Found a really nice muskrat skin at a good price, so I thought I would try my hand at some fur silencers for a couple of my bows.  It is probably just a matter of practice, but I'm having difficulty making them look decent.  I keep getting a spiral staircase look instead of the uniform ball of fur.

How wide/long do you cut the strips, and are there tricks of the trade for the installation?  Thanks!

On each wrap make sure you have them as close to each other as possible with as tight a wrap as well. Cut them 3/8" to 1/4" wide. I think three rivers has a short how to video on installing them as well. As with most fur or wool type silencers, after some shots they will fill out even for you.

Good Luck

I cut mine about 1/4" wide and about 4" long.Untwist or seperate the string.I put a 1/4" between the strands retwist string then wrap aroung string making sure to go in the same direction as the string is twisted.I wrap with the fur on a bit of a diagonal from the string in the direction you are going, make sure you keep the fur back towards the start so it doesn't go under the hide to keep it looking like a ball. Wrap it tight and when you have about a 1/4" left tuck it back in between the strands and pull it tight. Clear as mud?
Denny

http://www.3riversarchery.com/3rdemos3.asp#16

I drop the brace height about 1/2 inch, dunk them in a glass of water and get them good and wet. Wrap them in the direction that the string is twisted and then when I get them on I twist the string back up to reset the brace. This tightens them up alittle bit more. Much easier to work with them wet, doesn't trap alot of the fur underneath them which gives you that "spiral staircase" effect. After a few shots they dry out. Then I take a pair of scissors and trim up the guard hairs you'll have sticking out to get them a nice uniform size. Works for me.

                   

Yellow Dog.. I'm going to have to try your water trick.  Never thought of that.

Rufus 25, when you're dealing with fur all over the place and a little bit of string wax, putting them on dry can be a real bear! Wet really works well.

Thanks for all the advice!

cool idea yelloew dog

So... which way is the fur going when you start? The ends of the hairs point back the the spot you started at or pointing towards the end you're finishing at?

NorCalHunter, I think the ends go in the direction of the wrapping. At least that is the way it looks on my Beaver wraps. The directions that came with my "Beaver Balls" says to soak them first before wrapping. I wrap mine with the bow unbraced. I do it this way so I can work the beaver up and down as neede to get a tight fit.
Being somewhat cheap I use them agian by wetting them and removing from old string. On my longbows they do not seem to wear out so why throw them away?