Everything you wanted to know about the Wisker Bisquit rest and more
 

EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE WISKER BISQUIT

With all the questions and comments about the wisker bisquit rest I thought I would write this up to help those understand how the rest works, and what steps you need to take to get the most out of it. These are just my opinions based on a full year of using the WB, and things I have discovered about it.
First the Pro’s and Con’s of the rest.
The Pro’s include simple reliable performance. No moving parts, springs, cables, wires or anything to freeze up or fail at the wrong time. Your arrow stays on the rest at all times, ready for action. It is very simple and easy to tune and provides excellent arrow flight, provided you trim it properly and use the right fletching. It is quiet when you draw back, provided you use a slick finish carbon arrow, and the arrow won’t fall off the rest onto your bow riser.
The Con’s of the rest include fletching wear, possible loss of speed, limited number of fletching that work well and hold up to repeated shooting, Also with some bows with lower brace heights you will not be able to shoot 5” fletch without them “poking” through while the arrow is nocked and the bow is un-drawn. It can also be a little noisy when drawing aluminum or rough finish carbon arrows across it.
I have found that in order to get the best performance from the WB you will need to trim the rest some. How much depends on the style of arrow you shoot. For larger diameter aluminums I like to trim both the front and back “flat”. You can go to the Carolina archery products website and see pictures and an explanation of how to trim the rest. For ICS type carbons I have found that you can really only trim one side, any more and you won’t have enough support for the arrow and it can fall between the bristles. For the “skinny’ style carbons I have found that you can only get away with minor trimming before you run into support problems. The more trimming you can do, the less the bristles will effect arrow flight, and speed loss will also be minimized.
For fletching I have found that 4” seems to work best. Feathers will do well, but the top edge will get “scalloped” over time, and they do become a bit noisy when compared to feathers that have not been shot through the Bisquit. They do provide excellent arrow flight though. For vanes I have found that Arizona speed flyte vanes work the best. Standard Bohoning vanes also work well, and I have heard of people having good luck with the Flex fletch vanes. Soft vanes such as Duravanes and standard Arizona plastifletch just won’t hold up and become wrinkled quickly.
The key is to apply the fletching in a way that it will bond to the shaft and won’t peel off. I have had good luck with both fletchtite cement and the various super glues. When using the “super glues” clean the arrow shaft with a water/baking soda solution. Don’t use Acetone as this will weaken the bond between the glue, and shaft. When using fletchtite you can clean the shaft with acetone or your standard cleaners. Make sure to clean the shaft well, and following the manufactures instructions on how to clean the vane base. Allow plenty of drying time after fletching and use a dab of glue at the front and back of each vane or feather to keep the tip from peeling up. When fletching feathers I like to use the fletching tape. I have found it provides a good bond and works well, but that is a personal choice. I want to thank Cary Pickens at New Archery Products for the tip on cleaning the shafts with the baking soda water solution when using the super glues. It makes very good sense and allows for a strong secure bond.
Once the WB has been trimmed properly and your arrows fletched, it’s time to start tuning. I find that it is well worth the extra money to buy the deluxe version. It has both horizontal and vertical adjustments and makes tuning a lot easier, especially when compared to the original or drop tine versions. You can make one adjustment at a time and not worry about loosing another. The rest tunes the same as any other, just following the Easton tuning guide and your shouldn’t have any problems.
For speed loss I have found that the more trimming the less you will have. The more helical and the larger the fletching, the more speed you will loose. 5” feathers fletched right helical seemed to loose the most speed, while 4” straight fletch vanes lost very little. On average the 5” right helical feathers lost 6 fps, and the 4” feathers and vanes lost 2 to 3 fps compared to a standard prong rest. The 4” straight fletched arrows lost only 1 to 2 fps. Remember though this is after doing the trimming.
The bottom line is that is you like the advantages of the WB, and are willing to change the style and type of fletching on your arrows to match well with the rest, it works great. The speed loss is minimal, but it does happen. Spend the extra money and buy the deluxe version to save yourself some tuning headaches. I also have found that for overall balance aluminum and ICS type carbons work best. The “skinny” carbons do work, but you won’t be able to do as much trimming and the arrow can still sometimes “slip” between the bristles. I have also found that you can shoot the aluminum bisquit with the ICS carbons and still get good accuracy. I do however recommend following the Carolina archery guidelines when choosing the correct size for your arrows. This will give you the best results in the long run.
All and all I think the Wisker Bisquit is an excellent rest for the bowhunter, but to get the most out of it you will have to pay attention to the details of your setup. Choose the right fletching, trim as needed and tune your bow properly. For the 3D or tournament archer I don’t see any advantages to using this rest, and the drawbacks far out weigh any advantage you may find. For the bowhunter, I think the extra trouble is well worth it in the end. If you are considering this rest I suggest going to www.carolinaarcheryprod.com and reading over the site carefully. It should answer many of your questions, and to be honest I find their site to be pretty much right on the money with my personal findings.

RE: Everything you wanted to know about the Wisker Bisquit rest and more
 

nice review 5 shot........i love my whisker biscuit ,i shoot aluminum arrows they fly true and i get preety good speed from the biscuit.....can't go wrong with the biscuit.

RE: Everything you wanted to know about the Wisker Bisquit rest and more
 

I love mine so far, but having a problem with the vanes touching other spots and rubbing against things. I shoot carbon arrows through my aluminim biscuit and never trimmed it and it works ok. Good post.

RE: Everything you wanted to know about the Wisker Bisquit rest and more
 

Thanks 5 shot,

I wanted to know more about the rest before trying it. That helped a bunch

RE: Everything you wanted to know about the Wisker Bisquit rest and more
 

Quote:

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It is very simple and easy to tune and provides excellent arrow flight, provided you trim it properly and use the right fletching.

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I have found that you can easily get a 'false' sense of tune. Careful attention should be given to the arrow AFTER it leaves the WB.

RE: Everything you wanted to know about the Wisker Bisquit rest and more
 

thanks for the info 5 shot - just printed it out
I have asked about the WB and gotten good info
I made up my mind a while back and will be getting the WB (i was waffling on which one - deluxe or drop tine) - I will be going with the deluxe (wish they had camo)
I hear the new versions are improved with softer bristles

RE: Everything you wanted to know about the Wisker Bisquit rest and more
 

It seems to me, that all the do's and don'ts, including all the recommended special requirements of certain other components, that follow the statement: "It is very simple and easy to tune and provides excellent arrow flight, provided you trim it properly and use the right fletching," beginning with the term "provided," indicates a contradiction of stated simplicity, reliability, and performance.

RE: Everything you wanted to know about the Wisker Bisquit rest and more
 

Another good thing about the biscuit is that you can adjust the knocks in any position. I was having problems with my fletchings hitting my buss cable so now I fletch my arrows with the cock feather out instead of up and I no longer have contact with my buss cable.

RE: Everything you wanted to know about the Wisker Bisquit rest and more
 

I really don't see what all the fuss is about.........bottom line is the WB is a great hunting rest, there is no way to dispute that. Too many people shoot them and are thrilled with the way it works to logically think any other way.

Just because it is a great hunting rest doesn't mean everyone will like it. Mechanical broadheads are great heads but no matter how great they are you will always find people to say they don't work or they are garbage. This may be due to stubborness, closed minded, or just plain personal preferences.

Maybe the WB isn't for everyone and that is fine but when I see people saying things like it slows your arrows, tears up vanes, and throws flight out of whack all it tells me is they have never used one for a long period of time. The speed loss is so minimal it's not even worth mentioning. My Patriot shoots 278 fps at 27" draw 65lb with a WB on it........your string silencers slow your bow more then a WB will. I have shot tons of arrows through mine and the vanes are fine and the arrows fly straight and true. I can group arrows past 30 yards with 2-3-4 blade broadheads of all different brands.........and it's quiet as a mouse fart.

What else is there?? Oh yea......there is no way or no position I can put my bow in and make the arrow fall off the rest. No big deal but a nice bonus.

My WB was put on and it shot great within minutes........needed a little fine tuning and it was all set.

It's a great rest and I recommend that if you are looking for a new hunting rest that you try one if you can...........mine cost $50. With the prices of rests out there today the price of a WB is an absolute steal IMO.

I have shot prong, drop away and now WB..........while the other style rests are adequate.......all things considered I will be using a WB in the woods.

RE: Everything you wanted to know about the Wisker Bisquit rest and more
 

5 Shot

Thanks for the review. I enjoy hearing first hand experience
on the pros and cons of a product...especially one that
I'm considering using;). I've long considered the WB,
really feel it would be a asset with all the ground hunting
I do. I'm currently using Trophy Takers on both my bows
and have no complaints except the fact that if something
goes wrong in the field or on a hunting trip I have to take
it in to a bowshop as I am unable to set it up myself. Like
most bowshops I've frequented, mine has it's "favorite
products", TT being one of them. I haven't heard too many
upsides on the WB from friends at the shop. Your feedback
helps answer some questions I had.

Can you give me a link where I can pick up some Arizona
speed flyte or Bohning vanes? Also, can Goat's Tuff be used
as a bond with these vanes?

Len

I,also,value your opinion, this statement makes me think
you may not be a fan of the WB? Is there something you
could share based on your experiences at your shop? I, for
one, would like to hear.

Thanks to all for the info[:-]

RE: Everything you wanted to know about the Wisker Bisquit rest and more
 

C903, glad to see your still hanging around.
Len you are correct I knew I forgot to mention something. You really need to paper tune at at least 3 different distances. Len is dead on the money. I have got bullet holes at 3 feet from the paper and had tears at longer distances. I personaly like to tune at 3, 8 and 15 feet. I am not trying to convince anyone to use the WB, just presenting my findings after using the rest for a year. I also need to say that I do like the WB, but just finished installing a Muzzy zero effect on my bow. The MZE just gives me more options. I some times forget that not everyone tunes their bows at differnt distance.

RE: Everything you wanted to know about the Wisker Bisquit rest and more
 

Two Beards:

No, I'm not a big fan of the WB and I don't hide that fact. I find it to be a major problem for those who don't know how to tune properly and for those who think they know how to tune a bow, but don't. I see too many going for the arrow capture feature and ignoring basic archery architecture.

If you feel a need to use a captive rest of this sort, it's one of your basic choices. Another would be the APA product, which might be a slightly better design, because it doesn't mess with your fletchings and introduce 100% arrow/fletching contact. That is if you know how to tune that rest as well.

In reality, even your drop-away rests offer various problems. Knowing and overcoming these problems is what many don't even consider.

5 shot answered your question to me. He and I discussed just this question when we met at the ATA Show. You are all very fortunate to have someone like him. He is very dedicated to archery and does a tremendous job analyzing products from a layman's point of view. Good job, Chris.;)

RE: Everything you wanted to know about the Wisker Bisquit rest and more
 

Len: Do you think that you could describe how you would set a bow up for those guys that don't have a shop close enough to go to? Perhaps you could offer an opinion on arrow spine? Maybe a few pointers on adjusting the windage on a rest? Could you decribe where you would reccomend placing the nocking point on the bowstring? There are many who would value your advice on these things in the spirit of archers helping other archers. Please step up to the plate and take your swing Len. We anxiously await your pearls of wisdom on these matters. On behalf of archers everywhere we thank you in advance for your help. Good luck hunting!

RE: Everything you wanted to know about the Wisker Bisquit rest and more
 

5shot and Len - Don't all rests need to be tuned? How is the WB different? Len, what is the APA product you mentioned? The only other rest similar to the WB that I've seen is one by Golden key (I think it was called a Funnel) but it seemed too hard and I didn't like it. It seems the main knocks on the WB are vane contact and loss of speed which most I've read who actually use them don't seem to have much trouble with. Everything else seems like any other rest. Also, 5shot, you mention the MZE gives you more options. Can you expound? (that is a word, isn't it? :D) Thanks guys.

RE: Everything you wanted to know about the Wisker Bisquit rest and more
 

The MZE gives me more options when it comes to fletching and arrow length. It provides total clearance so I can shoot 5" feathers and not have any problems as well as shoot some of the softer vanes. These would include the new NAP vanes I want to try out. I saw the APA rest at the show and it did apear to do well. I shot one installed on a Bow Tech Liberty and it seemed like a sound rest. It is funny though that the WB is made for hunters, but in order to get the max out of it you really need to know how to tune a bow properly. The "false tune" is one aspect of that. I like the WB, but I know and understand it's limitations and it's strengths. It took about a year to fully "get the picture" though.

RE: Everything you wanted to know about the Wisker Bisquit rest and more
 

i put one on this year and could kick myself in the butt for not doing it when they first came out.... It is the best most reliable rest ive ever used, and its hard to explain to someone who dont understand it, but if you try it, chances are you will feel the same.....

RE: Everything you wanted to know about the Wisker Bisquit rest and more
 

5shot,

I am curious as to how much of a speed loss may occur with straight vanes if the biscuit is not trimmed?

RE: Everything you wanted to know about the Wisker Bisquit rest and more
 

Len thank you for the kind words:). Frank To be honest I did not test it without trimming. I believe the rest needs trimming to preform best, but becuase you asked I will find an untrimed bisquit and and shoot some to see. I susspect probably a couple of feet per second more than without trimming, but I won't know for shure until I try it out.

RE: Everything you wanted to know about the Wisker Bisquit rest and more
 

I'm not a bagger of the bisquit as I have 3 different bows set up with this rest (another one with a drop away), but one of the main cons I see aside from the already mentioned "false tune" is the added distance of arrow travel that can be translated into the shot when torquing the bow.
I know torquing the bow when shooting is not desired and should be avoided, but when using a full capture rest the results of doing so are magnified above that of a drop away rest. imho

Morale of my little rant= keep your form good and don't torque the grip during the shot and you'll be a-ok!

Long live the biscuit (unless it's covered in gravy:D)

RE: Everything you wanted to know about the Wisker Bisquit rest and more
 

Len,

I'm not really sure what a false tune is. Are you referring to a paper tune or to a type of group tuning? I tune my W.B. just like I tune every other rest I've ever had and it works great. I group tune at 20 and 40 yards. Then, I bareshaft tune to get my spine where I want it. It sometimes takes a little time to get horizontal and vertical arrow placement correct at each yardage, but in my opinion a bow is not tuned until it is group tuned.

RE: Everything you wanted to know about the Wisker Bisquit rest and more
 

Thanks Chris. The reason I ask is because the local shop usually uses a figure of 6-8 fps in loss of speed for an untrimmed biscuit and straight 4 inch vanes. I want to make sure that number is still accurate.

RE: Everything you wanted to know about the Wisker Bisquit rest and more
 

Just to add to the speed loss numbers. Heres some info I came up with, while experimenting. I found it interesting.

In a trimmed biscuit with notches where the vanes pass through the notches - no speed loss with a 3 degree offset vane, gained 1 fps in one setup.

In a trimmed biscuit (no notches), a helical vane lost 2 fps over an 3 degree offset straight vane.