I'm sure most folks have seen the Cat Whisker type silencers, they are fairly eay to install. My question is that I have noticed some bows showing up with tied on whiskers that end up looking like a little sea urcin. Does anyone know how to tie them this way?

I'm sure most folks have seen the Cat Whisker type silencers, they are fairly eay to install. My question is that I have noticed some bows showing up with tied on whiskers that end up looking like a little sea urcin. Does anyone know how to tie them this way?

I use 2 or 3 sets. I tie them in the middle with serving. The secret is to get serving as tight as possible. I use extra long piece of serving and wrap around a screw driver to get tight. Then fray ends, trim with scissors. shape like you want them. I then use serving above and below to keep in place. I just tie in small knots and slide under whiskers to hide serving.

does the wiskers slow down arrow speed?

does the wiskers slow down arrow speed? some 3-4 fps but I would give that up in a heart beat for a quiet bow.

some 3-4 fps but I would give that up in a heart beat for a quiet bow.

Exactly..........quiet is priceless

what do you use for material? anybody got how-to pics?

also, what about those furry things for my recurve?

I used to use cat whiskers. Now I use the limb saver string suppressers. The are basically little "s" shaped pieces of ruber that you can splice into your string, just like you do your peep site.

I don't think you have to use serving string to keep them in place.

I agree, silence is a necessity. Good luck.

I tested the wiskers, the leaches, and string jacks. lost 2 ft per second from jacks to wiskers and the silence is unbelievably more quiet with the wiskers. Shooting 70 lbs with and SQ2 and carbon impact arrows.

i have used cat wiskers on my recurves but did not need them since i didnt hunt with them. i had some limb save super string leaches put on my bow and i love them. very quiet

I have used this methodand it works very well. I copied this from a friends post at "the other site"

Golf Ball Sized Cat Whiskers


Take 4 rubber whiskers (full size) and lay all 4 on top of each other, fold in half and cut. Tear them length wise in half. You should have 8 - 1/2" wide x 2 1/2" long pieces. Now lay all 4 halves on each side of your bowstring where you want the whiskers to be, this is where you need help, (I use small plastic wire ties if no one is around) clamp on the ties to one side of center of all 8 pieces, as you have just discovered this is much easier said than done!!!!!!

Take a strand out of a old bowstring if you don’t have serving string, leave it about 24-30 inches long (you'll see why in a moment!) Just like you are going to tie your shoes make 3-4 wraps in the first tie, wrap the excess string around your hand and pull as tight as you can! Then pull tight again, tying under the string (opposite side) this time do the same thing 3-4 wraps, pull tight!! This is where all the knots will stay.! Don't go any wider or it wont look like a ball, now finish with a square knot, trim the tag ends to about 1/4 inch and burn the ends, when the fireball reaches the knots smash the molten wax over the knots (carefully).

Now, your ready to do the other end, *hint* look at the second crease in your little finger, if it looks like it's cut or almost cut your doing it right!
After doing the other end of the bowstring you're ready for the "ball". Pinch the very end of each whisker and pull it about 2 inches or more until it is tight, now take a sharp pair of scissors and cut off excess. Slowly cut around to the other side until you start shaping it into a ball. Trim any lose wild long whiskers. At this point you should have a nice round rubber ball of whiskers! Shoot a few shots and if necessary, trim any long ones.


they will look like this with a little practice.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff96/mattbrewer13/Archery/catwhisker.jpg

HoytT, yup, a couple of wraps first before applying the pressure. Thank JerryNJ for that tip! There is also a difference in the cat whiskers available, some are thin and some are thick. The thicker ones make the better big balls.
I have also split the whiskers in 2 and used two smaller ones above and two below. Just as affecftive on noise.
JAG, I've no experience personally with fur, though I know it's used by some trad guy's. A couple of ways to go about it from what I've read. Fur strips wrapped into the string much like whiskers only the ends are locked into the string twists. I would experiment with placement before triming (1/4s or 1/3rds). Some are using wool yarn wrapped into the strong ends to stop string slap on recurve limbs instead of self stick string groove felt on the limbs. Yet another is to use the old brush buttons at the juncture of limb and string, and whiskers or wool yarn "wooly-buggers" in place of whiskers in the string. I'm currently using the brush buttons and whiskers and the bows produce a thud only. Brace height also is important in noise. Find the quietest brace height first, then experiment with whisker location.

Try searching on youtube - they have a shop that has put some easy to explain, step by step processes fro alot of basic setup and tuning issues. I think I searched under "bow tuning".

I prefer Cat Whiskers to the Fur Balls.

There is a great sticky on how to tie these on the Mathews forum. It has great picture by picture detail. :thumb:

http://forums.mathewsinc.com/viewtopic.php?t=86556

If you are concerned with color you can go to any place that sells Fly tying supplies. They call them leg hackle and it comes in many colors and is far cheaper than cat wiskers from and archery company. I always use these on my trad equipment and match the wiskers to the string color. I normally pick mine up at Bass Pro, it's about a $1 for 3' of wiskers. Hope this helps.:peace:

If you need them, cat whiskers are an effective and inexpensive solution.

On my Switchback and Elite Envy, there are limb mounted string suppressors at the top and bottom and I use an STS. I have found that I don't need any type of string mounted string suppressors (cat whiskers, string leeches, etc.). I prefer not to give up any speed unless it is absolutely necessary. So before you assume you need them, try an STS first. It dampens bow string vibrations and prevents string slap to great degree.

I just put a pair on my bow yesterday. I used dental floss to tie them. I've done this for years with recurve and slefbow. Never had one come off. I find using a spring type cloth pin to help hold the whiskers until you can get the first couple wraps works well. After tied off, I carefully (very carefully) melt the cut ends of the floss.

jim p.

The best Ive found is heavy wool yarn, works well on my longbows...Paul

thanks for your input bro, all opinions help. What is a gutted cat even look like? lol

I havent got a pic of my cat at the moment Tis on the PC. I love you billa MUFC... just gorgeous

this a video how to tie on the ball cat whiskers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6WNxTLPJW0&feature=channel_page

Nice to see the old skool rounded cats are still fairly popular. Good stuff cheap.

ok so last night i tried tying these string whiskers on like the youtube vid skycomag posted but i kept failing, i can get em tyied on but they won't form the little ball, any ideas what i'm doing wrong?

Thanks,
Scotty

I use these too. Then again my bow is old school too. A Oregon Deschutes, around a late 80's to early 90 vintage. I bought it used around 92.

There are lotsof ideas here!!!!!!!!!
but people seem to be very casual with this site!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Any body interested in a joint venture ?
I got some stuff to share

There are lotsof ideas here!!!!!!!!!
but people seem to be very casual with this site!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Any body interested in a joint venture ?
I got some stuff to share

What do you have in mind?

Thanks for the tip! I'm always looking for a new method to do anything. :)

key is to get knot tight and have it stay that way orther wise you get Hay stacks :dizzy:

i prefer using leeches because i dont think they slow my bow down much at all.

I tested the wiskers, the leaches, and string jacks. lost 2 ft per second from jacks to wiskers and the silence is unbelievably more quiet with the wiskers. Shooting 70 lbs with and SQ2 and carbon impact arrows.

Yep, I'll give a few fps for less sound! And they look great! :D