Engine Steel wool for exhaust noise

[Coca Kohler]

I have a 1985 mtd with a 14hp opposed and I was wondering if putting steel wool inside the exhaust would make it quieter. But I was wondering about the engines performance if the the steel wool would change the performance for the worse.
Or if I put steel wool around the outside of the pipe if that would make it quieter. I could try and make a muffler for the outside but would it work?

 

[mullins87]

I don't think just wrapping the muffler in steel wool will help, but I could be wrong. Putting it inside the muffler "could" help if you can get enough in there without creating a restriction to the exhaust flow. I think the steel wool would help to break up the exhaust pulses as they move through the muffler, therefore reducing exhaust noise. However, I've seen this with other air cooled engines where I tried to make them quieter, most of the noise is probably coming from the engine itself and not the exhaust.