rubber whiskers vs yarn Should say "or"

[Zradix]

Hi,

Just wanted to throw this out there..

I'm a long time whisker user. Always worked very well for me.
I've tried some yarn puffs in the past and never liked the "wumph" sound they seemed to make if they were big enough to stop the string noise.

anyway, I made a bbo a couple weeks ago and have been struggling to make it very quiet. It wasn't all that loud, but I like as close to silent as I can.

I tried rubber like always and tried about every configuration I could think of.
Lots of whisker, a little whisker, moving all over the string, using 3..you name it, I tried it.

Weird thing was in almost every configuration, I'd get a hollow "tunk" type noise. At first I thought it was the arrow hitting the plate, or a little string slap on the limbs..so that was driving me crazy.

Then just for fun I tried pulling the string back an inch or so and "strumming" it. I could hear the tunk just slightly from that..whisker or bare string...weird.

I was feeling pretty bummed thinking my 1st bbo wasn't ever going to be quiet.

So with nothing else to lose, I tied on some old cheapy yarn puffs I had laying around. They had a short ribbon like piece sewn to them for tying. I just tied them around the string with a single overhand knot just for an experiment.

Nocked an arrow and let it fly..
...only the sweet sound of the feather swishing over the bow.

Then I remembered I had some of the famed hush puppies somewhere. I had tried them before and didn't like the results.
But after a brief search they were found.
first I tried just 2 balls of 5 strands..not quite enough.
Then I added a couple strands to each (7 total)
Nocked one and let it fly..
..oh the pure heavenly experience of a well tuned bow...

Anyway, The point I'm trying to make is..
Rubber vs whiskers maybe shouldn't be an argument but instead a valid question.... maybe instead of vs I'll say or from now on.

anyway, this was the first time I've had that the yarn far out did the rubber.

Makes sense that yarn or rubber may need to be used to best quell the noise depending on each situation coming from the harmonics of the particular setup.

[damascusdave]

I will put whatever I need to on a string to make the bow as quiet as possible...and I shoot heavy arrows for exactly the same reason...there is no such thing as a bow that is too quiet...all the speed in the world will not make up for string jumping noise...btw I like beaver balls the best and big ones weigh very little and give little drag

DDave

[Bear Heart]

If you do go with yarn, bow hush is the longest lasting I have found.

[stagetek]

I prefer the rubber whiskers. Works in all types of weather.

[maineac]

I make my own puffs out of alpaca yarn and put some rubber whiskers in the center.  I get a combo of both.  Once the yarn puffs you can't see the rubber, so has a more traditional look.

[ron w]

Just curious....has anybody tried thin leather strips? Somebody was telling me that they saw it someplace.......I use wool puffs most of the time, that I make myself.

[JamesKerr]

I use rams wool that I waterproof myself on almost all my longbows. On my recurves I usually use yarn wrapped around the string where the string touches the curve in the limbs and beaver string silencers. I never cared for cat whiskers after shooting inside a blind. I could hear everyone of those things vibrating inside the blind.

[JEFF B]

all i ever use is pure wool nothing else but

[carpin'mark]

I've been shooting the Quiviut (musk ox) for some time, I really like the job they do silencing and I believe they outlast most other materials.

[Jon Stewart]

try beaver or mink.

[john moore]

Beaver balls work for me!