Cat Whiskers

[grizz49]

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?

[poorshot]

Originally Posted by grizz49

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.

[Breck]

does the wiskers slow down arrow speed?

[PA.JAY]

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.

[BowhuntnHoosier]

Originally Posted by PA.JAY

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

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

[J.A.G.]

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

also, what about those furry things for my recurve?

[nativegrl]

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.

[Liv2Bowhunt]

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.

[elkslayer4x5]

Originally Posted by Liv2Bowhunt

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!

[jwelectric]

I was going to use cat whiskers but every time I caught the cat and started pulling out whiskers he clawed me to pieces. Any suggestions on how to pull them without getting eaten alive?

I like string grubs as they also increase speed. The cat likes them too as he can now just lay around licking himself and coughing up hair balls.

[gamoboy]

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

[Hoyt Thompson]

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.

[red44]

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.

[hawkhunts]

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".

[BowhuntnHoosier]

I prefer Cat Whiskers to the Fur Balls.

[smeteta09]

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

[RixFluri73]

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

[skycomag]

this a video how to tie on the ball cat whiskers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6WNx...e=channel_page

[Jollyarcher]

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

[scotty624]

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

[bbcobra]

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.

[elkslayer4x5]

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

[Elkslayer]

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

[archeryassasin]

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

[Berserker]

My dad always said to tie ballons to the cats feet throw it in the river then shoot the ballons thatll occupy the cat


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[buck50]

Originally Posted by grizz49

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?

Separate the bowstring and place each whisker in between the strands. (I use a 14 strand dacron so I split seven to a side) T.J. recommends using dental floss. I use dacron from my old strings. Now, using a 10-12" piece of your string of choice, simply make 5-6 figure 8's, or "X's" if you prefer, around the rubber and the entire string and tie a good square not or two to hold it in place. Pull both ends of the rubber taught and cut diagonally across the ends with a scissors to release the separate strands of material.
This method of affixing the catwhiskers to my strings has outlasted the servings of my bowstrings and I guarantee ol'T.J. knows his stuff.

[wilkersonhunter]

hope this helps. this is a very imformative site

http://www.bowtuningtips.com/maintTips.html

[Hutch]

Here is a site I used http://forums.mathewsinc.com/archery...-how-to-86556/



Hutch