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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Greg Owen on November 11, 2009, 11:39:00 AM

Title: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: Greg Owen on November 11, 2009, 11:39:00 AM
I just purchased a great bow on here. It is a 54" 55# @ 28" Carbon Shrew.  It is a bit heavier and shorter than I am used to shooting. There is a twang when I shoot it. I was wondering how others who own a similar bow quiet theirs. It is an awesome bow. By the way, I am shooting a 825 grain arrow so its not too light an arrow. Also, the brace height is at 7 1/4". Just looking for ideas. Thanks.
Title: Re: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: Big Ed on November 11, 2009, 11:57:00 AM
Is it the stock string? Also one piece or T/D? Are the nocks loose on the string?
Title: Re: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: Greg Owen on November 11, 2009, 12:15:00 PM
It is a bow-bolt take down with a 6 strand D97 string. I put the stock string on and it was noisier. The nocks are loose. The arrow will fall off the string without a tap.
Title: Re: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: tradtusker on November 11, 2009, 12:22:00 PM
try playing with the brace height and put on some Hush puppys on the string and move them on the string play around till you find the quietest point
Title: Re: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: Shaun on November 11, 2009, 12:25:00 PM
Carbon backed bows make a noise that sounds like "plonk" to me - I believe it is the nature of the carbon material. If you have a sound that goes "twang" as a descending hum noise, that sounds like a string issue. What are you using for string silencers and where are they placed?
Title: Re: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: ishoot4thrills on November 11, 2009, 12:33:00 PM
That bow is doomed. Just send it to me to hunt whitetails with 'cause our deer around here are deaf from all the traffic noise from the interstate highway! Heck, I will even pay half the shipping costs!

No really, try what tradtusker said about the Hushpuppies. I used them on a very loud recurve and they worked awesomely.
Title: Re: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: Greg Owen on November 11, 2009, 12:43:00 PM
Yes this sound is a twang and vibration caused. I have synthetic yarn silencers (I think its synthetic) at the 1/4 points.  I do have some bowhush or whatever it is called I will try. I also will increase the brace to 7 1/2". I just want to quiet it as much as possible. I am a perfectionist I guess. I know my targets aren't going to jump the string.  They are usually attached to the ground. Actually, half the fun of traditional archery to me is getting things as quiet as possible.
Title: Re: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: Big Ed on November 11, 2009, 12:45:00 PM
I would definitly either build up the serving with floss or reserve to get a better nock fit. Also make sure the Bow Bolt is fitting tight. No gaps. Also try a nocking point above and below. Be sure your arrows are not to stiff causing them to paradox against the shelf.Bare shaft them if possible. Are uo shooting three under or split finger?
Title: Re: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: Greg Owen on November 11, 2009, 12:53:00 PM
I have tried both split and 3 under. The twang I am hearing is caused by vibration in the string\\limbs. I can just pluck the string and I get a twang not a thud like I am used too. I will figure it out. It's just not as quiet as My Samurai was.
Title: Re: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: xtrema312 on November 11, 2009, 01:04:00 PM
I would play with the brace and try cat whiskers.  Those work great for me on LBs.  Those fur silencers work really well with string noise on my curves. They are much better than the yarn silencers.  I have not tried them on the LBs because the cat whiskers work so well, but I would try them on a LB I couldn't quiet down.
Title: Re: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: Jerry Wald on November 11, 2009, 01:11:00 PM
I would just ask RON
Title: Re: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: phil_des_bois on November 11, 2009, 03:33:00 PM
try some yarn wrapped around the 4" ends of the string, this helped me a lot on my samurai.
Title: Re: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: freefeet on November 11, 2009, 03:50:00 PM
QuoteOriginally posted by Greg Owen:
[QB] Yes this sound is a twang and vibration caused. I have synthetic yarn silencers (I think its synthetic) at the 1/4 points.
Try some at 1/3 as well.  The 1/4 won't stop the even harmonics cause the 1/4 is the node.
Title: Re: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: amar911 on November 11, 2009, 06:49:00 PM
You will get that twang with the carbon backed bows. With my carbon backed Shrew I went with wool string silencers and it took away most of the noise. I have also used cat whiskers with good results. I'm not sure you will get the bow as quiet as one without carbon. I have also found that the vibration is a higher frequency, probably because of the modulus of the carbon fiber. Short fibers on the silencers seem to work well with the higher frequencies. The noise levels do not seem too high to me once you get the string silencers placed well. Good luck.

Allan
Title: Re: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: wihill on November 11, 2009, 06:50:00 PM
I had a carbon Shrew that sounded different also - definitely a higher pitched sound than I was used to with my glass/wood bows.  Not any louder than them, just a different pitch.  I believe it's just a trait of the carbon.
Title: Re: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: NomadArcher on November 11, 2009, 07:58:00 PM
The bows I had with carbon limbs were prone to have a higher pitched sound too. One thing that worked for me was serving my silencers on the string so that I could move them as I was shooting the bow. Some bows like the silencers closer to the tips. Good luck on silencing your bow, I prefer I very quiet bow too and always use silencers on my Hill  :)

Ken
Title: Re: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: BowMIke on November 11, 2009, 09:27:00 PM
Greg,
I bet if you sent it to me you would never hear another sound out of it!
I imagine it is a great shooter.
I would try Bow Hush and the higher brace.
Title: Re: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: Greg Owen on November 12, 2009, 10:21:00 AM
It seems to be fine now. I changed to beaver balls or something like that and added a strp on bow quiver. The quiver seems to act as limb vibration damepeners. No more vibrations just a nice low plunk sound now. Thanks for all the ideas!
Title: Re: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: Java Man on November 12, 2009, 12:32:00 PM
Greg,

Your bow quiver must be slid up onto the fadeouts as far as possible.  You do not want it on the working part of the limbs.

I just finished a 58" Super Shrew with foam core, carbon, camphor veneers over the carbon, and thin clear glass over the veneer.  Its 52#@28".  I was shooting some 10gpp arrows and the bow had a litttle noise.  I added some 1/2 size cat whiskers, and its darn near dead quite now.  

Java Man
Title: Re: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: Greg Owen on November 12, 2009, 01:18:00 PM
Thanks, thats good info. Now for the big question, is that bow for sale? Sounds great!
Title: Re: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: Java Man on November 12, 2009, 01:24:00 PM
Greg,

Only if the guy I just mailed it to, wants to sell.  I'm thinking probably not.  :bigsmyl:
Title: Re: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: Greg Owen on November 12, 2009, 01:58:00 PM
Oh well, I tried.  But I am really thinking I'd like a Model-T someday.  I hate making decisions.
Title: Re: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: akalhunt on November 12, 2009, 02:03:00 PM
Try a decron string with cat whiskers.  That might do the trick.
L Hunt
Title: Re: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: Irish on November 12, 2009, 05:31:00 PM
The bow is probably not for sale!   :bigsmyl:
Title: Re: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: Greg Owen on November 12, 2009, 05:54:00 PM
Wonder if the pkg could be intercepted at the Lenexa KS post office??? Congrats on a fine bow Irish.
Title: Re: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: Rod in SC on November 12, 2009, 05:59:00 PM
Greg,

 The bow you have is the bow I ordered from Ron.  When I had it the best way to get it quiet was to put the small limbsavers right where the fadeout meets the limb core.  The carbon/foam core has a tuning fork effect and the limbsavers take it right out. It is a great bow I just like longer bows better.
Rod
Title: Re: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: Ron LaClair on November 12, 2009, 08:35:00 PM
I've been using 6 strand 450+ strings on my Shrews for a long time. After trying many other types of strings this is what John and I concluded was the best for the Shrew bows.

Cat whiskers applied to the string about 11 to 12" below the loops seem to work the best.

Take one of the strips, cut it in half,lay it on the string and wrap it on with serving thread or dental floss.

  (http://www.shrewbows.com/rons_linkpics/Cat_whiskers%201.JPG)

Pull the rubber taunt and clip the ends with scissors. You'll end up with what I call porcupine balls.      

  (http://www.shrewbows.com/rons_linkpics/Cat_whiskers%202%20.JPG)
Title: Re: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: 7eyes on November 12, 2009, 09:35:00 PM
Carbon has a higher frequency. I've never liked it much on the outer limb. I like putting it under a .020 veneer and thin glass, will temper the noise without detriment to the carbon benefit. Riser material and tiller also contributes. And moving the string silencers around until you find the depression in the harmonic wave (string theory) will dampen the frequency. Like others have said.

  or you can go to more AC/DC concerts and the bow will be as silent as a sleeping mermaid.
Title: Re: Quieting a carbon Shrew bow
Post by: Greg Owen on November 12, 2009, 11:35:00 PM
I am trying Ron's suggestion. My porcupine balls don't look as good as his though. I just might have to order one of the 6 strand 450 strings.  I sometimes wonder why I worry so much about noise. I don't hunt and my target butts don't care. And I have a hard time telling if the noise is the bow or the arrow impacting the target. This bow shoots fast..