# String Silencers



## Sighting In (Feb 5, 2009)

I am shooting an 08 Bowtech Guardian with the stock strings and string silencers on it. You can see them in this pic (not my set up):

http://www.bowhunting.net/Hunts/GrandSlam/2007/Equipment/Setting Up/BowTech-Guardian-All.jpg

Well, a while ago I noticed the top one starting to rip, and then it flew off. So my dealer (also my coach, and a very generous one at that) decided to put a new Super Stealth sting leech on the top and call it good. 

Well, it worked fine for about two weeks. Then today some of the brand new leech broke off during the shot. There was nothing that I could have done. What's left is still on there, but even with that little bit ripped off, you can feel a lot more vibration on the bow.

So, my question is what is a good, reliable, durable string silencer. I need it to actually keep the string quiet and to not fall off in two weeks.

Thanks all, and good shooting to you!


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## Bowhunter500 (Mar 23, 2007)

Ive been bowhunting and shooting my bows for 5 years now.. and i will always swear to Cat Whiskers. 

I had string leeches on my Hoyt, but one of them tore after a days worth of shooting... which seemed extremely cheap to me. 

I went to my local bow shop and was looking around. Cat whiskers are extremely cheap, but they do the job. They will never break and reduce vibrations to the utmost in my opinion. I shoot with Cat Whiskers and will always shoot with cat whiskers!

Give em a shot and see what you think...


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## Sighting In (Feb 5, 2009)

That was the one thing that I knew worked. I have never heard anything bad about them. I am just a bit hesitant because they loop pretty ugly, in my opinion. But, if they get the job done better then anything else...


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## Sighting In (Feb 5, 2009)

Some of the other ones that I was looking at are the TruBall Spyder string silencer and the Fuse String Shox. What do you guys thing of them, or do you have any other ideas?


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## Bowhunter500 (Mar 23, 2007)

They dont loop ugly if you do it right tho! Watch videos on youtube and then tie it... it looks good if you do it right.. i know what you mean tho.


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## 00BS (May 1, 2009)

maybe this will help 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6WNxTLPJW0


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## Waknstak6 (Dec 27, 2008)

I don't know if you wanted to go this route but you could try a string supressor. I like mine and since i've had it i took all of my string silencers off cuz i've heard ppl say you don't need them with a string supressor, and I don't feel any difference...


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## 00BS (May 1, 2009)

maybe this will help 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6WNxTLPJW0


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## Sighting In (Feb 5, 2009)

Waknstak6 said:


> I don't know if you wanted to go this route but you could try a string supressor. I like mine and since i've had it i took all of my string silencers off cuz i've heard ppl say you don't need them with a string supressor, and I don't feel any difference...


My string has had some serious oscillation issues lately and it has been slapping my arm (I have to wear an arm guard), so I have been looking at a string stopper, as well. But, I really like having silencers, too.


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## Bowhunter500 (Mar 23, 2007)

Sighting In said:


> My string has had some serious oscillation issues lately and it has been slapping my arm (I have to wear an arm guard), so I have been looking at a string stopper, as well. But, I really like having silencers, too.


Your string has no oscillation problems.... 

The reason it is slapping your arm is because instead of stiffening your wrist, you are letting your wrist relax and is allowing your forearm to be in the way of the string... 

String suppressors i believe are useless. They stop your bow string from wiggling back and forth after the shot.. But with the string suppressor, it will STILL continue to wiggle back and forth after the shot. Its a lose-lose situation imo. (in my opinion)..

But go for the cat whiskers.. im tellin ya!


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## Sighting In (Feb 5, 2009)

I talked to my coach yesterday and she suggested something (I can't remember what it was exactly, something with an X). I want to try that first, and if that breaks in any unreasonably amount of time I will try the cat whiskers.

Maybe my wrist is too loose, but I seem to shoot pretty darn good with it like that, and I don't think it would be a good idea to tension it. A string suppressor does help. I have tried some out.


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## N7709K (Dec 17, 2008)

Just an idea about the string hitting your wrist. Try rotating your wrist to about a 45 degree angle to the grip of the bow.


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## Bowhunter500 (Mar 23, 2007)

N7709K said:


> Just an idea about the string hitting your wrist. Try rotating your wrist to about a 45 degree angle to the grip of the bow.


Thats in a way what i was talking about.. it will get his forearm out of the way thats for sure.. but if you want to stick with how you are shooting thats fine by me!


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## Sighting In (Feb 5, 2009)

Bowhunter500 said:


> Thats in a way what i was talking about.. it will get his forearm out of the way thats for sure.. but if you want to stick with how you are shooting thats fine by me!


You mean holding the bow like...

http://www.cowichanbowmen.com/images/bow grip tips/grip 1.jpg

http://www.ularchery.co.uk/archery/shoot/bow-hand.gif

and

http://www.barney.gonzaga.edu/~jripp/rippbowhand.jpg

(last pic not me)

I hold it like that. My arm is plenty out of the way. It's the way the string bounces back after the shot. That's why Olympic recurve shooters have arm guards.

Like I said, I have been looking at some sting stoppers (particularly the Fuse one). They seem to keep the string from hitting my arm completely. I used one in JOAD today and the string did not hit my arm once.

Thanks for your help, guys. I appreciate it.


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## N7709K (Dec 17, 2008)

I was talking about using less of the palm and more of the thumb/index finger area, I guess. 

You might want to try this. make a loose fist, like you were holding a bow. Hold it straight un and down, note how the wrist is pretty even to the thumb. Now roll your fist to the left. You will see that you rist changes the position, adding more room between where the string/cables would be on a bow. 

Does your bow have a back stabilizer bushing?


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## Sighting In (Feb 5, 2009)

N7709K said:


> I was talking about using less of the palm and more of the thumb/index finger area, I guess.
> 
> You might want to try this. make a loose fist, like you were holding a bow. Hold it straight un and down, note how the wrist is pretty even to the thumb. Now roll your fist to the left. You will see that you rist changes the position, adding more room between where the string/cables would be on a bow.
> 
> Does your bow have a back stabilizer bushing?


Yes, I can fit one on there just fine. 

My hand is at a good 45 degree angle. If I turn my hand any more in, my index finger would be inside the riser. For me to do what you guys are saying, I would need to keep my hand stationary and rotate my elbow out and up a bit. It is not comfortable and not necessarily. There is plenty of space between my arm and the string. 

Trust me, the problem is the string vibrating after the shot. I know the silencers won't help much with the arm slapping, but they do make it quieter. The string stop really does help with the oscillation, though. 

Thanks for all of the input, again!


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