What kind of string silencers does everyone use? I have thought about just using the yarn puff balls. I have also thought about the "beaver balls". I will be putting these on a Bear Kodiak Mag. Thanks.
Home made wool yarn puffs for me. One skein of yarn lasts me years.
Bisch
beaver or mink
The wool puff balls work very well, and it doesn't take much. I've been using inch plus long pieces of leather boot lace soaked in Pitch Blend. Just slip them between the bundles or strands and serve in place if needed. They work great and last forever.
I just got some wool I think "scallops" from two tracks and they are real nice. They work really well.
Bow hush and Hush puppies. They took a bow with a twang to a very dull thump...
Rubber cat whiskers. Less affected by burrs and weather for me.
Muskrat or mink work best for me ... but hush pupies are incredible as well. My Sunset Hill requires none and that is awesome!
Bob.
I make my own out of cheap yarn. I nail 2 nails in a piece of wood about 3in. apart. Then wrap few strands of yarn around nails. Then tie in middle with bow string material. Then cut yard close to nails, both ends.
I also like rubber cat whiskers. They weigh very little and aren't a problem in inclement weather. If you have a chance, read Fred Eichler's "The Traditional Way" column in the Feb/Mar issue of Bowhunter called "Don't Get Surprised".
In order to avoid complications with "puffs" in bad weather, he switched to rubber silencers. He shows a picture of why he changed. Makes sense to me.
Bernie Bjorklund
NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin
cat whiskers is my favorite but if I do my own here I use yarn
Wool puffs. Not just home-made, but we raised the sheep and THE ADMIRAL spun the yard as well. ;-)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Stumpkiller/DSCN0210.jpg)
:archer:
QuoteOriginally posted by Bisch:
Home made wool yarn puffs for me. One skein of yarn lasts me years.
Bisch
X2
Also use the felt silencers from Two Tracks on a couple bows.
Rubber cat whiskers here. They seem to work very well on my Grizzly and longbow.
I like musk ox the best but they are very expensive.
Rusty
The wool silencers from Two Tracks work real well and look good too.
George
The Two Tracks silencers really work well for me on my long bows and recurves. I've tried everything from cat whiskers to beaver fur and river otter fur and the Two Tracks are by far the most quiet, easy to install and maintain. (I've not tried musk ox or yak yarn, though!)
I make mine by cutting strips of felt and making 4 bunches in my strung. Havent changed the first set yet but I found a new material I want to try
I don't use "beaver's balls" anymore..Switched to hush puppies. Like how they look and work great.
Even though I originally didn't like the looks of cat whiskers I have been converted. I now prefer them to yarn or fur. I am particular of how I tie them on though, I hate when they are all long and dangly like a limp daddy-long-legs. I like mine tight and bushy and symmetrical.
Here is a great video of how to tie on the cat whiskers in a really nice way. It's where I learned. Video done by a trad ganger Ryan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyGuPxe1BMA
I prefer the cat whiskers now cause they are much more resilient to the weather and getting smashed etc. Plus I compared the weight to my wool ones and they are lighter.
I make them from yarn or cut fleece like the old tarantulas. 2 Tracks has a good one and Bow Hush is very good stuff also.
Been using Hush Puppy's which are great, and I just got a couple sets of Two Tracks wool silencers and they are impressive.
Muskrat fur
I bought a bunch of Two Tracks new silencers at Kalamazoo. The easiest silencer to install I've ever used, and works very well.
Gregg
Bow jax
Whiskers are my favorite but I'm not 100% satisfied with them on a bow that I shoot the best.
Based upon using some wool yarn ones that came on a bow I traded for, I'm thinking I might try those on this particular rig. The bow has a metal riser and it seems a bit noisier than my wooden ones.
My vote definitely goes to rubber cat whiskers. Not effected by weather conditions, and they do a better job of silencing than anything else I've come across. As said above, tie 'em nice and tight, and they'll look like this:
(http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y432/Zgdavis1392/1360028810617_zps413be310.jpg)
Or go between the bundles of string, and you'll get this:
(http://i1274.photobucket.com/albums/y432/Zgdavis1392/1360028850255_zpsc6e9427b.jpg)
Beaver string silencers work great. If you are going to be in inclement weather you can spay them with fly fisherman's spray. I'v never had a problem, but I also don't hunt in the rain but once in a blue moon.
On longbows I like the kind of wool you get in fly shops for big flies. It does tend to absorb some water if your in a downpour though but man does it make a bow quiet. On my recurves I use a material that I get around home that is similar to bow hush and then use pieces of beaver skin about 8" down from where the string touches the limb.
both Muskox and rubber cat whiskers on every string. Muskox is light, water proof and sound dampening, only complaint is don't use / use but expect clumping in bur country.
Wool yarn works great. I have used beaver balls too, wool seems to work as well.
All of my longbows all have the Two Tracks felted silencers.
My hybrid has yarn puffs that have been Scotch Guard'd.
My selfbow's new string is about to get some beaver balls.
I do have several backup strings with rubber cat whiskers on them but I don't seem to ever use them.
Thom
I have tried about everything many times and like wool puffs the best for quieting a bow/dampening string vibration.
Cat whiskers are nice if burrs are an issue to contend with.I like 2 sets of those done appropriatly and small.
I may have to try some of those 2 tracks silencers sometime.I have not tried those.They look good
Not a fan of the cats whiskers. In my opinion the beaver balls laced into the string work the best.
Just my two cents worth. At today's market that isn't worth much. :laughing: :laughing: