Home-Made Sting Silencers

[Over&Under]

My wife was doing some knittin' the other day, so I got to thinking the yarn looked a little like "camo"  so I stole a little, (I asked first), looped it around my hand a few times, cut the two ends of the loop, put it though the string and here are the results.  What ya think?

       

[redfish]

Looks good

[Dirty Bill]

I made these kind many years ago.The trouble is they pick up too many hitch hikers,and they get wet in the rain or damp conditions.
The extra weight will slow down your bow a little. I've been using fur,often called beaver balls,for a great long time,and like them much better.    

[Al Dean]

I think if you use 100% wool yarn the wet or damp conditions are not an issue.  
100% wool = fur.  I do make my own.

[Quill Flinger]

I've used these before, in damp-wet weather, just give 'em a lil spray of pledge (while they're still dry like) & they'll shed the water some.

I've tried scotch-guard before, but doesn't seem to work as well. I'm guessing a silicon based spray might work as well.

[Over&Under]

Ohhh  never thought of them getting wet.  Good ideas, I will try some pledge.  I have always used beaver balls too and they seemed to pick up hitchhikers also just as Bill said, these will most likely grab even more.  

I will give them a try and see what happens.

My kabakona was very quiet before but now I have to check to make sure I am actually shooting  

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I was introduced to these type of silencers this fall myself by Jonesy....The difference is incredible vs the beaver balls i had on there..I'm talking dead silent here!.The wool yarn IS much more weather resistant too..... I sprayed mine down with some "Camp Dry" to help repell the water one time.           ...i wouldn't recomend it.....Seriously sticky balls resulted....          

I had to do another stalk on mama's yarn basket after that boo-boo....

The stuff works good on feathers though!        

[Guru]

Acrylic or wool yard will hold way less water than fur silencers.....and hitchhikers will shoot right out of the yearn.    Been using this type of silencers for many years.......

Best of the best is the Bow Hush product, "Hush Puppies". The Green(Terry's daughters) girls will hook ya up with them.......

[tradtusker]

look real good! what bow is that?      

[ChristopherO]

O&U,
When you said you pulled it through the string do you mean that you seperated the string strands, slid the yarn through them and then retightened the string back together?  I am wondering how you attached them.

[Guru]

Chris.....not sure how O&U does it, but yes,that's how it's done....

[Abram]

ChristopherO,

Seperating the strands in the bow string and inserting the wool is the best way to install them. They stay where you put them. The only draw back of doing it this way is that is makes it difficult to fine tune the placement of the silencers.

[TSP]

I've always wondered whether inserting bunches of yarn or similar material between the string strands (especially on skinny strings) decreases the overall strength/ integrity/ life of the string.  I've tried many different materials and approaches on many different bows and have my own opinions on what works best, but if there's anyone who has actually 'tested' the results of tie-ons vs. the insert-in-string type with regard to both silencing results AND string life, I'd be interested in hearing the findings.

[Over&Under]

tradtusker -  Thanks alot, the bow is a Kabakona River from Jason Kendall - 58" 52@28


ChristopherO - Yes I just separated the strands in equal parts, slid the yarn through and twisted it back up, works real well.  I had to do some trimming after a few shots, cause I made them too large and the frayed out too much.

KirkII - Thanks for the tip, I have been thinking about what to use for waterproofing, I will definatly stay away from the Camp Dry.

Thanks for the comments

Jake

[deadpool]

been usin them and lovin them for a few years now!

very cheap and very effective!
just the way i like it!!

[Billy]

I got the Hush Puppies and BowHush on my 'curve.
 Got a bunch of the large hitchhikers stuck and 5-6 shots later they were gone.
Pledge,huh?

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I have been using old work boot laces

[Kip]

I tried some camo yarn and some fluffy kind that looks like your pic.Camo yarn works good the fluffy  kind keeps falling apart wool would work better and bow hush last much longer in my .02.Kip

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Hey there TSP,

Those hush puppies, or yarn balls are inserted side by side between the separated bunches of your string...i couldn't imagine how that could possibly effect the life of the string...but the silencing effect is unbelievable....

[ChristopherO]

Thanks for filling me in on the details of how you fasten them on the string.  Until now I've only tied rubber bands on the string but what you have looks to work better.