelerate this scenario
@ArcaniIgnis
@ArcaniIgnis 2 жыл бұрын
just like the video game Kenshi
@stalkingtiger777
@stalkingtiger777 2 жыл бұрын
If Slingshot Channel colabs with Tod to build an epic launcher, it'd make my year!
@Panzersoldat
@Panzersoldat 2 жыл бұрын
Ha! My very first thought when seeing this video was that it needs a Joerg Sprave touch!
@Madmaddieiscraycray
@Madmaddieiscraycray 2 жыл бұрын
Instant Legolas that thing. Instantly.
@derstoffausdemderjoghurtis
@derstoffausdemderjoghurtis 2 жыл бұрын
they already collaborated for the "insant legolas" bow.
@Suprsim
@Suprsim 2 жыл бұрын
Tod is always saying "they were smart, if it worked they likely would've done it" such as waxing the arrow tips. And just like his guest star (and Tod himself) said these darts were uncomfortable to throw and clearly ineffective; why not assume these were heavier? If it's clearly possible to throw heavier objects further why are acting like these were something that were used?
@Jixxor
@Jixxor 2 жыл бұрын
Assuming the material they used is known, then there's hardly any way the original ones could have been much heavier, right?
@krissteel4074
@krissteel4074 2 жыл бұрын
I assume he's using some sort of hardware dowel, might be similar to pine. So if he gets some kind of fancier, heavier wood turned down to 1" and give that a go. Oak and Yew are relatively heavy and sort of endemic to the areas which these things would have been made in.
@jamesbparkin740
@jamesbparkin740 2 жыл бұрын
Could they have had lead slugs? Or thicker iron/steel?
@troydowns7748
@troydowns7748 2 жыл бұрын
@@Jixxor They were also likely to often times be using freshly cut wood which would have been wet and that adds a surprising amount of weight. To would have been using a dry piece of wood that he bought.
@daddynunya9045
@daddynunya9045 2 жыл бұрын
Or perhaps they used it with a throwing stick? An atl-atl?
@benwilliams909
@benwilliams909 2 жыл бұрын
Tod, that was brilliant, your approach to the scientific method is getting noticeably better over time. I think not because you are studying the Scientific Method and trying to apply it to your videos, but because you are interested in finding genuine results, and over time you are finding ways of getting them because of your passion for real history. My favourite KZfaq channel by a country mile.
@tods_workshop
@tods_workshop 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks Ben - really appreciated and very kind words
@benwilliams909
@benwilliams909 2 жыл бұрын
@@tods_workshop Tod, I know you do a specific range of bladed weapons, mostly European middle ages stuff, but how would you feel about doing a proper Seax, something between an everyday tool and a weapon. I have seen some nice ones online, but I am always concerned about the seemingly non ergonomic handle.
@Just_A_Dude
@Just_A_Dude 2 жыл бұрын
Interesting thing about Bill being able to throw the heavier javelins further than the lighter darts: Human beings are great at producing torque with our limbs, and our ability to impart energy to an object is typically more limited by the maximum speed we can generate with our arm than our ability to accelerate the mass up to that speed. A heavier object, brought up to the same speed as a lighter one, will contain more momentum and, therefore, will resist drag better resulting in maintaining more of its launch velocity.
@5thearth
@5thearth 2 жыл бұрын
Exactly. Tod actually discovered this same thing a while ago when experimenting with different arrows in heavy crossbows--the inertia of the limbs themselves puts a hard limit on maximum projectile "muzzle" velocity, so maximum range was not achieved with the lightest bolts.
@NietzscheanMan
@NietzscheanMan 2 жыл бұрын
Interesting.
@129das
@129das 2 жыл бұрын
true but practice and and skill comes into play. Basically something light is thrown different then heavy they are just likely swore and hit horse maybe even an under hand throw. Where I do agree is that arrow head is not meant to pierce armor it not the right shape to do that.
@balazsgezakadar7927
@balazsgezakadar7927 2 жыл бұрын
It has more to do with biomechanics: if you pretension your muscles than you can exert more force. With the heavier dart, due to its inertia, Bill can pretension his muscles more. Of course there is a maximum amount of pretension, after it the exerted force wont increase.
@j.f.fisher5318
@j.f.fisher5318 4 ай бұрын
@@balazsgezakadar7927 yeah, part of it comes down to muscle fiber recruitment. Our muscles only fire as many muscle fibers as are needed to accelerate the thing we're moving. Pushing against something heavier gives our muscles more of a challenge so they activate more muscle fibers.
@b.h.abbott-motley2427
@b.h.abbott-motley2427 2 жыл бұрын
The most powerful Olympic javelin throws involve a runup rather than a standing throw. That'd be a difficult technique to employ in a martial context, but skirmishers may have used it. Accuracy would presumably be poor, but hurling javelins/spears into an opposing formation could work. Similarly, the test of spear throwing ability of experienced throwers on Melville Island recounted in Sir Baldwin Spencer's 1914 *Native Tribes of the Northern Territory of Australia* involved a 20ft runup. The nine men who competed managed 104-143ft (31.7-43.6m) with a 10.5ft, 4lb spear. In a vacuum, even the shortest throw would probably require around 300 J of kinetic energy. The exact release angle & aerodynamics might mean it was more or less, but still considerable power.
@Deipnosophist_the_Gastronomer
@Deipnosophist_the_Gastronomer 2 жыл бұрын
Yep. I'd like to see some more 'stone age' tech tested. If we ditch the fletching and that huge broadhead for a more appropriate stone tip. What distance could Bill get with a 3m long spear? What about a 3 - 4m spear and a ~1m woomera?
@b.h.abbott-motley2427
@b.h.abbott-motley2427 2 жыл бұрын
Update: Jehan Creton's account of being in Ireland with Richard II in 1399, apparently written only a few years later, describes Irish darts as piercing both sides of mail coats. A picture in the manuscript shows riders with these long darts, which have modest spear-type heads & no visible fletching. It's at least theoretically possible a longer dart with a thinner point could do better against armor.
@davehart1027
@davehart1027 2 жыл бұрын
@@b.h.abbott-motley2427 they do look like they were designed by someone who doesnt use weapons, they look intimidating and like they could do some damage, but if thats all they do in todds demo, like whats the point in wasting that much metal, how many more functional arrow heads could you make?... would really like to see a large group of these launched from an adapted catapult, like what distance would they go?
@andrewfleenor7459
@andrewfleenor7459 2 жыл бұрын
I think you're probably underestimating the combat effectiveness of a running throw. With practice I bet you could get as accurate as standing still. I agree it was probably more useful in the context of formations, mostly because of the timing, particularly latency between acquiring your target and launching.
@Testforme100
@Testforme100 2 жыл бұрын
I think the feedback from your expert thrower was that they need to be heavier.
@tods_workshop
@tods_workshop 2 жыл бұрын
Yes, but it seems that historically they were not
@jamesallred460
@jamesallred460 2 жыл бұрын
Oh boy, Tod has thrown down the gauntlet for Joerg! Hell yeah! Cannot wait to see what sort of monster dart thrower Joerg comes up with!
@FlavioLanfranconi
@FlavioLanfranconi 2 жыл бұрын
Dind't he (Jörg) make just something like that in his early days??
@jamesallred460
@jamesallred460 2 жыл бұрын
@@FlavioLanfranconi yes, I think so, but you just know now that Tod has said something Joerg is gonna create something even more diabolical and awesome. At least I hope he does!
@tods_workshop
@tods_workshop 2 жыл бұрын
Joerg - bring it on!
@kencoffman7145
@kencoffman7145 2 жыл бұрын
Your replicators are awesome! Would it be possible to see a test of these from an elevated position? I think that, thrown in mass, may be more effective than when thrown from the ground. LOVE YOUR STUFF!!!
@loddude5706
@loddude5706 2 жыл бұрын
And they're a bit too heavy to throw/fire back up : )
@benjaminbrand3714
@benjaminbrand3714 2 жыл бұрын
Tod is one tragedy away from becoming a terrifying Bond villain IRL 😂
@M.M.83-U
@M.M.83-U 2 жыл бұрын
Wonderfull! Brilliant idea, and machine, to replicate the average human. Next: Pilum, then heavy, light, atlatl, amentum, soliferrum, everything.
@tods_workshop
@tods_workshop 2 жыл бұрын
for sure and I really want to look at Pilum
@PeterDalling
@PeterDalling 2 жыл бұрын
Tod having far, far too much fun. And we LOVE it!
@RaptureZJ88
@RaptureZJ88 2 жыл бұрын
So the lockdown longbow has been working out it appears. What is it now? The lockdown Scorpion or a Ballista? Love these videos Todd!! Keep up the amazing work and keep looking for answers!!
@storyspren
@storyspren 2 жыл бұрын
The Lockdown Longbow is a crossbow emulating a longbow. This is a ballista or scorpion emulating a Bill, so it's the Lockdown Bill :D
@zackdines
@zackdines 2 жыл бұрын
I dub thee, Billista.
@Capri42PRG
@Capri42PRG 2 жыл бұрын
Mechanical Bill
@Ben-ry1py
@Ben-ry1py 2 жыл бұрын
I think we've all had enough of the lockdowns....we've moved onto food shortages and looming economic catastrophe...perfect recipe for human conflict.
@leppeppel
@leppeppel 2 жыл бұрын
*glances at giant crossbow-slingshot thing* "Let me show you its features!"
@vadanadav
@vadanadav 2 жыл бұрын
What's interesting is bill's feedback that it should be heavier. Surely the ancients were using heavier weights if that was easier to use
@foldionepapyrus3441
@foldionepapyrus3441 2 жыл бұрын
Indeed, really need a 'Bill' who more conforms to historical stature as well though - if you are a all of 5' human you will find a longer one harder just for its size, and biomechanically its going to have an influence - your arm levers are shorter!
@TNaizel
@TNaizel 2 жыл бұрын
@@foldionepapyrus3441 in the middle ages people were only slightly shorter than today, the big dip in stature happened at the start of the industrial revolution
@foldionepapyrus3441
@foldionepapyrus3441 2 жыл бұрын
@@TNaizel Not really, there is a definite dip when the quality and quantity of nutrition changes, which does happen at the IR, but there are still tends beyond that and folks tended to be significantly shorter than their modern descendants - rare is the old skeleton that is even 6 feet, but 6 feet is now really quite common for European males for instance.
@Arrek8585
@Arrek8585 2 жыл бұрын
I have to wonder if these darts were meant more as charge breakers. The way they seem to piece initially only enough to hang on in flesh, but then immediately fall down to foul legs or catch the ground reminds me alot of setting spears to to brace from impacts. It might also fit tactically since once a formation is moving at a decent trot, removing the dart at the same time would likely throw the formation off something fierce.
@sambakich7494
@sambakich7494 2 жыл бұрын
I once watched a guy pin a properly constructed shield to an oak tree with a pilum.
@bobbybologna3029
@bobbybologna3029 2 жыл бұрын
Lol love how Bill easily serves as an example of "practice makes perfect" hah, that throw looked so different from Tod's.
@tods_workshop
@tods_workshop 2 жыл бұрын
I know. Depressing isn't it?
@PlutoniumJesus
@PlutoniumJesus 2 жыл бұрын
This spear-throwing contraption seems very similar to a ballista, doesn't it?
@GuitarsRockForever
@GuitarsRockForever 2 жыл бұрын
Tod should call Jorg and let's start a proper competition.
@jperk6528
@jperk6528 2 жыл бұрын
Let me show you its features
@Sapherzz
@Sapherzz 2 жыл бұрын
I absolutely love this channel! As a military history enthusiast, particularly classical and medieval, all of these experiments and insights are fantastic!
@tods_workshop
@tods_workshop 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks and glad I am of use to someone
@loupiscanis9449
@loupiscanis9449 2 жыл бұрын
Thank you , Tod . Cheers Bill.
@franciscomoutinho1
@franciscomoutinho1 2 жыл бұрын
Amazing work as always! Looking forward for pilum and javelin tests.
@kavemanthewoodbutcher
@kavemanthewoodbutcher 2 жыл бұрын
Yet another lovely piece of kit. Can't wait to see what mischief you get up to with it.
@a.d.knight5695
@a.d.knight5695 2 жыл бұрын
Awesome stuff Todd. I look forward to w=seeing more of this machine.
@luigi9458
@luigi9458 11 ай бұрын
Little did Tod know; instead of making a giant spear thrower, he actually made a compact Ballista.
@foldionepapyrus3441
@foldionepapyrus3441 2 жыл бұрын
Great stuff as always, looking forward to seeing many more well calibrated tests on the various long thin pointy objects of history. Suggestion - have a crack at hitting ballistic gel torso or a pig/lamb chunk, looks more than repeatable enough to actually get the hits, and something more akin to a human muscle and bone would be nice - to see what they would all really do to the human inside both through the armor and bare - and assuming you eat meat and pick bits of animal dinner for the next few months is sorted.
@PatNetherlander
@PatNetherlander 2 жыл бұрын
Hahaha, now THAT was fun! And you were absolutely spot on with the shoutout to Joerg. I could hear his big laughter through the entire video and even at one point a soft whisper of: “let me show you it’s features, hahahahaaaaaaa”
@beezo2560
@beezo2560 2 жыл бұрын
Well done Todd. Really enjoy watching these.
@hanshanszoon
@hanshanszoon 2 жыл бұрын
Looking forward to further testing!
@SplendidFellow
@SplendidFellow 2 жыл бұрын
That launcher contraption is so cool! Fascinating video, Tod!
@tods_workshop
@tods_workshop 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks
@stefanb6539
@stefanb6539 2 жыл бұрын
I mean, as your theory is, that these arrows were used predominantly against horses, ballistic gel with a soft leather cover seems to be the logical next step in discovery, to see what it would have actually done, when hitting a horse. Then with an additional layer of thick textile, to simulate the most commonly used horse armor.
@Assdafflabaff
@Assdafflabaff 2 жыл бұрын
Perfect little video for my lunch break. Thanks Tod.
@jonenglish6617
@jonenglish6617 2 жыл бұрын
Pretty cool. The way that tip curled was perfect.
@GuntherRommel
@GuntherRommel 2 жыл бұрын
Medieval Mythbusters! Lovely video, Tod.
@Leftyotism
@Leftyotism 2 жыл бұрын
I am always happy when I see an upload from Tod's Workshop! 😊
@andrewharrison8436
@andrewharrison8436 2 жыл бұрын
The spear thrower, particularly when throttled back, looks so leisurely. It just pushes the spear, visually so different in action from a longbow or crossbow.
@chrisb1133
@chrisb1133 2 жыл бұрын
Great video as always Tod, thank you!
@SuperOtter13
@SuperOtter13 2 жыл бұрын
Thank you for all the work you put into these testing videos. Absolutely love the content on this channel. Keep up the good work, sir. Cheers!
@tods_workshop
@tods_workshop 2 жыл бұрын
Glad you like them!
@sitrilko
@sitrilko 2 жыл бұрын
I like that you're figuring out what the average thrower in an army could do, but also what the elite could do!
@keltoi8357
@keltoi8357 2 жыл бұрын
A new toy! Science and fun combined. It's fun to watch - and as a pen&paper master i could use your understanding for my adventures. Thanks so much for sharing your passion with us!
@tods_workshop
@tods_workshop 2 жыл бұрын
Glad to help
@genekalutsky8813
@genekalutsky8813 2 жыл бұрын
Awesome! Thank you, Tod, keep doing it!
@aurourus6894
@aurourus6894 2 жыл бұрын
This spear thrower is really accurate. Great work on that.
@johnh290
@johnh290 2 жыл бұрын
i love the way a lot of your tests illustrate the point that armor is awesome but things hitting it the places where there's less armor still do a lot of damage
@HereticalKitsune
@HereticalKitsune 2 жыл бұрын
I love this channel so much, the enthusiam and joy of everything that is shown here is just perfect.
@tods_workshop
@tods_workshop 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks
@jajsem1109
@jajsem1109 2 жыл бұрын
I just love your happiness, when you throw/shoot something. It makes me feel better about the world :)
@tods_workshop
@tods_workshop 2 жыл бұрын
And I feel happier for reading this - I wish the worlds problems were so easily solved - damn its shite right now
@exoterric
@exoterric 2 жыл бұрын
Love it. I was thinking, depending on drag and terminal velocity, gravity might nudge up impact force shooting from a high wall down onto targets. Ballistics of low or high angles is way different than "flat" trajectories against coplanar targets. Anyway, always a hoot. Keep doing awesome stuff.
@Twinhit
@Twinhit 5 ай бұрын
Love Tod's videos very informative and thought provoking.
@hawkshadowoseanacy5171
@hawkshadowoseanacy5171 Жыл бұрын
I love the hereldry on the shield, very nice.
@jeremymillington1323
@jeremymillington1323 2 жыл бұрын
Yes for the content! Here for the joy of the experiment!
@cmelton6796
@cmelton6796 2 жыл бұрын
I love the sound it makes when you let loose that spear.
@beauleidig8670
@beauleidig8670 2 жыл бұрын
I'm glad that Todd did up the power as I was wondering what might happen if the darts were thrown from an elevated position allowing for more velocity upon impact. As it turns out, nothing much if the intended targets were well armored.
@valkoharja
@valkoharja 2 жыл бұрын
Very nice Tod. Great vid.
@mattpastell3728
@mattpastell3728 2 жыл бұрын
I can’t wait for the new and improved giant spear thrower! Maybe with elements of the lockdown longbow and mini catapult.
@DPXerxes
@DPXerxes 2 жыл бұрын
After watching other weapon tests, it's reassuring to see the shield stops at least one type of projectiles !
@Smallathe
@Smallathe 2 жыл бұрын
Very cool demonstration.
@TheFlyguywill
@TheFlyguywill 2 жыл бұрын
It’s amazing to me how quiet that machine is. Great experiment!
@MonkeyJedi99
@MonkeyJedi99 2 жыл бұрын
At the "standard Bill" setting, there was more noise from the projectile's flight than from the launcher.
@larsprins3440
@larsprins3440 2 жыл бұрын
I do wonder if you would be able to make these spears anti-armor. Obviously won't work with just throwing them, but with this brilliant contraption Tod made you might be able to simulate some sort of ballista. With a different head (and maybe some extra weight) these spears might be able to penetrate mail and shields. Would be fun to see Tod making different spears with different weights and spearheads to see what would work best against several types of armour/shields.
@tods_workshop
@tods_workshop 2 жыл бұрын
I could of course make things that definitely penetrate armour, but that's not what I am doing. I am trying to make a simulator for what really happened and hopefully that is what I have done
@Rapora9
@Rapora9 2 жыл бұрын
Hello! I just found this channel and the videos are great! Full of interesting and also useful information and experiments. I noticed most of the videos are about medieval times. Have you ever considered doing videos of stone age hunting tactics? I would love to learn more about the effectiveness of primitive spears, bows and other possible weapons.
@MineInjected
@MineInjected 2 жыл бұрын
Awesome to see tests, scary to imagine this in a real battle
@Hfil66
@Hfil66 2 жыл бұрын
The question I would have is not just about whether the weapon could cause injury to an individual, but whether it could help break up a tight formation. Even just causing individuals to stop a moment to draw the dart out of their armour would slow down the formation even if no-one was actually hurt. I fully accept that with those kinds of heads it is unlikely to really be used against fully armoured troupes, but could still be effective against a peasant army, or maybe a group of archers who are lightly armoured.
@seraaron
@seraaron 2 жыл бұрын
What if you added a weight around the neck of the dart, like a Roman pilum. Would that increase the weight, distance, and strength of a throw?
@VK-sz4it
@VK-sz4it 2 жыл бұрын
That's what I was thinking. If those darts are subpar in terms of energy that thrower can deliver - maybe they were in fact havier in real life?
@Erikreaver
@Erikreaver 2 жыл бұрын
What a wonderful little contraption! I suppose the obvious thing to do that we want to see now is bodkins! And loving the postapoc spearchukka sort of idea. :D Cheers!
@rachdarastrix5251
@rachdarastrix5251 2 жыл бұрын
Unit captain: "Uh oh, that guy has a shield a brestplate and chainmail, we may as well just surrender." Spear thrower: "I want a piece of him!"
@CaspertheSarcasticGhost
@CaspertheSarcasticGhost 2 жыл бұрын
Anyone else hear the faint sound of "LET ME SHOW YOU ITS FEATURES" In the distance?
@blackdeath4u
@blackdeath4u 2 жыл бұрын
I was just watching a video where a roman historian described how a legion would stop 50-75m away from the enemy and throw a light pilum, advance to 20-50m, and throw a heavy pilum. Id love to see how the standardized roman javelin design altered the range and penetration against targets. would be a great use of your thrower!
@RallycrossGT
@RallycrossGT 2 жыл бұрын
I would have loved to see Bill taking a few throws at the target because why not... but this machine is amazing!!!
@joetaylor486
@joetaylor486 2 жыл бұрын
Loving your work xxx
@angrypotato_fz
@angrypotato_fz 2 жыл бұрын
Excellent, I really like how you referenced a real thrower to get reasonable, historically relevant results :) I hope you mark the settings if you need to get back to this (Lockdown Javelin...) Next time you adjust the contraption for proper range, it might be more comfortable to start from the low results - you wouldn't have to walk so much to bring the projectiles back :D
@ChrisYourself
@ChrisYourself 2 жыл бұрын
I always get excited when I see you release a new video, you rock!
@tods_workshop
@tods_workshop 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks
@MonkeyJedi99
@MonkeyJedi99 2 жыл бұрын
That gives me an idea! Use this to throw rocks!
@ChrisYourself
@ChrisYourself 2 жыл бұрын
@@MonkeyJedi99 That's a great idea!
@ChrisYourself
@ChrisYourself 2 жыл бұрын
@@tods_workshop As @MonkeyJedi99 pointed out, could you look into rock throwing? I remember seeing all sorts of historical references to a variety of rock throwing instruments that look to be right up your alley
@Eulemunin
@Eulemunin 2 жыл бұрын
Love the guzzled warrior, Bob. Hope to be throwing as well as him.
@genericfakename8197
@genericfakename8197 2 жыл бұрын
Oh fantastic! I can't wait to finally see what a Roman spear does. I think that long point looks specifically designed to knock out a single link of mail and keep going.
@kovi567
@kovi567 2 жыл бұрын
Gonna save this for post-apocalyptic heavy weaponry. This thing looks and performs like a beast. Gotta use heavier projectile tho.
@mrslinkydragon9910
@mrslinkydragon9910 2 жыл бұрын
Exploding tip with a peizo electic trigger like an rpg
@LuxisAlukard
@LuxisAlukard 2 жыл бұрын
That moment when Tod was "it can't penetrate armour, we prove that... not let's see what it can do?" had such Mythbusters vibe =)
@Elandrianthetrue
@Elandrianthetrue 2 жыл бұрын
this thing is amazing. it looks so goofy but it is so simple and effective. definetly don't want to be on the receiving end without plate armor
@rong1924
@rong1924 2 жыл бұрын
Tod: "Bill is a little bit past his prime..." Bill: "(Tosh)"
@troydowns7748
@troydowns7748 2 жыл бұрын
Seeing the regular throw hit that shield makes me think if something like that hit my shield closer to my arm, it would really bruise up my arm, making it hard to use the shield or that arm for much of anything for the rest of the day. Same goes for being hit in the chest, even if it didn't puncture, it would stun and bruise you pretty good. That first lucky throat shot was convincing in itself. If nothing else, a hundred of those scattered at the feet of a charging army would cause tripping, cutting of feet, and added confusion.
@olivierelbougnadere4117
@olivierelbougnadere4117 2 жыл бұрын
This channel is gold
@darylarmentrout252
@darylarmentrout252 2 жыл бұрын
That chainmail shot would be game over without a cod piece
@anomalyp8584
@anomalyp8584 Жыл бұрын
I have always had a strong throwing arm. I got hold of a piece of rebar steel, that was heavy (like the Roman pilum). When i threw it, at +- 10 m, it went straight through a wooden door and to my amazement stuck into the brick wall behind it. All that weight concentrated in that one small point is absolutely devastating. There is no doubt in my mind that strong throwers can easily pierce armor with this or render a shield useless.
@TheUncleRuckus
@TheUncleRuckus 2 жыл бұрын
I still think these should be thrown using an atlatl. I know they most likely wouldn't have used an atlatl during that time period but their over size and design leads themselves to working best with one. Great video as always Tod 👍👍
@jonno8183
@jonno8183 2 жыл бұрын
I would liked to have seen more of Bill throwing the darts, measuring the repeatability, trajectories and speed - as seen in the trebuchet videos.
@Trebuchet48
@Trebuchet48 2 жыл бұрын
Ballista. You SO need a ballista. Torsion is awesome.
@tods_workshop
@tods_workshop 2 жыл бұрын
Got one, jus need to frag it out
@jimbayler4277
@jimbayler4277 2 жыл бұрын
Throwing darts to the shield: You don't have to penetrate the shield to render it ineffectual. In many ancient battles, archers and spear throwers would load up a shield with arrows/spears until it became unwieldly. Even just one of those darts stuck in a shield would make it very difficult to shift that shield around. Shield becomes difficult to quickly maneuver..... shield bearer becomes vulnerable. Shield bearer takes time to clear his shield (even just a sweep of his sword).... he's vulnerable again.
@gaigejones3947
@gaigejones3947 2 жыл бұрын
Now your just living the life I want to live! Sweet video!
@tomtruesdale6901
@tomtruesdale6901 2 жыл бұрын
Great video and very nice methods for testing the darts against the different armor. PLEASE make plans available for that machine. I have built a very small trebuchet and would love to have something like that for throwing darts.
@tods_workshop
@tods_workshop 2 жыл бұрын
I will try
@tomtruesdale6901
@tomtruesdale6901 2 жыл бұрын
@@tods_workshop Thank you Sir
@fredford7642
@fredford7642 2 жыл бұрын
Great video!
@drtibbles
@drtibbles 2 жыл бұрын
Love these videos and exploring the mechanics of different weapons. That said, I would love to know how many Newtons of force was associated with the hit to the chest of the mailer armour. Seemed like a heart stopping hit!
@oldaircraftguy8844
@oldaircraftguy8844 2 жыл бұрын
As a children we used to make, what we called, Dutch Arrows. They were about the size of the arrows used in your test, but without the iron point a fire hardened point was our limit. As 12 to 14 year-olds ( after that we found girls! ) we would use a length of knotted cord in the manner of a woomera ( thanks Skippy) and the feeblest ( me ) could get the range of your colleague. The cord woomera had a knot in one end and was simply used to trap the remaining cord just foreword of the flights to our throwing hand position about two thirds of the length of the arrow. Some experimentation for the best hand position was needed and was often down to choice. Was this method ever used on the battlefield?
@davidhamer7820
@davidhamer7820 2 жыл бұрын
I think you're correct in that those wide heads are for flesh but I'd love to see a solid hit on the mail instead of right at the bottom with nothing behind it.
@raphlvlogs271
@raphlvlogs271 2 жыл бұрын
you just reinvented the good old Ballista
@haroldgodwinson832
@haroldgodwinson832 2 жыл бұрын
You could cut back the leading edge on those fletchings to reduce drag.
@rshaart4810
@rshaart4810 2 жыл бұрын
I would love to see these heads compared to something slightly narrower like the Angon or even a Pilum now that you've got this machine to be able to replicate Bill throughout time
@tods_workshop
@tods_workshop 2 жыл бұрын
Shall we do it?
@rshaart4810
@rshaart4810 2 жыл бұрын
@@tods_workshop I think it'd be worthwhile just as a baseline, you could probably make it more complicated afterwards and add a way to simulate the target charging the thrower akin to Mike Loades' test to see what kind of potential damage each would incur
@RobKinneySouthpaw
@RobKinneySouthpaw 2 жыл бұрын
First thing is to ask Bill how far he can throw a heavier javelin, and then make war darts that weight and set the machine for that distance. Then with wax bodkins or the appropriate tips see what kind of damage a good javeliner could do.
@silentferret1049
@silentferret1049 2 жыл бұрын
Seeing that made me think of something. A large bow like arm stuck into the ground or floor and using it like a leverage are with string tied too the arrow and its pulled back and released to throw arrows of that size. Would not have a large machine like a ballista or have to throw it. It would all be weight based like a slingshot. I think having multiple slots at different angles could adjust trajectory while how hard they can pull will adjust range.
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