Silencers

[Pine]

Was just sitting here with my coffee and thinking about roving this afternoon.
My mind drifted to my own personal changes that I have gone through sense the early 60s.
I'm going to just talk about  silencers but there's been many other changes over the years.
The first discovery was, Brush Buttons. I used them for many years about a year later in combination with the three legged rubber silences.
Then one day I discovered Cat Whiskers. Those were kinda neat and I really liked how I coul pluck the string and hear a dead thud.
Then there was the wool yarn balls and the strips of mink wrapped around the string and tucked in.
Gotta admit those to me are the best looking.
Fast forward with me starting to use the internet and watching the Great Ones of the past.
Hay wait, none of them had anything on there bow string!??
So as of about ten years ago, I started using silencers to fine tune and if a bow shot good without silencers, I didnt put any on.
So for the past ten years or so, I have convinced myself they are not necessary.
But I in no way want to change anybody's opinion, I'm just thinking out loud.
 

[M60gunner]

About the same way I have progressed with string silencers . Only I still use cat whiskers but only one set and only half the length. On a particular bow I also added those little spongy things that set between the string and the curve of limb by the string grooves. I also raised my nock point on my recurves. That helped the most I believe. Also use arrows at least 10gpp which helps a lot

[blacktailbob]

Personally I can't comment on how much or how little bow noise affects animals.
However, if it makes too much noise for my ears practicing I try to calm it down some. I have an old Browning Safari II that sounds like the limbs might shatter w/o the whiskers on it. Grew up with yarn, button etc but prefer whiskers.
But that's just me.

[Wudstix]

Just getting ready to put some muskrat on, but prefer musk ox, Qiviut.
 

[TxSportsman]

Installing beaver balls right now

[BearBandit]

Just made these this morning.

[PICKNGRIN]

I remember all those also.  Personally, I think most bows need them, but I have run across a few bows over the years that were awesomely quiet without them.

[Tradcat]

Two Tracks String Scallops are awesome!

[Silent footed]

You know, the new hill-style I got, despite being a heavier bow, almost seemed like it was quiet enough on its own. I'm actually considering not putting anything at all on it myself; but I'm not sure yet. But if I ever do get around to shooting this  particular bow this year, I'm going to experiment a little with just heavy arrows and the optimum brace height and see what happens.

[Sam McMichael]

I have used several types of silencers and had good success across the board. I currently prefer the fur type, because, in addition to looking good, they work well. I have some bows that probably don't really need silencers, but I use them anyway - this is a situation where there is no such thing as overkill. I know several guys who do not use them and have very quiet bows. Oddly, most, but not all, of these bows are Hill style.

[V I Archer]

just listened to a podcast the other day,over an hour all about string silencers. I have always been a beaver or otter fur guy with my longbows. Took me years to be weaned away from anything other than b-50. After listening to the podcast though, I will be giving the paracord sheathing silencers a try this spring.

[BAK]

I wish I was an acoustics expert, which I am not, but I do recall reading that the way a silencer quiets a string is by placing a small amount of weight at the syn nodes to disrupt them.  Hope I remembered that correctly.  It has nothing to do with what the material is shaped like or made of, only where the correct amount of weight is on the string.   

[ScottinPA]

listened to the same podcast as VI Archer.  Put some 2" paracord on the other day.  Still fraying but it seems as quiet or quieter than the catwhiskers.  Musta picked up some speed because arrows are bareshafting a little weak now.  IIRC, dropped about 60 grains total.

[Zwickey-Fever]

I've been making my silencers out of Navajo Churro wool for years now. I shoot before and after I add the silencers and I can definitely hear a reduction in noise. It will take some time/shots for the yarn to fray out and I trim them as the fray out more and more. A bundle of yarn will last you a life time. And Navajo wool is water resistant as well. I cut 34 pieces of yarn for each silencer at 3 inches. Only draw back is that they will pick up briers and hitchhikers. 
   Best of luck. JMG

[Wudstix]

Just put some on my BR LB and it worked miracles.  Think this set is otter but found a couple options during spring cleaning it’s amazing how many different variations I thought were the best for a period.  Like Qiviut and alpaca wool now, but don’t have any. 
 

[Tom]

Have used beaver for years and found a pair of scallops recently, but maybe dumb, but can't figure out how to install them.Would like to try them just as a comparison sort of thing.

[mahantango]

BAK, you are exactly right. Google heterodyning.

[kennym]

IMO with the catwhiskers if you leave them too long, the strands slap the bowstring and make a noise of their own.  Shorter ones work just as well and don't add their own noise...

[Adirondack Hunter]

amsteel rope from west marine

[Orion]

I put silencers on all my bows.  Tend to favor wool balls, but I use what I have.  Regardless of how quiet any of my bows are, the silencers always make them quieter.  Could I kill critters without silencers on my string.  Sure. But I just like my bows as quiet as possible.

AH.  I do like that Amsteel silencer.  May have to give that a try.  I'm sure it doesn't pick up water like wool or some furs.