Buck Magnet

Hey guys, just wondering how many guys have tuned their bows with an STS system on. I have always tuned the bows with the STS system off and later put it on. Well, last night I decided to finish up and fine tune my Old Glory and I decided to leave the STS on when shooting through paper. I was getting a consistant nock high left tear. I moved my rest out and raised the arms on my rest a bit and shot again... nothing. I kept moving and finally got the left tear to disappear but I was still left with a 1-1/2" nock high tear, even with the arrow sitting incredibly nock low off the bow. I took the STS off and tuned and got it shooting bullet holes. I fixed my Lumenocks and put them on and shot. Perfect arrow flight. I decided to throw the STS on and shoot an arrow and I noticed the back end of the arrow wobbling. I shot through the paper again and yet another nock high tear. I took the STS off and have it sitting here. I really like the way it works as it removes pretty much all of the little noise from the bow, but if it is going to entirely throw the bow out of tune it is worthless to me. I don't know why I never thought of it before, but it would seem as though the STS would really throw off the nock travel of a bow. The string is going to stop at the lower end of the bow but at the top there is nothing preventing the string from still moving forward. Maybe I am way off here but if anybody has any input I would be glad to hear it.

Cougar Mag

I've always wondered something using the STS. To me it seems the string's follow through should be natural in finishing the shot. Couldn't impeding the string even in the least change the characteristics including the speed? I am not sure about this but doesn't the arrow remain with the string upon release until the string finds its final forward motion?

Len in Maryland

The STS, like many things, has positive and negative attributes. You've just experienced one of the negatives. No, you're not alone in this matter.

Greg / MO

Yes, which is -- as Len pointed out -- one of the positives. This stopping the string at brace prohibits the string from impeding the arrow's speed by "clinging" on to the arrow nock as it begins to slow down past brace... Some people have experienced a 3-4 fps gain just by using an STS.

But, it appears Buck Magnet has discovered a negative which may outweigh that positive... and the noise suppression abilities as well. I wonder what the guys in Dyersburg have to say about it...

Cougar Mag

But is that gain in fps due to some guys removing their noise suppressors, catwhiskers, etc. because they used an STS?

Greg / MO

Nope, simply by adding the STS...

JOE PA

This has got the be the most overhyped accessory that has come out in the last several years. If you posted this over on Archery Talk, the STS crowd would call you a basher and by now would be questioning the worthiness of several of your ancestors.[8D]

I've shot pretty well with the STS on my Darton, including my best ever 3D score, but I really don't think the STS had much to do with that score, and I've shot the bow very well without it. I understand the theoretical advantages, but after shooting an Oregon Black Knight (5 3/4" brace) for a couple of months, often with a bulky nylon jacket on, and not heard any string slap(on my arm), I'm just not convinced of the necessity of this thing.
Even with the Darton, which had considerable vibration without any accessories, the STS, regardless of where it is set up or how far from the string (up to 3/8") it still causes a slap that my 53 yr. old ears can hear quite clearly. There is no difference in noise with and noise without, just a sharper sound with the STS and nicely deadened vibration. I recently got a McPherson Edge to try out. Bare bow it is much quieter than the Darton. I decided to try the STS on it. Only 2 shots were needed to convince me that the bow was noisier with the STS than without it.[:@]
Is it just my bows? Is it just my ears? It is still hard to believe that so many younger guys swear the STS makes their bows "silent".

Len in Maryland

Joe:

It's almost like you read my mind. Everything you just posted is what I've experienced.

The only difference was that my old ears didn't hear the noise. My 14 year old son walked up on me one day and wondered why my bow was so noisey. I disconnected the STS and he said the noise disappeared. My experience with the speed was neutral. Maybe 1/2 fps. MAYBE.

The possible difference that I see between myself and most of those over on AT is that I'm using a hunting rig. When I tested the STS I didn't remove any of the string silencers. I played with it for about a week and had to 'find the sweet spot' to keep it from ruining my tune. Of course, like you, I never have a problem with hitting my arm/clothing, so that was not an issue.

Thank you for posting that information. I was beginning to believe I could have been mistaken.

hunter25

Any bets on this thread finding it's way on AT within a few hours? If it's not already.

Thanks for the info guys. I was toying around with the idea of putting the STS on my new bow (whatever it might be...still shopping) and I still might. My motivation was for more noise reduction. Would it be possible to put one STS above nock point and one below? I just look at this contraption and I equate it to not following through on a golf or baseball swing. Bad things happen when you don't do that.

I'll keep an eye on this thread as I believe it will have plenty of legs in the coming days.

JOE PA

hunter 25:

It was not my intent to discourage anyone. The STS does pretty much eliminate vibration, no argument there. But I do hear a "slap" that is anything but silent, as so many guys claim. It seemed to change tune and impact point more when I was using it with a drop away. Seemed to work better with the Biscuit, or at least seemed to change things less. I've had the thing on and off my bow, and hunted with it this year. I just can't reproduce the "amazing" results that seem to be posted about the thing. To me, it is a better quality version of the Saunders "Deadly Quiet". That makes the STS crowd howl too, but I can't see much difference in what they actually do. JMHO