3 Under noise (Update)

[Ladams]

Why is 3 under so much more noisy than split finger and is there a way to tame the noise.
I seem to get a better arrow flight and a little more arrow speed when using 3 under but the noise has me concerned when its time to hunt.

[Bjorn]

I have asked bowyers about this and have never gotten a satisfactory answer.............it is what it is. My son shoots 3 under and his noise level is very good now; glove, skinny string and 11 gpp has cleared it right up.

[Orion]

Here's my guess.  Most bows aren't tillered for three under, which requires a slightly less stiff lower limb.  When drawn, the three under draw pulls the lower limb a little further vis-a-vis the upper limb. At release, the limbs don't reach the end of the shot at the same time, creating additional vibration  in the limbs and string, thus increasing the noise.  Even on bows that are tillered for three under, the drawing pressure on the bow is lower in relation to the bow's middle, likely causing the limbs to spring back more unevenly than if the finger pressure were a little higher.  That's one of the reasons that folks find they need to nock considerably higher when they shoot three under.

Of course, where the fingers end up on the string in relation to the middle of the bow is also affected by how high the arrow shelf is above the center of the bow.  It can range anywhere from one to two inches.

[S. Brant Osborn]

I can't answer your question but would like to comment. For me, I have found that the longer the bow the less extra noise I get for shooting 3 under.

Some shorter bows were so bad tat I went back to split but I can't find a comfortable anchor point while shooting split.  Need a good coach for sure.

[Smallwood]

there is a little more noise with 3 under, but I have killed alot of animals 3 under and they apparently didn't notice it.
small world, I see your from Odessa, I'm from Big Spring.  

[Keefer]

Larry,
   I really think Orion hit the answer dead on ...Here's one idea that might take a little of that noise away...I'm sure you may have seen Terry Greenes Bow hush material advertised here for wrapping some wool yarn around the "Y" yoke of the upper and lower string loops? If you already have yarn in the house or know of someone that has some you can go to the HOW TO section here on TradGang and look up how to install it...Very easy to do and made a world of difference on my recurve...You can find some at your Fabric stores as well...I don't shoot three under but tried it a few times and Yes I noticed more noise myself and I prefer to shoot split style...The added wool yarn didn't make any difference on the speed that I can see but it did tone the noise level down quite a bit...You may already have tried this but if not Just give it a try and see if you noice any difference...God Bless, Keefer's <><

[Al Dean]

I have found that bows that are noisey split are really noisey 3 under.  And bows thet are really quiet split are just a little noisey 3 under and not to bad.  Bottom line some bows are just plain noisey 3 under.

[Ladams]

I use the hush puppy silencers and love them,
I am shooting a new moab and it is wisper quite split finger and not bad noisey three under just enough to notice a difference,and you are rite Orion's response is the best reason I have heard,
I will play around with different nock points and brace heights a little and see what happens.
but after shooting it a little morer I dont think the noise is as bad as I thought.
Thanks guys

[ron w]

I shoot 3 under and my bows are all most silent. I give up a bit of speed and shoot a heavy arrow. 47-52# ,an arrow 650-725 gr. Wool puffs on the string.

[ron w]

Oh yea I forgot, I run a higher brace than is recommended, you'll have to find your sweet spot!

[snag]

Orion has your answer...     The upper limb of a bow should have a 1/4" positive tiller if you are shooting 3 under with it. You can check your bow just with a measuring tape. String it and place the end of the tape up against the belly of the upper limb. Move it up and down the limb from the fades out, finding the largest gap. Now do the same on the lower limb. The upper limb should be 1/4" wider than the lower. If it is more like 1/8" your bow is tillered for split.

[joekeith]

I shoot 3 under, used to shoot split.  I don't notice any difference.  Of course I don't have the best hearing but there doesn't seem to be any noticeable diff, at least not to me.  Some of my bows are almost silent, others are louder but none are really loud.  Recurves are worse but that's normal, I think.  
 
Put on what ya need to and shoot a heavier arrow seems to work.  I just put something on my recurve, my noisiest bow, and it really seems to have made a diff.  I'll check it out more before tellin' what it is but so far I'm impressed with it.  And NONE of my bows are as loud as a wheelie bow, that's for sure.
 

[Bowmania]

Along with what Orion says, your probably torquing the string.  Do you have a calus on your ring finger?  This would create more tension on the already stressed bottom limb.  Nose comes from oscillation.  That torque on the string imparts more oscillation.

If you want to find out if your torquing the string (for rightys) take a shoe string (something the size of a bow string) that is twice as long as your draw length.  66 inches should be long enough for almost anyone.  Grab the string in the middle as you would a bow string with your tab hand (tab in hand) and hold the rest of the string between your thumb an forefinger.  Now, draw this back as you would a bow and anchor.  Is the string coming off the top finger and the string coming off your bottom (ring) finger in the same plane?  I don't see many that don't torque.

Hope this was clear.  Very hard to explain and easy to show.

Bowmania

[ron w]

If your bow is NOT tillered for 3-under just raise your nocking point up a bit. I have never had a problem shooting 3-under no matter how the bow was tillered. I saw a video a long time ago where Ken Beck [Black Widow] said he could not see where it made a big difference.....I would think he should know!! Just do some  different stuff and see what works for you!  Keep us posted!!

[Ladams]

Ok guys After a little playing around here are my results,
The bow is still quiter shooting split finger, but after adjusting the brace and nock point,and monkeying with the arrow weight a little. my new Moab is almost as quit with 3 under as it is split.took a little tuning but the results are worth it.

[Onehair]

This is interesting and illustrates the confusion of 3 under and tillering. If the fingers are lower on the string the bottom limb needs to be stiffer to compensate. 1/4 top positive compared to the normal 1/8 gives you a stiffer lower limb. Me thinks

[Landshark160]

I tiller my bows even for 3 under.  Makes a big difference on the noise level.

[Ladams]

It hurts my brain when I try to think about the science of it ,but I do know thatfor some reason its quiter than it was when i started,and I like it,,,,,,

[Michael Arnette]

Hey, my talltines is three under and shoots really quiet.

[Thumper Dunker]

I think that the arrow is going to make alot of noise as it gets near the animal to care about the little noise the bow makes. Seen too many animals duck the arrow right at the last second.IMO.