Cheap Autumnal Dart Practice

[Chance]

You're out for an Autumn walk, when you're struck by the desire to throw sharp things about. You're on the verge of a field, but there's not enough wood for an atlatl: what can you do ?
One cut to chop a dock stalk diagonally at its base, a couple of flicks of the knife to trim all but the last couple of fronds at the top; and you're got a practice dart.
Hold it 2/3 up from the pointy tip, and fling it underarm as high as you can: at the other end of its parabola, it'll embed itself at least a couple of inches into the earth.
The kids got bored before I did; and no-one lost an eye.

 

[rich59]

How long were your darts? Sounds fun. I wonder if you could turn on of the stems into an atlatl/ thrower.

 

[Chance]

As long as the individual docks (at least, I think that they were docks: any autumn stalk would probably work as well). About a yard or a metre, depending on your age.
The range they'll achieve means that they're fairly easy to avoid if a war breaks out between the children. Not that it should be encouraged.