I have always liked Woolie Whisers. Who uses Yarn? Does it work as well? Do you use a special kind? How do you do it? Thanks. BILL
I buy mine at any local craft store. I also always buy wool yarn for added durability.
I wrap about 15 times around my hand, leaving long tails on each end. I slide the looped bundle off my hand, split the string, insert.
Now you have the loops on both sides of the string. I then use the tails to tie series of knots on both sides the the yarn bundles for added security.
String the bow up, shoot a few arrows, then snip the loops with a pair of scissors.
One bundle of yarn will do 30 to 50 strings for only $8.00
Wool yarn here!
The yarn I have is pretty skinny so I wrap 30wraps around all four fingers.
Then I tie the bundle together in the middle with a piece of serving thread.
Then I split the string and put half the silencer and one of the tag end of the serving thread thru the string.
Then I tie a square knot arond the string using the two ends of the serving thread that I tied the bundle together with.
Then I string the bow and use scissors to cut all the loops on both sides of the string.
Then go shoot. The silencer will puff out into a nice little puffball.
Trim it up with the scissors to make a nice, neat string silencer.
Bisch
Wool yarn from Michaels Craft store.
I use yarn all the time. Pretty much any kind will work but they say Merino Wool or fishermans wool work best for shedding water etc. I cut a plastic coat hanger. I then wrap wool yarn around it around 22-24 times . I then tie it in the middle with string material or serving material. Take it off the hanger and insert it into your string. I then take and cut the loops on the ends of yarn and start shooting. They will puff up and get round. If need be trim them to the shape you want.
(http://i1204.photobucket.com/albums/bb417/duffer1565/2013-04-01103429_zps4a5d5388.jpg) (http://i1204.photobucket.com/albums/bb417/duffer1565/2013-04-01103506_zps3ba314ed.jpg) (http://i1204.photobucket.com/albums/bb417/duffer1565/2013-04-01103622_zps5fad96e6.jpg) (http://i1204.photobucket.com/albums/bb417/duffer1565/2013-04-01103707_zps6673962c.jpg) (http://i1204.photobucket.com/albums/bb417/duffer1565/2013-04-01103724_zps03471b12.jpg) (http://i1204.photobucket.com/albums/bb417/duffer1565/2013-04-01103848_zpse741fb7c.jpg)
Hope it helps.
Good Idea! :thumbsup:
That's slick! Thanks for sharing that one!
I used to run yarn puffs on every bow, here is a tip; if you can't feel the lanolin in the wool it will soak up water. If this is all you have access too, give it a good coating of Scotch Guard after they've been shot in a little.
Personally I've migrated to natural wool (bow hush/two tracks felted)
Thom
Wool-Ease. You can get it at any fabric store. It's an acrylic wool blend that does a pretty good job of shedding water when out in the elements. Install the same way as mentioned above. There is a post on the how-to section by apex predator that shows it step by step.
Yarn is all I use any more--haven't found wool yarn any better than acrylic either. Guess we just think wool is the way to go to stay traditional. :D My finished puffs look just like duffer's. I make about 12-15 wraps around a credit card to form my bundle, stick it between the string bundles at 1/4 distance down the string (that's where a major sound node is--also one at 1/3), then serve it on both sides with a bit of dental floss to hold everything in place when unstrung, and cut the loops and trim up a bit to make it nice and round. Takes just minutes. One ball of yarn will make scads of silencers.
I like the coat hanger idea!!! Thanks for sharing.
I have been using yarn ever since Bisch told me how to make silencers his way. They work great and they are very easy to put together.
This is the wool yarn I use. I have been using it for years.
http://www.yarnmarket.com/yarn/Rowan-Yarn-Drift-Yarn-7054.html
spun and dyed in Italy of 100% merino wool. Really good wool,
I get the Driftwood color. It's great stuff. I just wrap it around my fingers 8 times tie it with fishing line and put it through my string and tie. Cut every loop and pluck string, then shape it to the size you want. One ball of yarn will last you a life time.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v462/Cbireley/IMAG00751_zps1546abd3.jpg)
You can also wrap your string with it.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v462/Cbireley/IMAG00761_zps88e787d2.jpg)
I have done the same as above, but I will tell you thee is yarn, and then there is good yarn. I have not been able to find any heavy wool yarn as nice as that which Terry sells as Bow Hush or Hush Puppies. That is some nice material he uses.
Two penny nails in a 6" piece of 2x4 about 3.5" apart. Lions Brand Fisherman's Wool for 30 tight wraps in a figure eight. Tie off in the center with fastflight serving material. By wrapping in a figure eight the center is bunched up tight to tie off. Cut them off with a pair of scissors and trim to size.
Excellent idea with the figure eight.
I use "fishermans" wool.
been using wool yard for about 3 years, bought a bunde at the hobby lobby for about $7. still have enough to make countless string silencers.
duffer that's a great idea with the coat hanger.
YellowDog,
I have always made mine with the plastic close hanger method but will try that figure 8 idea...I never liked the center being so heavy or thick cause it will leave the string lays a little open
but your idea makes sense and I'll try that on my next batch...Thanks!
Keefers <><
Craig,
Can you share your method on how you wrap your string ends?
I use Wool-Ease thick and quick brand yarn. It's a wool/acrylic blend yarn that I buy at Wal-Mart and Michaels. I'm like duffer, I use a couple U shaped jigs that I made from a metal coat hanger. I also tie mine in the middle with some 10# spiderwire fishing line. 10-12 wraps is plenty with this thick yarn, make a perfectly round ball after a few shots.
I have used the coat hanger trick and wrap around a card trick but settled on a round POM POM maker jig which makes a perfectly round ball from 1" to 3"...wrap 2 to 3 ft of yarn or what I use 100% wool around and thru jig and cut around the guide and tie dental floss around and take off and insert into string and all done..might take 3 minutes longer to make but has added benefits for me and you can make one at home or buy in craft store like I did for a couple bucks and re use time after time..I have 1 string that I did 2" round puffs in the 4th location and small 1" round puffs in the 3rd location...looks cool and very quiet
I went and bought a roll of camo colored 100% virgin wool this afternoon and came home and started making silencers with the plastic hanger jig that Duffer suggested and it works great!!! They turn out perfect and its sooooo easy. I can make a pair of silencers in a couple minutes. Perfect puff balls! And they work, installed a pair on one of my Hill bows and its dead silent now.
Wool puffs will certainly silence a bow, but we have LOTS of burrs/beggars lice where I hunt. The bottom puff soon becomes a matted mess, so I generally stay with cat whiskers. How do you guys manage to use yarn without this happening?
Russ,
That just adds that "Rustic look" to it :D
Just kidding but I just pull out what I can and a afro pic might help in combing it out...Not sure if that's the correct name for the pic but it's those really thick combs...Worth a try if you like to try and save a Puff...
It was literally so easy and quick to make a puff using the hanger method that I don't see burrs/damage being a problem. Plus the roll of yarn for 5.99 will last aeons.
Well when your out and about the mountain and the puffs load up with grass seed, dont be surprised if you miss your mark by a pinch when you shoot. I too have had to cut them off because they will get like a pine cone. Before it opens..
For shooting foam they are nice.
Lou
yarn from wally world is all i use anymore
Bow Hush and Hush Puppies. :thumbsup:
Looks like I'm heading out to get some yarn!
Nails, wood, and a figure eight will be my ticket as well.
This is all good info.
Thanks.
Yarn is all I use. The way I do it is wrapping a playing card with the yarn and then sliding it between the string bundles and then cut both sides and slide the card out and then string the bow and use a wire dog hair brush to fluff them up and seperate the yarn threads and trim them to shape with sissors. The dog brush seperates them well and makes them really thick
I use 100% wool yarn it works great.
Plucking your string a few times periodicity keeps burrs and matting to minimum.
QuoteOriginally posted by macksdad:
I use 100% wool yarn it works great.
Same here. Made a mistake on the first ones by not using enough loops, but the second set turned out great. Took a while for them to fuzz out like I wanted, though.
QuoteOriginally posted by Zbone:
Plucking your string a few times periodicity keeps burrs and matting to minimum.
You obviously don't have beggar's lice (stick weed)in your area. You could pluck your string until you wear it in half and those little buggers wouldn't let go.
I use wool yarn. Wrap it around the three largest fingers of my left hand 24 times. Tie it in the center, spread the (unstrung) threads of the bowstring into halves and slip the wool in, then snip the loops on both "sides". They was the thread well and twist the Puff in. After a dozen shots it will be a nice ball.
Spencer contributed the last wool and THE ADMIRAL (my wife) spun the yarn.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Stumpkiller/Bowhunting/HPIM2656.jpg)
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30coupe - "You obviously don't have beggar's lice (stick weed)in your area."
Nope, haven't a clue what those are, but we have different kinds of burrs around here that seem to jump from a distance like a flea or tick and the plucking of string will work...8^) Especially after a practice shot or two with a judo or blunt.
Stumpkiller - Cool, but I'd like to see a how-to on spinning that yarn from raw wool...8^)
Just saw a post where the guy was using B50 for a silencer material? That is a new one on me. BILL
We have the beggar's lice and cockle-burrs down here in the valley, and an even-more-troublesome weed seed in higher elevation clear cuts and burns; plucking the string will not get them out, but a metal dog comb will.
Was at a sports show recently and bought a mitt for $20 that removes burrs. Kinda looks like the fuz side of velcro.... Can't remember the name and thankfully haven't had the chance to use it yet, but in the demonstration it worked good. The selling part for me was when they showed it removing burrs off dogs.
This is great information, thanks for sharing.
Wool is great stuff and as good as quiet gets - water isn't a problem since a little pluck on the strung string will chase it away, however, burrs are a different story.
Do you use yarn but have no preference as to wool or synthetic. I've found they both work equally well.
Well I just got back from Hobby Lobby. I purchased 100% Wool Yarn, Cocoa color. I am know fixing my Plastic Hanger. Thanks for posting your ideas. :bigsmyl:
Try not cutting the ends to make em fray. They last longer and still form a ball. I don't cut mine anymore.
QuoteOriginally posted by Zbone:
Stumpkiller - Cool, but I'd like to see a how-to on spinning that yarn from raw wool...8^)
You have to talk to the wife about that. $25 to get them sheared, pick out the "skirting" to remove the worst of the soiled wool, then wash the fleece twice in super hot water, both times picking out the "VM" (vegetable matter - hay & straw), dry it on screening in between, then card, then spin, then ply the individual threads into yarn.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Stumpkiller/DSCN0301_zpsb19c8885.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Stumpkiller/DSCN0118_zps795f62bd.jpg)
A lot of work for string silencers, but the satisfaction of doing it yourself is worth it in the end. ;-)
Though, there are other benefits. Yum.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Stumpkiller/DSCN0750_zpsc5aa69aa.jpg)
Thanx for sharing Charlie...
Dang, that works great.