Powerful pocket crossbow! (No rubber bands or cloths pins!)

Nice. I also have a metal clip up front, i'm not quite sure what you mean by holding them in position. That's the only metal clip I'm seeing. I was using a popsicle stick on top as my clip, at least at first. I ended up forming different ones out of metal wire and duct tape, they work well and look much better. Much like the ones on my toothpick crossbow. I didn't go with hack saw blades because well... They're for my hack saw. Ha ha. An old broken rake sufficed. Also I didn't see as much power in hack saw blades, they seem rather flimsy compared to the rake teeth. However, hacksaw blades are probably much easier to get a draw string on. So what are you worried about snapping? The draw string, or the bow itself? I haven't had any bows snap on mine, just the wire I use as my draw string. It took 3 months of abuse, but they eventually snapped in the middle.

That's a good point. The only thing I keep asking myself is: Am I legally held responsible for what these kids do? Because I honestly have no clue as to what the laws are on that.

I'm much more worried about them shooting some other living creature. I've had my much less powerful version of these that shoot toothpicks stick into my finger. These would easily penetrate skin, let alone someone's eye. I for one enjoyed shooting my friends with airsoft guns. We had wars all the time without eye protection. So, I can see kids making the same stupid mistakes I did. However, these aren't 6mm plastic bbs. They're Sharp pointed objects that fire at roughly 250+ feet per second.

What's your point? You're kinda switching sides here. Are you telling me kids will be safe if they could make one, or they could be a danger to themselves or others if they attempted to make one?

Plus no one really seems to like this project anyway. Which I understand, the materials for the bow are impractical. Not many people are going to want to cut the teeth off their rake, or go out of their way to buy jewelers wire, crimps, and a pair of crimpers just to make one thing.

However, if anyone is curious if string works.. It works pretty well. I used outdoor string specifically used for coats and made it much like real crossbow strings are made, but the force needed to pull it back, it broke a few days later. (probably because I put super glue on it) I decided on wire because it's much easier, and less time consuming to replace.

I totally agree. But even though I'm saying I'm not responsible doesn't mean I'm not legally held responsible. I just don't know. I can't seem to find any laws on this. So as of now this is my only issue. I'll probably post a how to on my keychain crossbow, because it's much safer, but until I find out what I need to know this will probably stay as it is. :P.

No, I didn't make the crossbow made of pure silver and gold. I don't remember the jewelers name, but all I can tell you is a jeweler made that piece. There were actually 3 different bolts he made: a sharp ended one, a blunt ended one, and a flaming one (Which was basically a sparkler). However, he did inspire me to make these. When I saw his crossbow, I wanted one. Unfortunately there was no way I was going to get a hold of his, or one as powerful as his. So I decided to make my own. Being low on silver and gold scraps, I made mine out of cheaper materials - Popsicle sticks. :). I can proudly say, my pocket crossbows fire with the same force seen in his video. I haven't tested the drawback force in pounds needed to pull my drawstring back. But I would have to say at least 5 pounds.

Isn't the concept of every crossbow the same? A bow fixed crosswise on a wooden stock (not always wooden, we'll just say a stock) with grooves in the stock to guide the projectile.

Well I used one of the teeth off of an old rake, and cut it down to size with a somewhat large wire cutter. Probably not the safest, but it was all I had. The ones on this page aren't confusing. Just 3 pictures gives you enough information to build one. Crossbows are pretty basic.

I do concur with you, though. I don't believe these are very safe if a child gets a hold of one. I'm currently working on a smaller version of these that shoot toothpicks, these smash the toothpicks to bits once they reach the wall. I have a prototype, and it works very well, I just haven't gotten around to posting it on here yet.

To those of you who do end up reading this, the toothpick shooting crossbow stores in a case roughly the size of a tube of chap stick. The only pocket crossbow that safely fits in your pocket without breaking, or poking you with anything. However, it does pierce skin. (I shot myself in the finger trying to shoot an apple, it went in about 1/8th of an inch) With that said, I won't be posting a how-to instructable. Just pictures of it. But on the bright side, it has the same trigger mechanism as these do. Just a different bow, and a rig to hold 3 bolts on one side, and a bow on the other side for storing it in your pocket. I'll have it posted in a few days.