Whisker Bisquit,first impressions
 

Ok after reading all the comments on the WB I finally broke down and bought one at wallyworld.I just wanted to see for myself how the " whacking basket" as some have called it, performed first hand.Let me preface these remarks by saying I was highly skeptical after spending the past 15 years trying to avoid fletching contact with the arrow rest.For the test I used a aluminum standard bisquit with beman ICS carbon 400' s.I trimmed the back side of the rest as some have recomended(rather sloppily I might add).The rest was mounted on a darton maverick.I eyeballed the cenershot and set the nock height at 90 deg.I did not paper tune the set up due to time constraints.Bear in mind this is a new to me used bow with no peep sight only a kisser button.I was half expecting the fletching to rip off the arrows with the first shot.Much to my surprise they did not.I shot 4" vanes and feathers during my " test" .The vanes were the cheap rubber kind that come on factory bemans.Loading the rest takes some getting used to,notching the side or using the quick shot would be the way I would go if I decided to hunt with one.I do not like loading the arrows through the rest.I must say I was surprised shooting with this rest.I was able to stack arrows together at twenty yards and shoot 2-3 inch groups at thirty.One group the arrows were touching a few others opened up to 3-4 inches.I attributed the variance in groups to my shooting without a peep,something I do not normaly do.I shot several groups with fieldtips and broadheads(100 Gr muzy' s).They both grouped together.This was shooting almost straight fletching.I was very impressed with how it shot without paper tuning.Maybe I just got lucky or eyeballed it pretty good.The arrows flew straight and were sticking straight into the foam target.The only initial drawback I found with the rest is a slight noise on drawing the bow.It is also noisy with feathers as I had the rest as far as it would go forward and my feathers were just inside the rest at brace with the arrow nocked.Moving the fletching back toward the nock a tad would solve that I believe.I can see why so many guys who only bowhunt and do not target shoot would like this rest.It sets up and tunes easy.The only real negative is the slight noise on drawing.The feathers did show slight wear around the edges.The vanes had a slight wave to them but I could' nt determine if it was from the rest or sinking the arrows in the target.I will continue to shoot it and post an update.

CB

RE: Whisker Bisquit,first impressions
 

Are your bemans camo or black? The black ones are soo smooth I can' t hear the draw. Am I just going deaf:(???? or are you shooting camo carbons??

To cut a notch, just remove the biscuit and cut about.25" of the metal of the ring near the factory slot. This smaller opening is much better IMHO than the large gaping hole the Quick shot provides. (I have both) The quick shot when shooting cock down lets the outside hen practically flow through the opening. And no, I can' t shoot cock up because the darn deluxe model allows my inside hen to hit the biscuit mount when shot that way[:' (].

RE: Whisker Bisquit,first impressions
 

They are the black hunters.I need to clean the arrows good.It may just be the foam residue from the target that gets on the arrows making a noise.

CB

RE: Whisker Bisquit,first impressions
 

I routinely shoot muddy grass covered blunt-tipped arrows through the whisker biscuit when it rains. I think that this helps soften the finish on the arrows and will accelerate the breakin period of this rest as well. This rest is incredibly durable and does not require alot of maintainance. Come hunting season you should just wipe it out with soap and water and keep it clean. You should also clean any dust and tree sap off of your arrows and keep them clean as well. Its a good idea to wipe your arrows clean before putting them on the rest for hunting, this will insure that nothing can make the slightest noise when you draw the bow. Good luck hunting!

RE: Whisker Bisquit,first impressions
 

You just had the typical experience of a new WB user. A little customization will get it just right. Cutting the notch makes loading easier then with any other rest. The correct vanes will not wrinkle (a little heat will straighten out those that do). You may find that trimming more bristles gives better results and less noise. Speaking of noise, it generally gets to be less, the more you shoot. I soap my arrow for 3D and I wonder if that hasn' t helped make mine quiet. Anyway, experiment all you want with your bisquit. If you ruin it, new ones are cheap.

RE: Whisker Bisquit,first impressions
 

I too, was very skeptical at first. The WB went against everything I tried to avoid for 30 yrs, fletching contact.

The rest surprised me and performed as you discribed, good grouping, easy to tune, and an added bonus of a full capture rest that holds your arrow in place while hunting.

I tried one for the first time last season and will continue to use one.

RE: Whisker Bisquit,first impressions
 

My bow got stole 2 weeks ago so I had to buy another bow, it came with the biscuit installed. At first was was ready to rip it off and go back to a springy. Now I think this thing is awsome! I shoot better with this bow that I have had for only two weeks as I did with the bow I used for 3 years!! I dont give all the credit to the biscuit but I do think some of the credit is due.:)

RE: Whisker Bisquit,first impressions
 

Cajun

The tech at my archery shop has a method to reduce or eliminate fletching contact on the WB. Don' t worry about trimming it. He heats up a magnus broadhead with a gas torch. He then burns the bristles on the WB in 3 areas on the outer perimeter of the WB were the arrow fletching will pass( it will leave a pie shape area). With the DP WB he burns the top 3/16 inch of WB for the cock feather to pass thru. Then he burns the sides for the other 2 vanes. You virtually remove almost all of the fletching contact. This procedure does not reduce the WB ability to hold the arrow. I swear I think you will gain 2 fps by doing this!!!

RE: Whisker Bisquit,first impressions
 

I haven' t seen CG around here in a while.But corey had posted about making that mod to his and he thought it was the best thing since sliced bread.Maybe we can get an update from him since turkey season.


CB

RE: Whisker Bisquit,first impressions
 

Here' s what I did to one of my biscuits. Through a crono, it is actually 2 fps faster than with a TM Hunter style rest. I shot it this way for two years and I must have cut at least 50% of the bristles off, since I also trimmed the back flat.

RE: Whisker Bisquit,first impressions
 

Thank you Straightarrow! A couple of years ago I was tinkering with my Martin Fury to see how fast it would go. I got it up to 295 with a stock biscuit, a string nock, and speed balls. I put a TM hunter back on and it just reached 300FPS. I then trimmed both sides of the biscuit so it was flat as a coin and put it back on the bow. With the trimmed biscuit the bow consistently shot 305-306FPS through a whisker biscuit, and that was done with a finger release. Thats not bad for a 67# bow and 425grain arrows. Good luck hunting!

RE: Whisker Bisquit,first impressions
 

Ok,after installing a peep and a string loop on the maverick and dialing in the draw length,I did a little more shooting today.At thirty yards the 100 gr muzzys were hittting 2" lower and 2 inches to the right of field points.A small sdjustment to the nock height and the centershot had a fieldpoint and broadhead tipped arrow almost touching at 30 yds.Bh and fp groupings were the same.Overall about 2-3 inches at 30 yds.Some even better,arrows touching when I broke a good release.Arrows are visibly flying good and sticking straight into the target.I am getting some wear on the 4" feathers.One even pulled from the shaft,but these arrows are older and have been through my foam target a few times.I will re fletch some arrows and see how they hold up.I may notch out a hole for the vanes and see if it does any better.Overall very impresssed.

CB

RE: Whisker Bisquit,first impressions
 

Sounds great, but your last post leaves me wondering- are they feathers or vanes?

I wish I could shoot cock up so I could whittle out a 3 way slot like the pic above. But the deluxe model I' m using wn' t allow me to do so. (as posted above)

RE: Whisker Bisquit,first impressions
 

I just installed a w/b the other day and so far I love it. It' s quiet and there is no way my arrow can fall off while I' m hunting.

Can someone explain what you mean when you say you are trimming the back side off the whickers and why you are doing this? So far I can' t see a reason to do this. What effect does it have?

I also can' t understand why you would cut the 3 notches for the vane clearance. If you look at the one in the picture the vanes are still going to hit some of the whiskers and they will have to pass between some whiskers as the arrow travels through the rest. I don' t see how the vanes will pass through those three notches unless you completely cut away all the whiskers right up to the arrow shaft and then line it up perfectly. Am I missing something here?

RE: Whisker Bisquit,first impressions
 

Dave,sorry for the confusion.I said" vanes" generically.My testing so far has been mainly with 4 " feathers.The edges of the feathers have gotten fuzzy,but they still fly good.I have shot some arrows with 4" vanes.Field point flight is good.I only shot a few BH' s with the vanes and flight was not as good.The vanes are a little wavy from being sunk in my foam target.They are also fletched straight.rml if you go the the Carolina archery website they have some tips and one of them is trimming the back side.If you look at the bristles you will see a cone shape around the hole.Trimming it flat reduces the drag and speed loss from the bristles.Notching the holes for the fletch is something a few members have tried.Doing so eliminates any vane wear from using the rest.

CB

RE: Whisker Bisquit,first impressions
 

CB,
Still like it....I did find however that my goldtip BG 100' s are slightly larger diameter than the Easton Epics I just bought. The GT can' t hardly be forced into the gaps I cut but the Epics slide right in so...........I just bought another bisquit and trimmed it to fit the Epics... Works great!!!!! I can tell everyone right now to get the QS.....That piece of plactic reinforcing the ring makes this rest about as bombproof as the shelf of a recurve......Good Luck!!!!

RE: Whisker Bisquit,first impressions
 

Corey, good to hear from you.Thought you might have fallen off a ravine or something chasing them birds:D.I plan on experimenting a little more with the standard bisquit and maybe notch it or switch to the QS.You really like the bisquit more than then trophy taker ehh?I bought a newer maverick but that damn xt shoots so sweet with the TT can' t decide which one to hunt with.

CB

RE: Whisker Bisquit,first impressions
 

CB,
I actually bought two QS this time....I notched and modified the one and just trimmed the back of the other......I' m alternating shooting them and seeing if there is any appreciable difference. AS of now I can' t really see it......There is some (very slight) wear on the 4" feathers w/out the modification but accuracy is identical.

There is only one reason that I like the WB over the TT.....simplicity! There is absolutely nothing that can go wrong on the WB. It will shoot the same every time......I' ve never had my TT fail but I' ve always got the thought in the back of my mind.

I didn' t fall in a raven (at least not turkey hunting;))....drew a great elk tag this year and been doing a lot of scouting. Same area I shot a 300 bull 2 years ago (with your Maverick, I might add :D).

RE: Whisker Bisquit,first impressions
 

KISS that' s my motto.I just wana see how well I can shoot with the WB.I was getting some unreal groups with the TT.Have never shot that good.Maybe it' s just that old Maverick:D I do like a bow that' s been broken in right.I' ve still got the TT on your old mav.I bought a newer model mav and have the WB on it.I' ll shoot both for a while and see which one wins out.

CB