Trad Gang

Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: 2fletch on April 16, 2016, 08:37:00 PM

Title: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: 2fletch on April 16, 2016, 08:37:00 PM
I had tried a number of furs, rubber bands, feathers, etc. as bowstring silencers, when it occurred to me that human hair might work well. I had ask my barber if she would save some for me. She either forgot or thought that I was crazy, but when I went for a haircut a couple of weeks ago I noticed a young lady with nice hair getting her hair cut at the same time I was. The color was nice blondish and was being cut off at about 4-5". I got permission from the shop and the lady who owned the hair, and told them what I was going to do with it.

After putting two groups on the top and bottom of the string it was ready for the test. I had put it on an old Shakespeare Custer bow that had a bare string and was fairly noisy. The hair really did a nice job of quietening the bow. Now I am on a quest for different hair colors. My next goal is red hair, or maybe red, white and black together. That would look good on my widow.

   :biglaugh:    :archer2:
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: Gil on April 16, 2016, 08:47:00 PM
Creepy! Haha
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: Jakeemt on April 16, 2016, 08:49:00 PM
No but, I use it to make my hair dolls.......
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: jsweka on April 16, 2016, 09:42:00 PM
I don't even want to know what you might use for a handle wrap    :laughing:
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: Petrichor on April 16, 2016, 10:14:00 PM
......... It's either brilliant., creepy or both... Yep definately both.
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: on April 16, 2016, 10:50:00 PM
Interesting idea!

Bisch
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: Terry Green on April 16, 2016, 10:53:00 PM
We used to collect hair from the beauty salons when we were in high school and we spread it around tree stands of a couple of older guys who picked on us it works great for running deer off
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: Hawkeye on April 16, 2016, 11:31:00 PM
"Older guys?"

You mean like 31 years old??????   :rolleyes:

Funny how my idea of an "older" guy has progressed over the years...
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: Steelhead on April 17, 2016, 12:08:00 AM
Really greasie hair works best.Its waterproof and does not collect the burrs as much.They kinda slide off.It does not look that good though LOL.

Permed hair looks pretty good on a string for style points.It will make a nice ball.Like a wool puff pretty much.

Curly locks seem to dampen out string vibration better than thin straight hair.

Be selective.You don't want lice or dandruff in your hair silencers.
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: Msturm on April 17, 2016, 01:29:00 AM
Dreadlock bow hush?
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: achigan on April 17, 2016, 08:43:00 AM
Clairol or Revlon.   :dunno:
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: Car54 on April 17, 2016, 08:59:00 AM
Say WHAT!!!
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: McDave on April 17, 2016, 09:08:00 AM
Now if anyone asks me what happened to my hair, I can tell them I donated it for string silencers.
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: BAK on April 17, 2016, 09:35:00 AM
Yeah, OK, but WHY, when wool yarn is readily available.
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: Kevin Dill on April 17, 2016, 09:36:00 AM
Isn't this why Chuck Deshler's huge beard disappears annually? I mean...aw heck. Upcycling is what we do.
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: Bowwild on April 17, 2016, 09:47:00 AM
A fellow named Hannibal, maybe?
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: meatCKR on April 17, 2016, 10:21:00 AM
This is a new one on me.  I have heard of Barber shops saving hair clippings to be put in nylon stockings and used to soak up oil when an oil tanker sprang a leak one time.  Heard it did a great job.
This is what I love about trad archery sites, someone always thinking outside the box.  I can't tell you how many good tips I have both gotten and given on sites like this one and others.
I like this idea.  Just put a clump of hair in a short piece of stocking, tie off the ends with a knot and slip between your bundles of string.  May have to try that one day.

Thanks 2Fletch!

Steve
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: 2fletch on April 17, 2016, 10:50:00 AM
I was mildly surprised at the reaction to this post. It's wide open for comment, but I believe the idea has merit. What I have seen so fair indicates that it works well for silencing a bow for target shooting. It may have to be washed with unscented soap to get rid of odor that might alert an animal. Natural hair colors could be blended for a camo effect, or you could have a blond bow, a red bow, black bow, or, if you are like me, use your own hair for a white bow. I would hope that it never goes commercial, but it's a good way for an individual to personalize their bow.   :pray:    :archer2:
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: Terry Green on April 17, 2016, 11:28:00 AM
yes...best wash it first...

"older guys"....as in a couple of years older than us at the time....and they are still older than us

   ;)
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: Duker on April 17, 2016, 12:20:00 PM
My wife won't let me use hers and I don't have enough   :D
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: CRM_95 on April 17, 2016, 02:57:00 PM
If it works I won't knock it, but I gotta admit I'm still laughing at the Hannibal comment!!
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: Mike Mecredy on April 17, 2016, 03:43:00 PM
When I had a beard, once some hair got pinched in the nock/string, and on release it was yanked out.  I'm not sure if the string was silenced much, I know I personally was a lot noisier.
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: atatarpm on April 17, 2016, 04:30:00 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Mike Mecredy:
When I had a beard, once some hair got pinched in the nock/string, and on release it was yanked out.  I'm not sure if the string was silenced much, I know I personally was a lot noisier.
:biglaugh:    :biglaugh:     :biglaugh:    :biglaugh:
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: Red Beastmaster on April 17, 2016, 04:33:00 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Mike Mecredy:
When I had a beard, once some hair got pinched in the nock/string, and on release it was yanked out.  I'm not sure if the string was silenced much, I know I personally was a lot noisier.
Don't you hate when that happens?!

Especially when there's a chunk of whisker with meat on it stuck in your brass nock! I swear I think I even saw a wisp of smoke coming off it.
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: on April 17, 2016, 04:52:00 PM
I read this and decided that my hair is the wrong color, then I saw a cute freckle faced redhead with a pony tail walking by with a little brown fluffy dog.  Ah, that will work.  She was sweet and friendly and so was her little dog.   I could not bring myself to ask for a generous lock of her hair.
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: Bowwild on April 17, 2016, 05:14:00 PM
2Fletch,
Please don't take offense, some of us are just joshing with you.  Lot's of ways to skin a cat....in this case let's shave it first (sorry, I can't help myself.)
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: Shadowhnter on April 17, 2016, 05:24:00 PM
Too much! Lol!!!
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: SELFBOW19953 on April 17, 2016, 09:16:00 PM
I'm right there with you, Mike!!!  I have lost beard hair quite a few times to a bowstring.  My "short" beard.

  (http://i509.photobucket.com/albums/s331/selfbow19953/2009%20Deer/PhilsDeer10_29_0918.jpg) (http://s509.photobucket.com/user/selfbow19953/media/2009%20Deer/PhilsDeer10_29_0918.jpg.html)
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: Steelhead on April 18, 2016, 12:34:00 AM
I think the guys are just having some fun and getting some mileage out of the idea of human hair silencers.

I have used a lot of nontraditional materials to silence bowstrings through experimentation and a lot of things will work well.Thick polar fleece works very well

I don't think using human hair is a far fetched idea at all.Heck we use beaverfur,muskox hair, otter fur etc.Even wool puffs are sheeps hair.
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: Michael Arnette on April 18, 2016, 12:48:00 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Terry Green:
We used to collect hair from the beauty salons when we were in high school and we spread it around tree stands of a couple of older guys who picked on us it works great for running deer off
Now that's funny right there!
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: Michael Arnette on April 18, 2016, 12:50:00 AM
...so many ways this could go if this wasn't a family friendly environment lol
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: Thumper Dunker on April 18, 2016, 02:32:00 AM
Some of us are so far out of the box we are lost. I'm going to try it on one of my self bows.   :thumbsup:   Cool idea.
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: Orion on April 18, 2016, 09:50:00 AM
Tie just about any material on a string, and it will help silence it.  Lots better and better looking options than human hair, I think.  But whatever floats your boat.
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: 2fletch on April 18, 2016, 02:00:00 PM
There are plenty of other materials, but my point is what is wrong with human hair. Beautiful red, blond, brown, or black hair could look good on a target bow. I have already determined that it is effective. You also have the option of using different length hair for variation.

I have read somewhere about archers using human hair for bow string, but I'll probably not go there.
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: tomsm44 on April 18, 2016, 05:09:00 PM
It puts the lotion on its skin.........
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: Kelly on April 18, 2016, 05:32:00 PM
Quote
Originally posted by 2fletch:
I had tried a number of furs, rubber bands, feathers, etc. as bowstring silencers, when it occurred to me that human hair might work well. I had ask my barber if she would save some for me. She either forgot or thought that I was crazy, but when I went for a haircut a couple of weeks ago I noticed a young lady with nice hair getting her hair cut at the same time I was. The color was nice blondish and was being cut off at about 4-5". I got permission from the shop and the lady who owned the hair, and told them what I was going to do with it.

After putting two groups on the top and bottom of the string it was ready for the test. I had put it on an old Shakespeare Custer bow that had a bare string and was fairly noisy. The hair really did a nice job of quietening the bow. Now I am on a quest for different hair colors. My next goal is red hair, or maybe red, white and black together. That would look good on my widow.

    :biglaugh:      :archer2:  
NO, not if you are going to hunt with it. Human hair is the part of us that alarms deer the most. Many have acquired human hair to hang in open containers around Apple orchards and gardens to keep deer away.

I use store bought yarn or uncleaned wool from sheep.
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: stillhunter on April 18, 2016, 07:41:00 PM
Magenta! with cocobolo O yea!
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: Terry Green on April 18, 2016, 07:43:00 PM
Nothing wrong with the idea of human hair lots of other fur and hair have been mentioned that were not predators however the human is a predator there for it smells evil to the  herbavor omnivores and carnivores and other Predators we hunt


I'm  not knocking it just stating facts we even used to go as far as to collecting girls hairs from brushes in class to spread around tree stands not just salons because it works so well we would string it along fence lines where deer crossed near those guys stands to change the route of deer patterns that's how well it worked just stating the facts not meaning any harm just something to think about
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: 2fletch on April 19, 2016, 08:26:00 AM
Terry, I agree that human hair is a great deterrent to deer. The human scent along with the chemicals that we use on our hair is enough to scare the heck out of a deer. However, it is very interesting on a target bow, especially in red or blond..., and it works well to silence a bow. I wouldn't hesitate to hunt with it after washing in something to descent the hair. Lastly, it's available..., most of us either have hair, or know someone with hair.    :biglaugh:    :biglaugh:
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: non-typical on April 19, 2016, 09:22:00 AM
With or without head attached?
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: tomsm44 on April 19, 2016, 02:01:00 PM
Only men's hair will work.  Women's hair actually makes your bow louder.  And higher maintenance.  And more judgmental of how you do everything.......  ;)
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: Archie on April 19, 2016, 02:24:00 PM
I prefer cat whiskers.  But I hate having to get new ones, because I always get scratched up pretty bad in the process.
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: Terry Green on April 19, 2016, 06:24:00 PM
I have red hair !!!!

(but it's limited)    :biglaugh:
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: Steve Kendrot on April 19, 2016, 06:40:00 PM
I was going to shave my eyebrows and make a brush rest for my newly refinished B-Mag. my plan is to sandwhich them between toenail clippings but need something sticky to glue it up with... Ah...ahhhh.. Achew.

Did I just go too far?!
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: Bowwild on April 19, 2016, 09:24:00 PM
If you wash it you won't be able to do a thing with it.

After a good night's rest it will be sticking out every which way.
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: 2fletch on April 20, 2016, 08:07:00 AM
Bowwild, look at the other side. With human hair the option is there to restyle whenever. Can you imagine the look you would get by taking your bow to the hair salon for a perm?

I don't want to knock all the other great materials for silencing a bow, but  consider all the options for human hair like length, color, and texture. Compare that to otter tail where the color, length, & texture are pretty much the same.

Now to answer a question, No I don't sell it!   :archer2:    :deadhorse:
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: tracker12 on April 20, 2016, 08:21:00 AM
I'll stick with my wool puffs.  I like human hair when attached to the person god gave it to.
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: slayer1 on April 20, 2016, 10:20:00 AM
I have first hand knowledge that Don really likes Red heads    :biglaugh:
Title: Re: Anyone Ever Use Human Hair For String Silencer?
Post by: 2fletch on April 20, 2016, 08:31:00 PM
Slayer1, you are right. I do have a special place in my heart for red heads..., and blondes, brunettes, dark hair and gray hair. Pretty girls come in all of these, and I admire and respect them all. Notice, I said girls. When you are 72 even a sixty something year old is a girl.
   :clapper:    :archer2: