Vibration dampeners (DTM's) designed to surround a device in which unwanted vibrations (including shocks) are set up during use or a component of the device. The DTM significantly shortens the duration of those vibrations, reducing sound levels, making the device more comfortable to use in wielded instrument applications of the invention, and/or significantly reducing the possibility that the vibrations might damage the device. A representative, but significant, use of the subject DTM's is to dampen the vibrations generated when an arrow (or bolt) is shot from a crossbow.