String Silencer Issues

[Izzy]

Why is it that I cant get my wool silencers to look neat and clean? Mine look like a crackhead on a bad hair day. Am I not using enough material? Ive been splitting the string and putting 12 strands of wool in between. They seem to work fine but look tacky. Any tips on getting nice, fluffy silencers?

[Brad Arnett]

I wrap the wool around 3 of my fingers, # of wraps vary. Then insert that through the strings. Then just slide a pair of sharp scissors into all the loops on one side and cut them all at once, then the other side. Makes for a nice even ball.

[jimmerc]

Issy,  I just started using wool and followed the How I silence a bow string in the how to resourses by apex preadtor!
  I take and wrap about 12 wraps around all four fingers(side by side) spread out! incert into the split string and trim off 3/8s of a inch off each side!  I don't want a ball- but more like if i was using beaver fur- gives a longer puff!  Shoot the bow a few times and it should be all puffed out! you can trim any extra like giving a hair cut if needed!!
Hope this helps!!

[lpcjon2]

Izzy, on all my silencers(fur,wool,and rubber) I serve to small like nock points 1/16 th apart on the string, and then place the silencer material around the string parallel to the string with the center of the material in the center of the served points. Then I hold the material in the center of the points and serve over it so it cinches the material into the center of the served points. This will expand the material away from the string in a nice puff ball.

[Bear Heart]

My bowhush puffs look nice.

[mountain lion]

I had my wife get me some wool yarn at hobby lobby and I have two wood pegs that are on my string board that are about 2 to 2 1/2 inches apart. I wrap the strand around the pegs tight 15 times then  I take some of my serving material and tie in the middle, then I pull the pegs out and you got yourself a littl puff. I then separate and put in between the two bundles in my string and then string the bow. Grab some scissors and cut the middle of the puffs, they will kinda look like a figure 8. And when you go out and shoot they will puff out and you have a little ball of wool on your strings that work just as well as anything that I've used.

[Old Chief]

I do it just like mountain lion stated above.  I get a better ball for me using only ten turns 2" long.

[A.S.]

A lot depends on the yarn you are using. Go to a yarn store and ask for a good "felting" wool yarn. I have used some yarns in the past that were too "slick".

[kwc]

izzy cant believe you where hunting with terry and didn't get his advice on this or a least order some bow hush from him.,they are the best,missed you at the muzzy

[Keefer]

Izzy, I'll send you a p.m. for a really nice clean round ball when you are done...
                                Keefer's <><

[Reaper TN]

I make my own from wool/acrylic yarn.  I made a jig from a coat hanger and it makes a perfectly round 2 inch puffball.

[Keefer]

Funny Reaper I just sent him a p.m. about the coat hanger jig with some instuctions...I tried to explain the coat hanger jig and where to cut it from the sleeve ends...Best tool I found yet..

[Izzy]

Kevin, Ive got some Bowhush strings with great, little, puffy balls but I didnt do em myself. The ones Ive done myself, silence my bow but they never come out right. I think Im onto something now though fellas, Ive doubled my amount of yarn. So far so good. Thanks for the PM Keefer.

[leatherneck]

Izz, put them in,shoot them for about 50 arrows,take some scissors and trim them up. Will look real pretty.

[Reaper TN]

Keefer.....brilliant minds must think alike!    

[Night Wing]

I make my wool yarn silencers by wrapping the yarn around a (the shortest length) credit card. About 9 or 10 turns. This is how I get my loops.

[pdk25]

Didn't read the other replies, but I will tell you what I do.  I take wool yarn and wrap 20 wraps around 4 fingers of one hand. The wool I am using is fairly thin, so if you have thicker yarn you can get away using less turns. Then I take a piece of serving and wrap it tight around the middle, making like a figure eight of the wool.  I put a drop of superglue on the knot to keep it tight together and when dry trim the ends.  I put it between the strings where I want it and trim the ends so there is around and inch sticking out either side.  You can go a little shorter, but if you go too short it is hard to keep it centered.  Do the other end the same way, making sure that there are no loops that haven't been cut at the end.  Go shoot some arrows and it will come out looking like a ball.  If it is too big you can trim it some.  I like the serving in the middle because you can move the wool puff a little bit to adjust the exact location without it all coming apart.  Good luck.

[ron w]

Originally posted by Night Wing:
I make my wool yarn silencers by wrapping the yarn around a (the shortest length) credit card. About 9 or 10 turns. This is how I get my loops.

This works for me....then trim after shooting to make them nice and even! But it's also not a fashion show.....if they work .....so be it!

[Zbone]

Keefer- can I get that PM too?... Thanx

[BWD]

For me wool fluffs better than acrylic.
After they have been installed you can kinda pick brush them, by holding the strands on one side of the string and picking at the other side with a dog grooming brush, to seperate the strands and fuzz them a bit. Your wife's basic hair brush works fairly well too. Then go shoot a little while, then you can shape them up, to your liking, with scissors. The amount of picking and shaping depends on how anal you care to be.