# BH 101 + String Silencing (and btw..catwhiskers blow)



## cossack (May 11, 2011)

And now the ole' nock point......

Thank's for the yarn tip, I'm raiding the basket guarded by spouse as soon as I get home. Doubt she has camo, but ya never know.


----------



## Yohon (Aug 28, 2003)

Yeah...catwiskers "blow" wait till you get them pretty yarn poofs out in the rain one day and then see how good your bow tune is then!!!

Try takin a pair of catwiskers and cutting them in half so that you dont have such a long set and see what that does, should solve the tangle problem.


----------



## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

Yohon said:


> Yeah...catwiskers "blow" wait till you get them pretty yarn poofs out in the rain one day and then see how good your bow tune is then!!!
> 
> Try takin a pair of catwiskers and cutting them in half so that you dont have such a long set and see what that does, should solve the tangle problem.


oh boy...messed up again..completely overlooked that now every catwhisker owner in the world is gonna hate on me. LOL!

outside of that?...three things..

1. Most times i have sense enough to come in out of the rain.."most times"...and?

2. This isnt wool yarn..it's acrylic fibers..if they get wet ya just pop the string a time or two and you're good to go.

3. Like i said..the puffs are waaaaaay quieter than whiskers.

but?..to each their own i guess.


----------



## thorwulfx (Sep 26, 2011)

I've only tried cat whiskers on one bow, a reasonably quiet recurve to begin with. They worked great in that case. I don't know if there is any way that a fat fingered oaf such as myself could get them to look nice, but they did work. I have found that beaver fur works great, and is quite easy to put on the string. Most recently, I've tried taking an 8" length of 1/8ths rope with the core removed and serving it onto the string (as seen in my Sequoia video). I've been pleased with the performance, and think they look kinda neat. Plus, again, nearly free. I was going to try some yarn, but didn't have any in the house, and the polypro rope material is waterproof. _(I should mention that the 8" segment mentioned above is folded in half, served, then cut on the folded end, so that you end up with four segments of 2+ inch material when it unravels. The unraveling only takes about ten shots.)
_
I have yet to go into full brace height tuning mania. I tend to stop at "that looks fine". I think I can speak for many of us when I say that we find your intense experimental approach to your shooting to be interesting and fun to read about, Jinkster. The world needs guys who have to "test that theory".

Cheers,

Patrick


----------



## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

thorwulfx said:


> I've only tried cat whiskers on one bow, a reasonably quiet recurve to begin with. They worked great in that case. I don't know if there is any way that a fat fingered oaf such as myself could get them to look nice, but they did work. I have found that beaver fur works great, and is quite easy to put on the string. Most recently, I've tried taking an 8" length of 1/8ths rope with the core removed and serving it onto the string (as seen in my Sequoia video). I've been pleased with the performance, and think they look kinda neat. Plus, again, nearly free. I was going to try some yarn, but didn't have any in the house, and the polypro rope material is waterproof. _(I should mention that the 8" segment mentioned above is folded in half, served, then cut on the folded end, so that you end up with four segments of 2+ inch material when it unravels. The unraveling only takes about ten shots.)
> _
> I have yet to go into full brace height tuning mania. I tend to stop at "that looks fine". I think I can speak for many of us when I say that we find your intense experimental approach to your shooting to be interesting and fun to read about, Jinkster. The world needs guys who have to "test that theory".
> 
> ...


Cool Pat...and if ya liked that?...you're really gonna dig this because i forgot to mention that..

Decades ago...by accident..my competition partner and i (who were sponsored by the same shop and he wound up best man at my wedding) discovered by accident that...when we gently plucked a bowstring in front of a playing TV screen it acted like an ocilliscope and we'd get to watch our bowstrings do the hoola that the human eye could only see with a high speed strobe affect in the background...the playing TV set..it helped us gleen some interesting decisions and results..and through all this?...every step of the way?..i used that very method to check things out as to what did what and how well.

L8R, Bill.


----------



## JParanee (Oct 13, 2009)

I love tuning bows

I set my bows up like they will be hunted .

I start with everything on bow string silencers Etc. then I play with brace height till I can feel it in my hand and hear it in the bow 

Then I tune my arrows to the bow 

I like wool and fur 

Cat whiskers are better in the rain but I hate hunting in the rain


----------



## MAC 11700 (Feb 22, 2011)

Glad they work for ya...I use to use the rubber cat whiskers too...and always left them full length...my new string I had made..had a double set of them cut back to 2" and I didn't care for it at all.....Found that thread over there...and haven't looked back since..The old saying..." Silence is Golden " is very true when hunting...and these work really well...Wait till you get the rest of it on it...:wink:

Mac


----------



## thorwulfx (Sep 26, 2011)

Bill,

I found that you could see some really neat string movement if you used a video camera and slowed it down to about 1/5 speed, but I'd never thought of using the flicker of the TV refresh to see the oscillation of the string. That's a neat trick.


----------



## Bender (Dec 6, 2006)

Don't really much like cat whiskers either. They rally suck the life out of a bow. String leeches do a great job at silencing with minimal energy loss and being rubber they don't have the rain issue.
Heard of using the tv to tune a bow before. Set the brace height to get the string to show a nice stable sine wave. That way you can get the string vibrations to match a harmonic of the refresh rate on your tv screen. Personally I prefer tuning my bow and arrows to each other rather than tuning them to the tv.


----------



## Forrest Halley (Jul 24, 2011)

Late on the scene. I use bowjax. The archery voodoo target shooter guys said they worked really well and they do. From a guitar to a silent freight train catapult. I even went so far as to put them on my spare string. I also use (horrors!) Vibrake nocks on my 8 GPP arrows. Technology is cool. I'm starting new traditions!


----------



## trentcur (Feb 26, 2009)

Jinkster.............. a step by step to building those yarn balls would be really sweet:thumbs_up


----------



## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

trentcur said:


> Jinkster.............. a step by step to building those yarn balls would be really sweet:thumbs_up


Say no more..Here's a link..just scroll towards the bottom...

http://leatherwall.bowsite.com/TF/lw/thread2.cfm?forum=23&threadid=176715&messages=107&CATEGORY=1


----------



## rattus58 (Jul 9, 2007)

cossack said:


> And now the ole' nock point......
> 
> Thank's for the yarn tip, I'm raiding the basket guarded by spouse as soon as I get home. Doubt she has camo, but ya never know.


 Yarn and I found that braided nylon, very similar I'm sure except you don't get that freaked out cat look like you do with yarn... :grin: Didn't think about rain... another area that nylon might benefit...


----------



## sharpbroadhead (Feb 19, 2004)

There was actual scientific testing done with sound meters and the decibel levels were recorded and regardless of what anyone says - the cat whiskers were the quietest - but they are also among the heaviest. I prefer beaver fur myself - yarn does not last. The tests were published in TBM.


----------



## trapperDave (Mar 12, 2005)

ive got bows with fur and yarn. some of the yarn ones have thousands of shots thru them, never any issues of longevity for me.


----------



## rattus58 (Jul 9, 2007)

trapperDave said:


> ive got bows with fur and *yarn.* some of the yarn ones have thousands of shots thru them, never any issues of longevity for me.


 Or quiet either... :grin:


----------



## rogbo (Jan 2, 2004)

bowhush products have really impressed me.


----------



## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

Bender said:


> Don't really much like cat whiskers either. They rally suck the life out of a bow. String leeches do a great job at silencing with minimal energy loss and being rubber they don't have the rain issue.
> Heard of using the tv to tune a bow before. Set the brace height to get the string to show a nice stable sine wave. That way you can get the string vibrations to match a harmonic of the refresh rate on your tv screen. Personally I prefer tuning my bow and arrows to each other rather than tuning them to the tv.


Wasn't using the TV screen to match harmonics...just to check duration...and?...how much string action I was getting with rubber whiskers vs yarn puff balls...and could see why folks claim they use whiskers to tune...cause they need to!Lol

Also?...it's a given that the heavier whiskers will.slow things down..but mass in motion tends to stay in motion and I don't know what the tests say or how they were conducted but k do know what my own ears heard...hence the hardback title to this thread.


----------



## sharpbroadhead (Feb 19, 2004)

All silencers are used to tuning by those who fine tune - silencer position - no matter what kind of silencer - effects the tune - regarding longevity - it depens how much you shoot - I shoot pretty much every day and a lot of arrows each evening (except during the bow season) - cat whiskers last a long time and do do beaver fur silencers - yarn, woolies, tarantulas - etc... do not last anywhere near as long.


----------



## rattus58 (Jul 9, 2007)

sharpbroadhead said:


> All silencers are used to tuning by those who fine tune - silencer position - no matter what kind of silencer - effects the tune - regarding longevity - it depens how much you shoot - I shoot pretty much every day and a lot of arrows each evening (except during the bow season) - cat whiskers last a long time and do do beaver fur silencers - *yarn, woolies, tarantulas - etc*... do not last anywhere near as long.


 I love this.... another absolute ... when are you going to learn?


----------



## wtpops (Sep 18, 2005)

"All silencers are used to tuning by those who fine tune - silencer position - no matter what kind of silencer - effects the tune - regarding longevity - it depens how much you shoot - I shoot pretty much every day and a lot of arrows each evening (except during the bow season) - cat whiskers last a long time and do do beaver fur silencers - yarn, woolies, tarantulas - etc... do not last anywhere near as long."



rattus58 said:


> I love this.... another absolute ... when are you going to learn?


Is sharpboradhead's statement a absolute, i cant say but i have found the statement to be true for me. Also the first time i let go on a hog and the yarn puffs were full of water i thought i was going to drown Cat whiskers will hold a fraction of the water most other forms i have tried. The one that will not hold any water is the ones that the compound guys use that you install between the string and are great and the quietest i have ever used (on my bows) but my bows cut them in half in about 10 to 20 shots.

Use what you like and works best for you. Enjoy your shooting and remember to have fun.


----------



## JParanee (Oct 13, 2009)

I have found cat whiskers to work very well in silencing 

I cut them in half and use either tiny zip ties or I serve them on With the zip ties you can move them about pretty easy to further tune. 

Cat whiskers seem to slow the bow down a bit more for me than beaver fur or wool 

With that said all my bows have wool or beaver fur I just love the way they look and they work well enough for me 

Like I said I like to tune with everything on my bow that I will be hunting with 

I set up with quiver silencers and even the dreaded limb savers  if I am going to shoot that bow that way

I stArt with recommended brace height and start playing from there up down nock point etc. 

Then I start my bare shaft testing 

It's alot of fun for me and I hate when I don't have a bow to set up  


I love the way fur looks


----------



## Harperman (Sep 3, 2006)

Fella's.......I have two words for Ya......... MONKEY TAILS.......These little rubber doo-dads work amazing, are cheap, last forever, are easy to put on the string, can be moved up and down the string to optimize the effect, and give the most silencing VS. Arrow speed loss of anything that I've tried.....they wont hold a drop of water in the rain, can be put on or replaced in the field, and are about as no muss, no fuss of a string silencer as I've ever seen....They dont look real "Trad", but they sure do work well.....I've put these things on fella's bows at the bow shop, and they were amazed....These Monkey Tails are marketed by Mathews, and come in a variety of colors, in case the basic black doesn't look right for 'Ya....The acid test for me is the stock Hoyt GameMaster....They will even get this bow to an acceptable level of loudness....Monkey Tails and a hunting weight arrow will make a stock Dorado almost silent....And they will even get my 66" OLY. bow with carbon/foam limbs, and skinny(14 strands of 8125) string quiet....Give these little gems a serious look-see.......Take care.........Jim


----------



## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

JParanee said:


> I have found cat whiskers to work very well in silencing
> 
> I cut them in half and use either tiny zip ties or I serve them on With the zip ties you can move them about pretty easy to further tune.
> 
> ...


Well said....amen..and that's a beautiful looking rig ya got there brother!


----------



## JParanee (Oct 13, 2009)

Thx Jinkster it's a 3 piece Silvertip that I got this year 

Last of the old school camo limbs with cape buffalo horn tips And a checkered grip 



















Here it is with a Thunderhorn quiver. I just got a black Great Northern and that is what is riding on it now 

Please don't make fun of my sneakers they where on sale


----------



## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

Whelp?...you guys got me going now as i started doubting myself with all the wet weather horror stories with puffs of wether or not i wanted to R&R the catwhiskers off my Bob Lee and replace them with puffs as...it is my hunting bow...and while i never hunt in any monsoons?..i have been known to stay out in an all day drizzle..so?..after i got my nock point dialed and my fill of practice tonight?.out came the water glass...and i drenched'em both...as in...soaked...










(1) 2" pluck of the string blew 90% of the water off..the 2nd pluck had them back to full shape and fluffy again and the 3rd pluck actually had'em dry to the touch..my limbs got wet as the atlantic though! LOL!










both ends..











and?..not a problem..










So...Mr Lee will be getting his fresh shave and puffs by weeks end..for those of you who have had bad experiences with wool maybe?..i understand..but to note: this yarn i used is 100% acrylic fiber..and sheds water like a duck..i think 1/2 the water fell off when i picked it up..heck..i think i could shake'em dry in less than 3 seconds..so?..i'm a happy camper with the puffs cause did i mention?..they are super quiet. 

L8R, Bill.


----------



## sharpbroadhead (Feb 19, 2004)

rattus - learn what? to be like you - I think not. I can absolutely say that in the thousands and thousands of arrows I have shot over the last 20+ years that yarn silencers do not last as long as cat whiskers or as long as beaver fur - you bet I can say that with absolute certainty. I have tried the yarn, I have tried the woolie puffs, I have tried the felt tarantula's and none of these silencers held up as long as the cat whiskers or the beaver fur. Just like I can absolutely say that a band of titanium is stronger than a band of aluminum - I can say what I have said about these silencers - because I have tried them many times on many bows over the years. I have never gotten through one winter of shooting my two leagues and daily practice with any of the flet or yarn silencers - I am still using the same beaver fur from two years ago and they look the same as the day I got them - even as they are about to be put on their third string.


----------



## knotdodger (Oct 2, 2005)

Nice bow by the way. I don't use the catwhiskers either. I swore a deer seen them shaking once. hehehe
It's no joke....... 

Anyway , just spray some campdry or scotchgaurd on the yarn. Wool . 


Rob B.


----------



## MAC 11700 (Feb 22, 2011)

I have a bow that has wool puffs on them and has been on them for over 25 years..so...durability is up to the individual on this...This particular recurve I gave my Dad after he retired and he used it all over the Mid West...He didn't hunt deer with it...he gave that up for my Mom back in the late 60's...but did enjoy hunting small game with it...This bow has been through torrential downpours..blizzards...a couple of hurricanes..and just about every type of thickets and brier patches known to exist in 5 states around here..The hardest part about keeping them in good shape..is keeping beggar lice off of them...If there is any of that stuff around you...it will find it's way into them..so just make sure you check them occasionally...Camp Dry does works great on keeping them from getting soaking wet...but...as Jinkster has shown with the acrylic type of yarn...a quick pop on the string and you are good to go...I switched back to using actual wool yarn this year...and also wrapping the string as shown in the link here...My bow..even though not a very loud one to begin with..has improved greatly...as well as when I put my Delta 7 quiver attached to the riser..which I normally don't do...But...I know just how much vibration this quiver produces...and it does help quiet it down when used..I would need way to many of the rubber cat whiskers to accomplish the same thing...

What many here don't understand about sound deadening...it is the individual bow that will determine what is best...just as the placement of what ever you use..Some bows will respond better than others...some need more than others...some need less than others...Vibration or resonance of each bow is what you are trying to match..Every bow made has it's own amount of vibration...just as each stringed instrument has it's own..when the string is plucked and trying to match that vibration perfectly...The closer you match it...the quieter it is..so...you may need more...less..or any combination of the various types to accomplish this..

Quivers and quivers with arrows in them make this harder to do...I know this for a fact..Cat whiskers when applied correctly does indeed stop much of this..as does many of the other isolators/dampeners that are on the market...but many times..they also cause it as well when improperly positioned...Same for brush buttons used on the strings...They induce noise when hitting the limbs...but the big difference with cat whiskers...they are better when hunting in ice storms..downpours..or in places where they can pick up any hitch hikers...Personally...I don't hunt in the first 2 situations any more..and am careful for the 3 situation..Having extra made up is no big deal...and installing them isn't a issue either..The looks..and the results are worth any small extra amount of aggravation I get using them..

Mac


----------



## rattus58 (Jul 9, 2007)

rattus58 said:


> I love this.... another absolute ... when are you going to learn?





wtpops said:


> "All silencers are used to tuning by those who fine tune - silencer position - no matter what kind of silencer - effects the tune - regarding longevity - it depens how much you shoot - I shoot pretty much every day and a lot of arrows each evening (except during the bow season) - cat whiskers last a long time and do do beaver fur silencers - yarn, woolies, tarantulas - etc... do not last anywhere near as long."
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I've tried them all over the years from rubber bands, through catwhiskers, through all sorts of materials including some 8 or 9 years ago braided nylon cord which I use still. But your last line is the line that matters isn't it... Almost anything will work. Rain and materials, wool I'm sure would be a soggy experience.... but I've not been tempted to use anything but synthetics...

Aloha... :beer:


----------



## rattus58 (Jul 9, 2007)

sharpbroadhead said:


> rattus - learn what? to be like you - I think not. I can absolutely say that in the thousands and thousands of arrows I have shot over the last 20+ years that yarn silencers do not last as long as cat whiskers or as long as beaver fur - you bet I can say that with absolute certainty. I have tried the yarn, I have tried the woolie puffs, I have tried the felt tarantula's and none of these silencers held up as long as the cat whiskers or the beaver fur. Just like I can absolutely say that a band of titanium is stronger than a band of aluminum - I can say what I have said about these silencers - because I have tried them many times on many bows over the years. I have never gotten through one winter of shooting my two leagues and daily practice with any of the flet or yarn silencers - I am still using the same beaver fur from two years ago and they look the same as the day I got them - even as they are about to be put on their third string.


You'll never be like me.... I don't make absolute statements and your personal testimonials are only good for you.... no one else. I use nylon cord... and don't use anything else anymore.... but I'm not ready to say that it's for you. One thing I've learned about bow shooting, is that if you were using a mechanical machine to launch arrows, you might get closer to having one or two silencers you could say will do it... but shooting style, fingers or release make a difference too... and something else might work better. I've used catwhiskers... I don't dislike them, but I've found other stuff that works as well or maybe in the case of my Quillan, much better.


----------



## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

well?..i dunno about you folks but..back in the day?..on my compounds?..i usta go through at least 1 sometimes 2 sets of catwhiskers a year..as i used to have just 2 compounds..1 for NFAA paper punching and one for 3D & Hunting..and i was real happy the day a local pro shop owner approached me offering a sponsorship with a free annual bow (which became my 3rd and a dedicated 3D bow) cause till then?..a few weeks prior to hunting season i would put catwhiskers on and broadhead tune my hoyt vantage hunter then after hunting season?...and about 1/2 way through the 3D season?..1/2 my whiskers would be MIA...matter fact?..when i stipped the catwhiskers off this long'ishbow i've only owned for like 2 1/2 weeks?..close to 10% of'em were already snapped off like 1/8th too 1/4" above/below were they had been served on..so?..catwhiskers lasting longer than acrylic puffs?..that's a hard sell for me to buy..then again?..there's so many variables in this game who knows..maybe it's just that rubber dont last long in florida...or off of 80lb compounds shooting well over 300fps..who knows..but i do know this..the acrylic puffs work great on my longishbow..and if they ever do wear out and magically vaporize?..it'll cost me about 10 minutes and .000001 cents to replace them..and did i mention?...they're really quiet. LOL!...i mean..there's more than one way to skin a cat....LOL!..and?..."Silence Is Golden" :laugh:

L8R, Bill.


----------



## sharpbroadhead (Feb 19, 2004)

ROFL - did you ever have yarn on your compound? Try that out and see how many shots you get out of it - sheesh - I knew I should not have even posted on this thread - live and learn.


----------



## MAC 11700 (Feb 22, 2011)

sharpbroadhead said:


> ROFL - did you ever have yarn on your compound? Try that out and see how many shots you get out of it - sheesh - I knew I should not have even posted on this thread - live and learn.


Skeins of wool yarn to make the puff balls...as it is called.... has been used for years..by not only compound shooters...but traditional guys as well that build their own..Maybe you should listen to your inner voiice and not post stupid stuff like this if you don't know..

Mac


----------



## sharpbroadhead (Feb 19, 2004)

Mac - I know full well what these yarn balls are - I have used them - want a pic:








They do not last anywhere near as long as cat whiskers or beaver fur AND they are rarely if ever used on compounds - at least by any serious compound shooters of recent years. I have been to shoots with hundreds and hundreds of compound shooters and never have I seen one with yarn on thier strings for silencers - one should really think about who is posting "stupid stuff".


----------



## Harperman (Sep 3, 2006)

Fella's, Fella's, Fella's.......Does every thread have to come to this ??.....REALLY???.....C'Mon, guys, it's just a thread about string silencers, for goodness sake.....Not Politics, or Religion....Lets just bring this down a notch or two, and agree to disagree, without being disagreeable for a change, shall we??...Can't we??......I think that We can....I joined this website pretty much just for this Forum, and the Classifieds....I've been here a few years...Y'all wanna guess how many really knowledgeable Trad hunters and top-class Tourney shooters no longer post on here, because of this kind of on and on B.S??....A BUNCH, thats how many......I can list at least 10-15 of these folks off the top of my rattled head...Lets be Men for a few days, maybe??....Just to see how that will work out.....Take care......Jim


----------



## MAC 11700 (Feb 22, 2011)

sharpbroadhead said:


> Mac - I know full well what these yarn balls are - I have used them - want a pic:
> View attachment 1239953
> 
> 
> They do not last anywhere near as long as cat whiskers or beaver fur AND they are rarely if ever used on compounds - at least by any serious compound shooters of recent years. I have been to shoots with hundreds and hundreds of compound shooters and never have I seen one with yarn on thier strings for silencers - one should really think about who is posting "stupid stuff".


Sorry...your dead wrong...they are still used by plenty of people...wither you consider them "serious compound shooters" or not..and I could care less wither you have seen folks using them or not..They do..just not as many these days with all of the speed bows..

Mac


----------



## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

wow...you guys are some "dyed in the wool" (pun intended LOL!) trad shooters...arntcha?...cause it's obviously been quite some time since ya'll paid any real close attention to the wheelbows of recent day..as the vast majority (i'm guessing 90-95%) of'em sold are what is termed "Speedbows"...and just for example?..even though my omen is claimed to be the fastest production bow made?..it's ATA is a scant 33 5/8ths which is actually lengthy as compared to many others and at a static BH of 5 1/2"s?...there's only about 30"s of string between the wheels...with several speednocks consuming about 6"s of both ends..string stop serving...then add a peep sight and a D-Loop then add in the fact that the limbs are extremely preloaded with a rediculouse amount of static string tension and when...

Properly timed, tuned and damped?...it flat out doesnt need string silencers..but..

That definantly isnt gonna stop the guys with older model or out-of-tune bows from claiming they're the best thing since crackerjacks and it definantly isnt gonna stop the manufacturers of such .02 cents a piece mold injected eye candy from selling them for $20 with a plethora of test results to support their highly inflated profit margins. LOL!

Sorry guys..but you just ventured into an area i do know a little about on a good day..LOL!..which btw is a large part of why i'm so happy that i made the decision and commitment to transition into trad barebow...but it's arguments like these that at times make me question that decision cause to me?..

To use the arguement that you dont see modern compounds using yarn puff ball silencers?..is somewhere's between ignorance and insanity..or maybe a little of both. LOL!

anyways...chill...it really just boils down to personal choice and..i've made mine.


----------



## MAC 11700 (Feb 22, 2011)

I had them on a lot of compounds before Jinkster..and wouldn't hesitate to use them again on even a speed bow..I had plans on tying a smaller set on my speed bow a 60 lb Alpha Burner had I kept it.. and it had speed nocs on it from the factory..but decided to go on a sell it..Would they have lasted as long...as on a curve or long bow..probably not since the amount of movement through the cables and all...but that still wouldn't have stopped me from using them..Noise is still noise...even at or above 300 fps

Mac


----------



## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

MAC 11700 said:


> I had them on a lot of compounds before Jinkster..and wouldn't hesitate to use them again on even a speed bow..I had plans on tying a smaller set on my speed bow a 60 lb Alpha Burner had I kept it.. and it had speed nocs on it from the factory..but decided to go on a sell it..Would they have lasted as long...as on a curve or long bow..probably not since the amount of movement through the cables and all...but that still wouldn't have stopped me from using them..Noise is still noise...even at or above 300 fps
> 
> Mac


Oh i too have seen them in use on a ton of compounds years ago and yes..even back then there were some 80lb goliaths that shot up in the 300+fps range..and yes..many used yarn puffs..but i see no need for any silencers at all on these less than a yardstick long speedbows of today..leastways not if they're properly timed and tuned but?..see there?..my opinion may be skewed to the average compound shooter out there as well cause i have something on my omen that been "unobtanium" for 25 years now..something they were allowed to sell back then but has since been done away with via the EPA..a 6" stab that was named "The Neutralizer"....nothing more than a machined alum tube that contains "Liquid Mercury"...and workd so well at damping everything i designed and machined up a sidemount and wrist sling out of 7075 and 3/8ths derby rope...as follows..




























when i took it back into the pro a month after i bought it for the pro to chrono and make sure i wasnt breaking ASA speed rules?..the first time he shot it?..he turned to me and said..

"OMG...that is the smoothest quietest speedbow i've ever shot...what did you do to this thing?"

that's when i told him about the liquid mercury stab. LOL!

and when i asked him about string silencers?..as that was the only thing missing?..he flat out told me..

"you're wasting your money..that bow doesnt need'em..you have so much damping shid on there it's as dead to the ear as it is in the hand."

I agreed.


----------



## voodoofire1 (Jan 24, 2006)

"They do not last anywhere near as long as cat whiskers or beaver fur AND they are rarely if ever used on compounds"

Well OSB, I respectfully disagree, maybe it's because of the weights I shoot or the speeds, but catwhiskers, while one of the best silencers out there, I have found them to be inferior to fur or yarn ball silencers where durability is concerned, but I guess anything will work if your bow isn't very speedy.....and for the record........."even back then there were some 80lb goliaths that shot up in the 300+fps range..and yes..many used yarn puffs" .......I have an 80# "Monster"(not matthews) that shoots a 560 gr. arrow at 308-310fps.....and I use yarn balls because it blows the catwhiskers off in no time........ now how many of these new technological wonders produced today will throw an arrow that weight at those speeds...


----------



## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

voodoofire1 said:


> "They do not last anywhere near as long as cat whiskers or beaver fur AND they are rarely if ever used on compounds"
> 
> Well OSB, I respectfully disagree, maybe it's because of the weights I shoot or the speeds, but catwhiskers, while one of the best silencers out there, I have found them to be inferior to fur or yarn ball silencers where durability is concerned, but I guess anything will work if your bow isn't very speedy.....and for the record........."even back then there were some 80lb goliaths that shot up in the 300+fps range..and yes..many used yarn puffs" .......I have an 80# "Monster"(not matthews) that shoots a 560 gr. arrow at 308-310fps.....and I use yarn balls because it blows the catwhiskers off in no time........ now how many of these new technological wonders produced today will throw an arrow that weight at those speeds...


I fully agree w/ voodoo here...i still have my old 80# jennings carbon extreme xlr...it shot 28" long 2312's at 308fps at 78#'s and hit with so much energy?..i once had my friends cracking up laughing cause i blew a mckenzie javelina clean off it's stakes..during a match...thing has what jennings called "extreme cams"..sucker climbs to peak in about the first 3"s and stays there to the valley..i put catwhiskers on it..."once"...and that was one too many times and a waste of time and money. LOL!










took a lot of 3D trophys with that bow though..micro-tune steel cables and all! :laugh:

and in hindsight?..i prolly should've put yarn puffs on it..they were working for everyone else! :laugh:


----------



## trapperDave (Mar 12, 2005)

rattus58 said:


> I love this.... another absolute ... when are you going to learn?


He has already learned and knows it all...just ask him. LOL


----------



## trapperDave (Mar 12, 2005)

cat wiskers are rubber. Rubber degrades fairly quick when exposed to the elements. wiskers last about year tops for me. As stated earlier, i have bows with yarn puffs with thousands of shots and several years under their belts. to each his own. ymmv


----------



## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

trapperDave said:


> cat wiskers are rubber. Rubber degrades fairly quick when exposed to the elements. wiskers last about year tops for me. As stated earlier, i have bows with yarn puffs with thousands of shots and several years under their belts. to each his own. *ymmv*


if that stands for what i think it stands for?..i'm rotflmao right now cause..

i can relate.


----------



## voodoofire1 (Jan 24, 2006)

JINKSTER, I had a couple just like that, but my favorite was a target model CE, candy green with silver limbs and cams, but... it was [email protected] cranked down.. and I shot it that way too, sure killed a lot of deer with that old bow, but I gave it away shortly after my accident.....


----------



## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

voodoofire1 said:


> JINKSTER, I had a couple just like that, but my favorite was a target model CE, candy green with silver limbs and cams, but... it was [email protected] cranked down.. and I shot it that way too, sure killed a lot of deer with that old bow, but I gave it away shortly after my accident.....


yep..i recall those rocketships..pretty bows too..i hadta go with the xlr model though as i was a finger shooter and liked the couple extra inches 42.5 ATA?...and i had just come off a 40" 80# pearson spoiler..shooting fingers..with an overdraw..and promptly blew it up in about 9 months. LOL!


----------



## sharpbroadhead (Feb 19, 2004)

all these pics of compounds yet none with yarn - odd - whatever - shoot which ever silencer you want - they are cheep and there is not a hill of beans of difference between one or the other when placed in the right spot on a tuned bow.


----------



## voodoofire1 (Jan 24, 2006)

There is a difference...... for one ....fur or yarn will never launch a piece of thin rubber into your eyeball at the shot, and another... you don't have to wring out your cat whiskers in bad weather... they will still do their job when wet!.......now I may be mistaken, but those sure seem like differences to me no matter where on the string they're put.......

And I chose not to post a pic of my compound with yarn balls(on this TRAD forum by the way), not because it isn't trad, but because I get tired of answering questions about a bow that no one else can obtain....... see I don't just build one off kustoms, I own a few too....well to be exact... quite a few.......


----------



## Elgavilan (Feb 7, 2010)

Just an FYI, I have a Hoyt Buffalo with 40# limbs on it, cranked down they are 44# max. I had it tuned pretty well with GT 3555 trad arrows 30.5" long with 125 gr. field points, and 3 4" feathers at 44# draw weight and 28" draw. It shot a bare shaft very well, right with the fletched shafts out to 20 yards with no tail kick what so ever. The string had two rubber vibration dampeners that came with the bow each about 12" from the end of the string and two Black Widow string dampeners about 4" inward from the rubber dampener. I weighed the rubber dampener and it came in at 21 grains each, the BW came in at 12 grains each for a total of 66 grains on the string not counting nocks. I proceeded to remove all 4 of the existing dampeners and put on acrylic yarn puff balls similar to Jink's setup. The puff balls weighed in at 12 grains each, so I lost 42 grains off the string. Shot the bow with a bare shaft and it indicated a weak shaft. Went down from 125 gr. point to 100 gr. and still showing a little weak spine. Reduced the brace height from 8" to 7 3/8" and still just a tad weak on the spine, so I turned the limb bolts out 1/2 turn and bingo right on the money. Just for kicks, I shot the bow over the chrono and it went from 172 fps before to 180 fps after. The arrow went from 421 grains to 396 grains due to the lighter point. She is shooting great and is much quieter that before.

Mike


----------



## thorwulfx (Sep 26, 2011)

Just tried the same method that is used with the yarn, except with nylon linesman's twine. It works well, too, and is waterproof. They take around 50 shots to really puff up all the way, but it's just another method. I believe that anything that can carry the vibration away from the string would work, to some degree. Only the solid rubber ones even work on a different principle, as fur, wool, or any puffy silencer is just taking up the energy and carrying it outward along the strands until it dies. I suspect that it isn't a case for bloody religious warfare. Could be wrong, though.


----------



## trentcur (Feb 26, 2009)

JParanee said:


> Thx Jinkster it's a 3 piece Silvertip that I got this year
> 
> Last of the old school camo limbs with cape buffalo horn tips And a checkered grip
> 
> ...


I wouldnt have even noticed...... but I read that and laughted my ars' off..... thanks for the good laugh


----------



## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

trentcur said:


> I wouldnt have even noticed...... but I read that and laughted my ars' off..... thanks for the good laugh


They kinda match his fletchings a lil..butchu know them oh so spoiled shafer guys! LOL!

what i'm curious about is i dont know wether he's an LEO or an EMT but exactly how much emergency/survival gear does one need on ones belt when venturing out to the back patio for a photo op?. LOL!


----------



## JParanee (Oct 13, 2009)

Jinkster I wear a utility belt when I hunt 

Flashlight 
Leatherman 
Sheath knife 
Walkie talkie if I am hunting with others or doing drives etc.

If I am gun hunting cartridge holder also and rangefinder 

I have found that in the morning it is easier to grab chosen weapon and belt with stuff than dig around my pockets for junk 

This day just received new leather sheath from a custom maker and was taking pics for maker 

I usually don't hunt in yellow sneakers


----------



## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

JParanee said:


> Jinkster I wear a utility belt when I hunt
> 
> Flashlight
> Leatherman
> ...


LOL!...Just josh'in with ya bro...looks like ya got some awesome form going on there as well..then again?..

ya just gotta look good shooting a shafer! 

especially with yellow sneakers. :laugh:

I'd shoot with ya with whatever you chose to wear..i raised 3 daughters...and anybody that has lil pink folding chairs?..my heart goes out to them. LOL!


----------



## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

Elgavilan said:


> Just an FYI, I have a Hoyt Buffalo with 40# limbs on it, cranked down they are 44# max. I had it tuned pretty well with GT 3555 trad arrows 30.5" long with 125 gr. field points, and 3 4" feathers at 44# draw weight and 28" draw. It shot a bare shaft very well, right with the fletched shafts out to 20 yards with no tail kick what so ever. The string had two rubber vibration dampeners that came with the bow each about 12" from the end of the string and two Black Widow string dampeners about 4" inward from the rubber dampener. I weighed the rubber dampener and it came in at 21 grains each, the BW came in at 12 grains each for a total of 66 grains on the string not counting nocks. I proceeded to remove all 4 of the existing dampeners and put on acrylic yarn puff balls similar to Jink's setup. The puff balls weighed in at 12 grains each, so I lost 42 grains off the string. Shot the bow with a bare shaft and it indicated a weak shaft. Went down from 125 gr. point to 100 gr. and still showing a little weak spine. Reduced the brace height from 8" to 7 3/8" and still just a tad weak on the spine, so I turned the limb bolts out 1/2 turn and bingo right on the money. Just for kicks, I shot the bow over the chrono and it went from 172 fps before to 180 fps after. The arrow went from 421 grains to 396 grains due to the lighter point. She is shooting great and is much quieter that before.
> 
> Mike


Hey Mike...glad it worked out for you in a positive fashion..pretty cool hugh?..but know this..i can't take credit for it as it was just one of many things brought to my attention by another member here...during a hour long and very pleasant phone convo with MAC 11700...the man is a veritable fountain of tuning tips and tricks with literally several decades of trad experience behind his words and if you (or anybody else) is ever fortunate enough to engage this man in one-on-one conversation?...i have one suggestion..listen..intently...might even pay off to have paper and pen handy to take notes...he's that knowledgable and?..

just when i began to think that the WWW was nothing more than a global network of mis-information?..along came a phone call with...

MAC 11700...he's the man to thank.


----------



## MAC 11700 (Feb 22, 2011)

Thanks...but...

just mostly common sense stuff...:redface:

Mac


----------



## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

MAC 11700 said:


> Thanks...but...
> 
> just mostly common sense stuff...:redface:
> 
> Mac


too those who have it..all others make my ignore list. LOL!


----------



## JParanee (Oct 13, 2009)

Jinksster I also have three daughters and believe me I know what your talking about 

My form is not he best but im trying to teach my girls better


----------



## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

JParanee said:


> Jinksster I also have three daughters and believe me I know what your talking about
> 
> My form is not he best but im trying to teach my girls better


wow...you really are quite taken with the color yellow..arntcha. LOL!

and i can see why..God Bless ya brother...and enjoy this time together with your girls...make the most of it as i can recall for me?..at times it seemed like an eternity..then as they hit their mid-late teens?..a slow walk through he11..now?..it's like i blinked and it was over...but lord did they test me between then and now..and sometimes i passed...and sometimes i failed..but like the man says..when i do Gods will?..i get results...when i do my will?..i get consequences...and nowadays?..when the tribe of squaws is all over with the grandson and the chatter of insanity grows to deafening?..grandpa here just grabs his bow and heads to the backyard..hang onto your bows bro..and keep plenty of arrows in stock. LOL!..the wouldbe boyfriends get real mannerly and respectful like when they see gramps here nailing bulls with a tradbow. LOL!


----------



## BLACK WOLF (Aug 26, 2005)

JINKSTER said:


> ..the wouldbe boyfriends get real mannerly and respectful like when they see gramps here nailing bulls with a tradbow. LOL!


That works too...but I like to greet them at the door in my barbarian costume and than show them my sword and gun collection :wink:

Ray :shade:


----------



## thorwulfx (Sep 26, 2011)

To encourage civil discussions, I find that having the old cup 'o nails somewhere nearby can help with that...


----------



## BLACK WOLF (Aug 26, 2005)

thorwulfx said:


> To encourage civil discussions, I find that having the old cup 'o nails somewhere nearby can help with that...


Love it! I'm guessing you bent those by hand :wink:

Ray :shade:


----------



## thorwulfx (Sep 26, 2011)

Ray, 

Yep. Sure did. They're 60 penny nails, plus one grade 5 bolt (bolts get a little expensive, but even the big nails are cheap).

Cheers,

Patrick


----------



## ryersonhill (Mar 18, 2006)

JINKSTER said:


> Well said....amen..and that's a beautiful looking rig ya got there brother!


X2 what a sweet looking set-up


----------



## MAC 11700 (Feb 22, 2011)

BLACK WOLF said:


> That works too...but I like to greet them at the door in my barbarian costume and than show them my sword and gun collection :wink:
> 
> Ray :shade:


Lol...Lol...Lol...


I always had my guns out cleaning them...and sharpening my hunting knives...Worked pretty well I might add...


Mac


----------



## JINKSTER (Mar 19, 2011)

My wife and oldest daughter got pi$$ed at me when i told one of her first boyfriends...

*I think you're alright but...the voices in my head don't like you....at all."*


----------

