I live , shoot and hunt where there are a lot of pine and other sticky sappy evergreen trees . In some areas it is difficult to just take a walk without getting sap or pitch on your clothes , hands and equipment . This is why I prefer rubber silencers , just a little sap can make a sticky mess out of puff balls and other types . Other than the popular "cat whiskers" type I am interested in others such as Bow Jacks , Pine Ridge wishbone , Black Widow string spiders , etc. I tried Limbsavers leaches , they didnt last long with a fast flight string .

I have the Black Widow string spiders on my 45# Black Widow. They hold up well and do a great job of killing the twang! I use 4 of them on my string though.

String leeches. Been using them for years.

Foam ear plugs. I kid you not. Rick Barbee turned me on to those….

And VERY much to my surprise, I recently acquired an Eagle’s Flight strap on quiver, and I was immediately impressed with the noise reduction. If I had a quiet enough place to shoot, I would fire up the Decibel Meter on my phone and take some measurements.

Limb Savers everlast Leeches.

Bow Jacks,…they just slide on the string.

I use 4 on a string.

I put a little serving on each side of them once I get the location just to keep them from slipping.

Water proof, burr proof and really work.

Cat whiskers.

The original Simms leaches were soft and fell apart easily, they fixed that problem long ago. The new ones are light and very good silencers.

The kardashian non scented beaver fur strips are another great alternative. Just way overpriced. There offered for only recurve and longbows, not for the compound crowds .

Cat Whiskers

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=bow+string+leeches&crid=3H6X16JE3T2IC&sprefix=string+leeches%2Caps%2C127&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_2_14

All kinds of them on Amazon.

I have always had great results from cat whiskers (1.25" long) and with wool yard puffs. I have pretty silent bows now.

I would still use puff silencers. Mine are simply put through the strands of the Flemish string, nothing is tied on/into the string. If I get anything on/in the puff, it's a very easy procedure to swap out for new ones. A skein of yarn lasts nearly forever. I still use the ones I bought decades ago. If you like rubber, have at it.

Anyone tried Paracord?

Lots of folks on here use it. And it's like all other silencers. Some like it some don't. It was all the rage on here a year or so ago.

I have tried paracord sheath and yarn types of silencers and was happy with them until they became a sticky mess , and making yarn or paracord puff balls is easy and very low cost . I was just interested in others experience and opinions on rubber, neoprene or other silencers other than the popular "cat whiskers" . I cut some rubber Xs out of bicycle innertube . they worked but did not last long before the string cut thru them . I may try a thicker automotive innertube just because I like tinkering and experimenting . I will also try the foam earplugs as mentioned earlier .

That’s all I use is paracord it works great x2 Snowman

A quart of mineral spirits is handy to have around if you get corn dogged from cutting pine.

This is what I am using now.

5 grains each, and using two sandwiched together at the L6 top X L10 bottom positions.

They work very VERY well.

Rick

Thread on the string, and tied in place.

Rick

Those are cut out of 1/4" yoga pad foam.

Rick

The pine ridge wishbone ones are great. I've used them in the past and using them this year. What I like as well as others have said is a rubber strapped quiver. I am using the selway slide on and that makes a big difference as well

Jann's Netcraft round rubber (fishing) skirt material. 12 colors

I bought some on Amazon that look like ninja throwing stars. They very soft pliable rubber and are slid on the string. About the size of a nickel. I’ve also used Bowjax.

In a pinch I used ear plugs, they worked really well...for a short time, the string cut them in half!

I like cat whiskers and the BW spider silencer.

Wooly Whispers made by JP enterprises in Missouri are my favorite. https://stjoeriverbows.com/shop/ols/products/wooly-whispers-bow- string-silencers-600

I like those silencers Rick.

Hey Rick , I would like to try making some like yours . Yours are cut out very nicely . Please let us know how you do it . I'm guessing you used a stamp or punch type "cookie cutter" . Thanks , Snowman

Thanks Frank. They work great.

Thanks Snowman. I cut them out with a laser.

Since my bow was tuned with puff silencers weighing 15 grains each, I went ahead and put 3 of these new ones at each station to make them weigh 15 grains.

I really like the way it sounds right there. :)

Rick

Hey Rick, I like those. But if you keep cutting up the wife’s yoga mat for experimental string silencers, one of those not so laser sharp bread knives in the kitchen may accidentally fall on your bow string out in the shop while the bow is strung... At least that’s the way it works at my house and with the old aerobics instructor. ;^)

But you need to consider making those commercially, really.

Scoop, I used my head and bought my own yoga mat. To risky otherwise. :D

Rick

Rick, what diameter are those silencers. They look very “compact”.

[[[ "Rick, what diameter are those silencers. They look very “compact”." ]]]

1" diameter, and weigh 5 grains each.

Rick

Just an FYI for those who are fond of cat whiskers....you can buy the material by the 15' roll or by the pound from the Living Rubber Company in nearly any color that you want....

https://www.livingrubber.com/collections/medium-rubber-skirting- material

Cat whiskers for me. Burr & thorn resistant.

Para cord with the guts removed , just the outer wrap , the thin one 3/16"? , 3 pieces 2" long , works well.

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