Have you tried scruffing the striker? Sounds like you might need to condition it too. take the green scotchbrite, that comes on that stick TScott was refering to.ON the Power Crsytal itself I found that 150 grit paper worked and instead of back and forth motion I went in a random circular motion. It sounds gfreat and I don' t have to do a whole lot of conditioning on it after that.Just touch up every once in a while.