Things that seem to work to quiet down a bow for 3 under.

[jonsimoneau]

I shoot 3 under. I've shot split but 3 under works better for me. There is a drawback. It is louder. So it's summer...most of my stands are hung and I get bored waiting for fall so I screw with stuff. The bow is a Habu Vyperkhan with longbow limbs. It's already pretty quiet but as a 3 under shooter I wanted to see if I could quiet it some more. First thing I tried was to build up the shelf. My reasoning was that when you shoot 3 under you are pulling the bottom limb just a little more than the top limb. I figured if I built up the shelf a little it would require me to raise my nock point a little and maybe help to equal things out a bit and quiet it down. It seemed to work a little. Barely noticeable but it was noticeable to both myself and my wife. The next thing definitely helped. I put the string silences where they were recommended by the builder. Next, I moved the upper silenced down until it sounded best. My theory is that by moving the upper silencer down for a 3 under shooter you are thereby slowing down the upper limb just a little which is the one that recovers faster. Another step to try and even out the detunning of the bow that takes place when you shoot 3 under. My thoughts on it may be wrong so please feel free to correct me but I can tell you it quieted down a bow I've been shooting for years. What do you guys think? Here is a pic of a slightly raised shelf. I used double sided tape to do it.
 

[9 Shocks]

I too have tried these things and they have worked!  I have gotten my thunderstick mag so quiet all you hear is the string slicing air.  Same thing with the toelkes I have owned.  Very quiet.  Raising the shelf a bit seemed to make a difference for me as well.

[Russ Clagett]

Moving the upper silencer down makes sense to me, and I'm having the same issue right now...gonna try that tonite...

[NYRON]

Raising the shelf definitely works for all the reasons you explained. I think the reason you realize only a modest quieting is that you are only raising the shelf a small amount.

I once experimented with using a stick-on flipper style rest, which functionally raised the arrow by half an inch. It worked and the bow became just as quiet as when shooting split.

[jackdaw]

Guys....love this thread..!!! I've been fighting with one of mine for a couple of years....some good ideas here....thanx.....! I've been using a feather rest to get the extra elevation off the Shelf....but I like the movement of the silencer downward. I may even add an extra one to the top Of the String to add additional drag to slow the top limb speed. It may look unbalanced, but I don't care ... if it works....

[jackdaw]

Guys....love this thread..!!! I've been fighting with one of mine for a couple of years....some good ideas here....thanx.....! I've been using a feather rest to get the extra elevation off the Shelf....but I like the movement of the silencer downward. I may even add an extra one to the top Of the String to add additional drag to slow the top limb speed. It may look unbalanced, but I don't care ... if it works....

[lt-m-grow]

Another thing that helps is to pull a little harder with your top finger (verses your middle finger or all three equal).  I  know is sounds funny but what it does is move the max string pressure up, closer to center.

If you think about shooting split, the middle finger puts that same pressure on the same string location.

[old_goat2]

Yeah, don't think I'll switch to three under but good thread, I like learning stuff like this. Would a second silencer on top help slow that limb down too. Another thought is maybe try shooting two under, saw something on Toelke's webpage about a two under tab

[lone hunter]

Heterodyning...Got this tip in an e-mail from TBM, can't remember the fellow's name that came up with it.
 
It's all about frequencies and one canceling out the other. Works with all bows and silencers. I was astounded when I tried it.

"measure the distance from where the string leaves the bow limbs top and bottom. Divide that distance by four and also by three, ie. if your measured length is 60 inches; 60 divided by 4 equals 15 inches and divided by three equals 20 inches.

Attach your top silencer 15 inches down from where the string leaves the bow and attach the bottom silencer 20 inches up from where it leaves the bow. The 15 inches cancels out all even multiples of the frequencies and the 20 inches cancels out all the odd multiples of the frequencies. The result is a string that resists vibration after the shot."

Again, this is information that was passed on to me and the results were pretty dramatic on my bows that I was having trouble getting "hunting quiet."

[dnurk]

Originally posted by lone hunter:
Heterodyning...Got this tip in an e-mail from TBM, can't remember the fellow's name that came up with it.
 
It's all about frequencies and one canceling out the other. Works with all bows and silencers. I was astounded when I tried it.

"measure the distance from where the string leaves the bow limbs top and bottom. Divide that distance by four and also by three, ie. if your measured length is 60 inches; 60 divided by 4 equals 15 inches and divided by three equals 20 inches.

Attach your top silencer 15 inches down from where the string leaves the bow and attach the bottom silencer 20 inches up from where it leaves the bow. The 15 inches cancels out all even multiples of the frequencies and the 20 inches cancels out all the odd multiples of the frequencies. The result is a string that resists vibration after the shot."

Again, this is information that was passed on to me and the results were pretty dramatic on my bows that I was having trouble getting "hunting quiet."

Quoting for future reference.   I had not heard of this formula but am always willing to try new things....

[slowbowjoe]

I don't shoot 3 under (though sometimes shoot 2 under, index finger just resting on the arrow), but I'm sure appreciating this info.

[Russ Clagett]

I'll try it first thing tomorrow morning...

[mj seratt]

I have used heterodyning for a few years now.  My wife and I both shoot split finger, and we both shoot Bob Lee recurves.  Using cat whiskers tied on with a small cable tie, we have had very positive, though not miraculous, results.  I have used it on a couple of Kodiak Magnums and a vintage Super Grizzly with similar results.  It's a good technique to know and experiment with.

Murray

[katman]

Originally posted by lt-m-grow:
Another thing that helps is to pull a little harder with your top finger (verses your middle finger or all three equal).  I  know is sounds funny but what it does is move the max string pressure up, closer to center.

If you think about shooting split, the middle finger puts that same pressure on the same string location.

Agree totally, if I drag my ring finger the bow is definitely louder. I try and let first two fingers work and very little ring finger, smoother and quieter release for me.

[mahantango]

I switched to three-under years ago, and found the  most important thing to keep the noise down was to keep as little weight as possible on the ring finger. And another vote for heterodyning.

[riser]

Originally posted by katman:
     

Originally posted by lt-m-grow:
Another thing that helps is to pull a little harder with your top finger (verses your middle finger or all three equal).  I  know is sounds funny but what it does is move the max string pressure up, closer to center.

If you think about shooting split, the middle finger puts that same pressure on the same string location.

Agree totally, if I drag my ring finger the bow is definitely louder. I try and let first two fingers work and very little ring finger, smoother and quieter release for me. [/b]

Timing of this thread is good.  I was blind bale shooting yesterday and noticed a similar thing (i shoot 3 under). I was working on alignment of my bow arm (keeping a straight line from nock, knuckles, wrist and elbow, THEN keeping this line as level as possible (trying to keep my elbow lower).

When my elbow is high, I evidently twist/ torque the string to some degree counterclockwise (viewed from behind), and my right hand ring finger puts a lateral force on the string AWAY from my face-resulting in noise, occasional corkscrew arrow flight, and less "zip" on the arrow.

I  tried shooting with only "2 fingers under" (index and middle finger) early on.  This helped. It led me to thinking how much my lower/ ring finger could be twisting the string out with my elbow in a higher than desired position.  Then I tried things to lower my elbow, and work on draw arm straight lines/ alignment

I tried applying some things from "The Wedge" form video on YouTube, specifically trying to keep  my bow arm, left and right shoulders in a straight line, while keeping a straight line with my drawing arm (which, if done, you make a triangle as viewed from above- with your upper drawing arm being the third side of the triangle). This helped.  It allowed me to lower my draw arm elbow (reducing ring finger lateral/"away from face" string pressure), and feel a "centered"/even feeling on my 3 finger release to the point I started getting straight arrow flight, and quieter release.  Evidently, I wasn't twisting the string as much with this approach.

I also found I had a more relaxed head position, as the string was closer to the anchor point. There was a feeling of "comfort", or non-stressed neck muscles in the fully drawn position.  Not quite an "ah hah moment", but close.  I had a crisper, quiter release, and nice arrow flight.

If I didn't do the blank bale shooting drill, I probably never would have noticed this twisted feeling on the bowstring with my draw hand.  It really does focus attention on release. I was even shooting with closed eyes- and that seemed to magnify draw hand/finger/string sensitivity.  That's when I noticed the string twist feeling.

Will reinforce yesterday's work later today.

Synopsis?  Are your 3 drawing fingers twisting the string? Draw arm elbow higher than ideal? It's a  "lever" for ring finger outward string pressure. If so, try to find ways to reduce / lower this within your body type.  Try 2 fingers under as a quick test.

Good luck.

[redfish]

Well, I just went back to shooting split finger to get rid of the noise (many years ago). Further, I just recently went back to anchoring with my index finger at corner of mouth like I did way, way back, and holding vertical. The positive results have been significant.

[Overspined]

Move back to a longbow and it'll still be quiet.