# Nutcracker Sweet



## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

The Nutcracker was a ballet written by Tchaikovsky. The Nutcracker Suite is the music from the ballet. Although the ballet was not at first popular, the music has become popular with fans of classical music. The story line involves a wooden nut cracker who comes to life.

These days, wooden nutcrackers are mostly just decorative, and are frequently displayed during the Christmas season. Here is one of mine:










One lifts the coattail, which opens the mouth of the figure. Then a nut (represented in the photo by a ball of green tissue) can be inserted into the mouth. By pressing down on the coattail, the jaw is forced closed, cracking the nut.

I suppose most of us are much more familiar with the standard "pliers" type of metal nutcracker:










I find lots of these in second hand stores for less than $1. I always thought one would be a good basis for a slingshot. Soooo, getting into the Christmas spirit, with nutcrackers and all, I finally got around to making one:










I just made a wooden wedge from a piece of scrap oak I had in the shop. I used a rat tail rasp to make grooves in the sides of the wedge to accommodate the arms of the nutcracker. I shaped a ring finger, pinky finger hole at the bottom of the wedge and a bit of a throat at the top of the wedge. Then I used epoxy putty to secure the wedge to the nutcracker. The tips of the nutcracker arms were already grooved for decorative purposes, which was perfect for securely tying the bands. The nutcracker I used was quite old, and made of steel. So the finished shooter has good heft to it. I found it very comfortable to shoot, and quite accurate.

Just another example of my fetish for making slingshots from things that were not originally intended to be so used ...

Cheers .... Charles


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

Charles I think you're cracking up, man! They used to call me the "Nutty Professor", but you got me beat.









That slingshot is awesome though. Real nice job.


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## bullseyeben! (Apr 24, 2011)

Cracking idea Charles, your nuts for slingshots


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## popedandy (Sep 14, 2012)

Great idea.


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## Quercusuber (Nov 10, 2011)

Awesome, awesome and double awesome (as Dick Dastardly would have said)
This only could have come from a guy who breathes slingshots







Well done!!!! ...By the way, an idea for a target: NUTS!!!!
Cheers ...Q


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## wombat (Jun 10, 2011)

Good one Charles! you get an "A" for oringinallity on that one.


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

Quercusuber said:


> By the way, an idea for a target: NUTS!!!!
> Cheers ...Q


Hah! That would complete the circle, wouldn't it? Right back to being a nutcracker. Brilliant!


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## capnjoe (Jun 3, 2012)

Ingenious! That is so darn neat. I see them everywhere now, but that takes the cake. Shoot walnuts. They are fun to crack with a slingshot. Challenging too!


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## Quercusuber (Nov 10, 2011)

Dayhiker said:


> By the way, an idea for a target: NUTS!!!!
> Cheers ...Q


Hah! That would complete the circle, wouldn't it? Right back to being a nutcracker. Brilliant!
[/quote]

Yeah


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## Christopher Phares (Dec 13, 2012)

Another great one! I like the idea of a heavy ss and this seems like such a great idea!


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

Thanks for the kind words everyone ... I think ....

Wish I had come up with all those witty sayings about nuts and cracking up ... sigh ... just too close to my work, I suppose.

This is a really easy idea, and it results in a tough shooter. If you prefer tubes, you could always put gypsy tabs on it. So I urge you to give it a try.

Cheers ...... Charles


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## Smashtoad (Sep 3, 2010)

Awesome


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

I cannot believe this effort was nominated for Slingshot of the Month for January. I did not realize it had been nominated until BC-Slinger mentioned it while we were out shooting. I am very deeply honored, and I want to thank Quarterinmynose for the nomination and thank all those misguided souls who voted for it. I felt completely outclassed in the company of the other nominees. Thanks everyone!

Cheers ..... Charles


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## BC-Slinger (Jan 6, 2013)

I liked this sling, it was a very unique idea and a darn good slinger to. :thumbsup:


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