Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Morgan on October 25, 2017, 08:19:57 pm

Title: Thinnest strike plate material to quiet draw.
Post by: Morgan on October 25, 2017, 08:19:57 pm
I am wondering what the thinnest material is that I can use to quiet my draw. A friend of mine has a food plot that he isn’t going to hunt this year. Has some pretty poor bucks spending a lot of time on it and asked me if I wanted to hunt it. I recently made an eastern woodlands inspired bow from a tree that grew about 20 yards from that plot. I want to use this bow but it is loud on the draw and I absolutely would get busted without something to quiet it. I don’t want to carve into the side of a working limb for a recessed plate, and would like to not glue something on that won’t work. The arrow pass area is about 1 3/8” or so and I’d like to not make it too much wider. Would a thin cloth work? Or maybe very thin leather. I’m thinking the thinner the material, the less it will be effective at damping the sound.
Title: Re: Thinnest strike plate material to quiet draw.
Post by: PatM on October 25, 2017, 08:23:50 pm
Just wrap something on and test it out. Thin chamois from a car cloth, buckskin, moleskin patch from the drug store etc.
Title: Re: Thinnest strike plate material to quiet draw.
Post by: Dakota Kid on October 25, 2017, 08:26:05 pm
Try some of that adhesive backed moleskin. You should be able to find it at any drug store or pharmacy near the foot care products I would think. It's thin, non-permanent, and should lessen the noise considerably. 
Title: Re: Thinnest strike plate material to quiet draw.
Post by: Dakota Kid on October 25, 2017, 08:26:35 pm
You beat me to it Pat. :laugh:
Title: Re: Thinnest strike plate material to quiet draw.
Post by: Morgan on October 25, 2017, 08:29:38 pm
Just wrap something on and test it out. Thin chamois from a car cloth, buckskin, moleskin patch from the drug store etc.
Moleskin! I think I have some of that. It’s be an easy try too. Thanks. That also made me think of the sticky fabric off of a fabric bandaid. Thank you. I get mental block sometimes and was picturing gluing on and scraping off multiple materials before I found a fix.
Title: Re: Thinnest strike plate material to quiet draw.
Post by: mullet on October 25, 2017, 09:42:54 pm
Thin Whitetail Brain tan.
Title: Re: Thinnest strike plate material to quiet draw.
Post by: GlisGlis on October 26, 2017, 03:24:27 am
you may also use a very thin layer of felt
Title: Re: Thinnest strike plate material to quiet draw.
Post by: Ed Brooks on October 26, 2017, 08:33:40 am
tape on, Velcro works well too, the fuzzy part.
Title: Re: Thinnest strike plate material to quiet draw.
Post by: ty_in_ND on October 26, 2017, 03:02:23 pm
I’m thinking the thinner the material, the less it will be effective at damping the sound.

It really depends on the material.  I haven't seen how long it lasts, but I have 1/64" cork on a bow I have and it does an adequate job of dampening the arrow pass.

As others have said, thin leather is good, too.  I have an old leather jacket that I take scraps off of for grips and whatnot and it measures a hair wider than 1/32" (.032" to be exact... or approx .81 mm for our metric friends!).  I've had no problem with durability and noise with this leather.
Title: Re: Thinnest strike plate material to quiet draw.
Post by: bradsmith2010 on October 26, 2017, 03:26:41 pm
i cant add anything but do agree drawing the arrow quitely,, makes a difference on deer
Title: Re: Thinnest strike plate material to quiet draw.
Post by: George Tsoukalas on October 26, 2017, 04:27:23 pm
Morgan,
Is the arrow shaft making noise as you draw?

Or is the arrow making a loud noise on release?

Jawge
Title: Re: Thinnest strike plate material to quiet draw.
Post by: Badger on October 26, 2017, 04:55:17 pm
   Same question as George, on release I find the arrow usually clears the arrow pass area.
Title: Re: Thinnest strike plate material to quiet draw.
Post by: Morgan on October 26, 2017, 11:24:27 pm
It’s the rub on the draw thanks making the sound that I was referring to. I can’t tell if it’s making any sound on release, but I don’t think it is.
Title: Re: Thinnest strike plate material to quiet draw.
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on October 28, 2017, 06:01:48 am
Nothing works better than velcro. Leather is only good for so long then it wears to a hard surface and gets loud. Suede leather will work a bit longer.
Title: Re: Thinnest strike plate material to quiet draw.
Post by: PatM on October 28, 2017, 07:27:25 am
You can also use pieces of hair on hide of various types. Sealskin was popular and you can still occasionally find bits of that.
  Deerskin from a part where the hair is really short might be worth a try.  Lower legs or facial area.
Title: Re: Thinnest strike plate material to quiet draw.
Post by: George Tsoukalas on October 28, 2017, 07:54:52 am
Morgan, are you using wooden arrows? They don't make a whole lot of noise on the draw.

My arrows are silent on the draw and on release (tuning). I use leather. I cut it to shape.  I sand the back to get it nice and thin.  I apply it with a thin running super glue. I also apply the glue to the front to harden the strike plate so it does not wear.
I use a flat piece of metal to smooth it to.

I've done it that way for years.

Jawge
Title: Re: Thinnest strike plate material to quiet draw.
Post by: Morgan on October 28, 2017, 09:31:46 am
Thanks for the ideas guys. Going to try the moleskin and Velcro on my next days off. I shoot both wood and carbon George. Both make noise. The carbon more than wood, but the wood still makes enough to alert deer.
Title: Re: Thinnest strike plate material to quiet draw.
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on October 29, 2017, 06:55:25 am
I will shoot "whatever" all year long on my shelf/strikeplate, but when season rolls around Velcro goes on. It has to be absolutely silent to be a good hunting bow. I draw my bow in our bedroom closet in total silence to listen for anything. Most of us are looking for an 8-12 yard shot and they can hear a tick fart at that distance.
Title: Re: Thinnest strike plate material to quiet draw.
Post by: Morgan on October 29, 2017, 08:35:04 am
I will shoot "whatever" all year long on my shelf/strikeplate, but when season rolls around Velcro goes on. It has to be absolutely silent to be a good hunting bow. I draw my bow in our bedroom closet in total silence to listen for anything. Most of us are looking for an 8-12 yard shot and they can hear a tick fart at that distance.
Honestly, I guess I was used to the sound because I didn’t notice it or was used to it. I was having some inconsistency shooting that wound up being arrow related, but I had taken a video of myself to try to pinpoint problems with release etc. sound doesnt come through the best on my cellphone video, but the sound of drawing the arrow was noticeable, so I know that it is loud enough to spook.
Title: Re: Thinnest strike plate material to quiet draw.
Post by: Morgan on October 30, 2017, 06:51:37 pm
Got some sticky Velcro and she’s silent now. Shows some wear after a hundred or so arrows, but it’s cheap, easy to change, and works great. I expected the added thickness to throw my point of aim / impact off, but it don’t seem like it has. Parodox is a funny thing. Thanks for all the suggestions guys.
Title: Re: Thinnest strike plate material to quiet draw.
Post by: bradsmith2010 on October 31, 2017, 05:00:29 pm
or cut the hair shorter,, I use some calf skin with hair, it works nice,,
Title: Re: Thinnest strike plate material to quiet draw.
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on November 01, 2017, 09:50:02 am
The original fuzz wears off quick, but it will still be silent for long after. If you ever need to shorten the fuzz up, a beard trimmer will trim it right down tight to the fabric backing, but still leave enough to remain silent.