Sanding the striker

[DaveH]

I've got a bunch of strikers in everything from steel to different kinds of wood.

My favorite (and best sounding) one is a light colored wood of unknown origin - it honestly looks like pine!

What is the proper way to resurface the tip of a striker? Rounded, squared off, something else? And what grit?

This striker sounds great on every pot call I have . . . and I have most types!

[Campo]

I would take the striker, and plant it into a scotchbrite pad (the kind on the back of a sponge) and give it about 20 or so good turns. After that, lightly brush it back and forth across the grain (See: LIGHTLY) and you should be ready to go.
I have alot of different strikers, from bubinga to maple, and I like the bubinga one the most on my slates.

[deeg1502]

Pot and peg calls, also known as slate calls because of the primary material they were once made of, now come in a variety of surfaces. Whether your call is made of glass, aluminum, slate or some other material, using some general maintenance rules can make them last for many hunting seasons. Most importantly, always make sure to keep fingers, other oil surfaces and dust off the striking surface. Use storage pouches, holsters or plastic bags when you are carrying your slate calls or storing them. Store your calls in a cool, dry place to prevent the warping of the call's wooden chambers. Keep your call surfaces sanded, and only sand in one direction. Never sand back and forth and certainly not in a circular motion. Sandingin one direction makes for a more reliable sounding sweet spot from which to pull your calls best calls. Use sandpaper, light steel wool or a sanding stone to rough up the surface of the call. A good rule of thumb is to use light grit sandpaper for true slate calls and heavier grit for other surfaces. It's also important to lightly sand your striker tips with an emery on a regular basis to clean them of oil and dirt. Like yourcalls, sand the striker tips in one direction as well.

220 grit sandpaper is all that is needed to keep your box and slate in top working order

Thestriker needs to be sanded from time to time depending on use. Just lightly brush the sandpaper across the end. All you want to do is get the slate build up off the tip of the striker not make flat spots

[DougMD]

Sounds like awesome advice to me. I can't believe how I can get my pots to work good, then go outside or even to work and everything whines. The best anti-whine striker I have is the carbon, hollow inside. I think it has something to do with humidity.

[mouthcaller]

Great advice deeg. I've been using "slate" calls for 20+ years but didn't think about sanding in only one direction. Thanks for the pointers.

[Strut&Rut]

There are multiple ways to sand the playing surface.

One of the best ways is to actually draw a line down the middle of the call. On one half, sand north-south, and then on the other half sand east-west. When you move the striker in a circular motion, you will actually change pitch/tone as you move from a perpendicular to a parallel direction of grain.

Also, do not be afraid to circle those sweet spots on your call. I typically use a fine point sharpie (in red or blue), but only on commercial calls, not customs. I don't really find any particular "sweet spot" on a custom call, it plays well anywhere, for the most part.

Sand the strikers hard and often, period. Nothing sounds worse, IMO, than a glossy striker squeaking across a friction surface...ugh!!

I just maintenanced my calls tonight with my daughter, and will maintenance them again as needed. If the weather is humid/wet, or I use the friction calls often, I may rough the calls & strikers every other day during the season.

Cheers,
S&R

[Ridge Runner]

I like to slightly bevel the outside edges of the tip but keep a good flat face on about 2/3's to 3/4's of the dowel diameter, it is the edge of the face when you tilt the striker 10 degrees that gives you those sharp crisp clucks and cuttsthat drive gobblers nuts.
I like hicory strikers but when you buy 6 or so you end up with about 50% that just don't sound good. a couple that are ok, and one that is awesome, don't know why but thats the way it goes.
RR

[Adrian J Hare]

Good reply RR , I would agree 100%...BT

[kevin1]

For those using a natural slate , running the flame of a butane lighter across it just before use will drive out the absorbed moisture resulting in a better sound . You'll see the slate lighten up as the moisture evaporates . Do not overheat it , less is more .