Wool? Cat Whiskers? Bowjax? Muskrat? Etc.?
Please feel free to elaborate on the what, why, and how...
100% wool yarn
Every bowyer I have spoken to over the years on this subject say the same thing "CATWHISKERS". That is what they recommend. I will admit it is what I use the most. I have a little trouble serving them tight on skinny strings. Sometimes I will put them in between the strands of the string. Lately I have been using Bow Hush with GREAT results. Do not know how the wet weather will effect them. I put them on my MOAB and WOW!
I like beaver or Twotracks wool silencers.
I like the looks of the beaver on most bows and it does a good job when you get it spun up tight and in the right spot.
The Twotracks silencers are about as easy to install and effective as you can get.
I'm with J.T., 100% wool yarn, but I do use catwiskers on occasion.
Grouse
Hush Puppies for me
Two Tracks wool silencers work for me.
George
Wool scallops from Chuck at Two Tracks. Too easy to install, each pair will outlast several strings....and work exceptionally well.
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I've always used Heavy Duty Catwhiskers. Simple, easy to install and effective.
Wool Yarn Balls, Homemade.
I use cat whiskers,woolie puffs and my homemade alpaca wool yarn puffs.Used some beaver balls or mink on a couple of selbows,just looks like they go with selfbows.
I love the look of fur and it does a great job. I has a big beaver hide tanned years ago so I've probably got a lifetime supply to cut strips from.
The Musk ox ones are beautiful, and seem to work great! They are expensive though, so the cat whisker rubber ones go on all my other bows.
I think cat whiskers probably work the best but I also think they are ugly. Wool works well and looks better.
Lately I've been using otter fur strips from 3Rivers, they look nice on my bow and even though they might not work as well as rubber cat whiskers work well enough for me.
Homemade wool yarn puff balls, make them any size u want.
Whiskers.
I too am a fan of cat whiskers tied on outside of string.
Two tracks are outstanding as well.. Very easy to install and very effective...
Homemade wool yarn. Can't beat the price, and they look and work great.
I like fur, when wound tightly around string they work pretty well.
Beaver Balls.
Tried em all, alway's come back to cat whiskers, make mine so they end up like a little round ball, 1 3/4 long
I use two muskox balls and two cat whiskers on the strings, two limb savers vibration dampeners on the limb, felt in the string grooves, she is sooo quite.
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Great timing on this.
Today I experimented with my dwyer dauntless shooting exactly 10gpp. Started with the wool yarn puffs already on an 8 strand SBD string at the 1/4 marks. Went to one set of whiskers at 1/4, then 1/3, then two whiskers at both 1/4 and 1/3, then one set at 1/4 on top and 1/3 on the bottom. Picked up some limb saver leeches and put all four on...
Maybe it was the cold temps making the leeches stiff, but they were easily the loudest with the most vibration! Moving the brace down actually helped some, but I was disappointed because I thought for sure they would really work well.
This bow is a bit touchy on the sound. The firefly longbow I have in the classifieds is super quiet no matter what's on the string or where the brace is. After today I'm thinking maybe I should just keep it!
Whiskers are going back on this bow, one set at 1/4 on top and 1/3 on the bottom.
QuoteOriginally posted by Keith Langford:
Tried em all, alway's come back to cat whiskers, make mine so they end up like a little round ball, 1 3/4 long
Keith
Any pics or tips?
For looks: muskrat fur
For performance: catwhiskers
My solution:
I keep TWO hunting strings tuned in to my bow that are brand new with catwhiskers on them, that way I have two new strings for when it counts. When hunting, one goes on the bow and the other in my day pack.
Throughout the week I practice and keep my bow stringed up with an old "hunting string" using muskrat fur.
This method has three great benefits:
1) It gives me the look I want during practice and throughout the year and makes my "worn out" string easily distinguishable between my hunting strings that I know are in perfect condition.
2) This gives me the best performance (from a new string) when hunting AND ensures that I have a backup that is also a new string for when it counts.
3) In the times that I need to use one of my backups or hunting strings because my main one gets nicked or worn out, I STILL have a backup so there isn't anything that can ruin my trip or hunt.
I really like the Navajo wool silencers that Jim Neaves sells. They wear like iron and I love the way they look.
Beaver fur strips when put on properly work and look great. Use them on all my long bows!
Wool Yarn I do myself!
Catwiskers
Navajo wool for me also....cat whiskers are my second choice.
size 64 rubber bands. Size 32 will work in a pinch. A whole pack costs about a buck or two.
I loop the band around the string and run it back through itself, cinching it up like a necktie (sort of). My dad showed me this way, way back in the day.
Wool scallops from two tracks.
Yarn puffs , Coyote hair puffs. Lots of stuff will work.
Without a doubt
http://www.bowhush.com/
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
fur has a definite cool factor, but rubber whiskers work better for me. I have made some from mink fur( I have a whole bag full of mink from a thrift store)
They look cool but didn't work as well as cat whiskers. Whiskers are also very cheap. if you buy them in bulk from a fishing tackle supply store you can get a 5 foot long piece for less than 2 bucks enough to make 8-10 pairs.
QuoteOriginally posted by Guru:
Without a doubt
http://www.bowhush.com/
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Ditto. Bow Hush and Hush Puppies on all receives. Hush Puppies only on all longbows.
Fur, I use beaver or mink. Cheap and easy to make and they work.
Hands down, wool scallops from Two tracks. Second place would go to wooly whispers. So I guess I'll say wool.
Hush Puppys are the bomb.
More and more I've been using rubber string leaches. Quiets the bow, very little loss in fps, and most importantly to me, are impervious to the effects of wet weather.
When I shot long bows...homemade wool yarn, for recurves...whiskers and yarn wrapped loops. This has been debated here and other sites so much that I think we could entertain the possibility that "one size may not fit all". While many materials can be entirely adequate across the board, when you start considering harmonics of recurves vs. long bows, refex vs. deflex, string materials, # of strands, split vs. 3U, brace height, tuning and individual form idiosyncracies (and more factors I don't have time to list)I'd be stunned if some materials didn't outshine others for a given combination. Unfortunately, it may only be that one. Obviously, none of us are going to live long enough to do objective, controlled scientific testing covering all the exponential combinations of above listed variables, even if only half of them are relevant. So, feel free to tinker with yours and, like the snowflake, take comfort in the fact that there's not another exactly like it, lol!
I used cat whiskers for several years now I'm using Beaver Fur.
Otter fur strips
I make my own puffs with Wool-Ease, a wool/acrylic blend yarn. I treat them with Water Shed to weather proof them. Water Shed is a dry fly treatment. They work and look excellent.
Wool yarn puffs.
100% wool yarn
Muskox was my favorite for utility as well as cool factor until I tried bowhush. Just as good for a fraction of the price.
100% wool yarn puffs or muskrat, I like muskrat because the leather is thin and adds less weight.
Wool, wool, wool. I have liked the look of the Navajo Silencers until the price doubled recently-- woolly whiskers, Bowhush, Musk Ox--all work well. Best Buy is still Bowhush.
I second the alpaca "fur/fleece", but, it picks up every burr and even dried weed leaves etc. So, early season I use catwhiskers, then when it's colder and the leaves and weeds are down and the sound of the shot isn't getting absorbed by foliage I'll use the alpaca, I think it's quieter. And, I've been using a Kanati strap on quiver that I swear helps absorb vibration/sound.
Homemade yarn balls. Cheap, easy and alot colors to choose from.
Cat whiskers.
Just plain old 100% wool. If getting fancy, the Navajo wool Jim Neaves sells. Don't mind a rubber whisker on occasion either.
For a while I was ok with the homemade yarn, but I have a bow that is particularly loud, Beaver fur muffled it pretty darn good !
I tried moth balls, but they didn't work too good. :dunno:
Homemade yarn balls. Any works ok but like Merino wool the best .
Wool for me. I like the way in works and looks.
wool yarn
Wool yarn for relatively quiet bows, Hush Puppies when more silencing is required.
Cat Whiskers. Impervious to weather. Plenty of colors to choose from...and they work.
Rubber whiskers is what I prefer but some bows need a bit more then I switch to hush puppies.
I have used fur, yarn, and Cat Whiskers and all have worked very well.
The hare off my. Golden lab. That passed one year ago this month. Saved it when brushing her.
I use cat whiskers, buy them in several foot legnths from a wholesale fishing rod company and have plenty for years and years. The most effective durable and economic silencer you can get in my 30 plus years experience.
I plucked some fuzz off a dozing Sasquatch last year- works pretty good.
Definitely cat whiskers
http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/skirt-making-material/366200.aspx
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