Custom Strikers ??
 

For the fellows that use and collect strikers, What makes a Striker (Custom) too you ? and what woods do you like best? If you don't mind me asking...BT

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RE: Custom Strikers ??
 

I've got one a friend of mine made me out of dogwood that I like really well. I've used one i made from ash and a corncob handle that works great also. I think it's just me and not the gobblers that cares though.

RE: Custom Strikers ??
 

BT,I go to 3 different strikers in the turkey woods ,rosewood, purpleheart, the one I truly believe is the most versitale on all my surfaces is acrylic!These 3 stikers in my turkey vest are all produced by major marketers,but give me the sounds I'm wanting to hear and get the job done in the turkey woods,thereby in my book making them custom to me!<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

Monarch isn't a butterfly it's the King of the Spring!

RE: Custom Strikers ??
 

I myself like balance and sound. I really like Knight & Hale's
&quot;Mid-Knight&quot; custom striker along with our non custom Super Striker.

RE: Custom Strikers ??
 

To me what makes a custom striker.

First it has to be hand made one at a time.

Second it would have to be made out of some special wood(chestnut,osage,body,etc)

Third it would have to sound great on one of my calls

RE: Custom Strikers ??
 

Custom means it is made with someone in mind as opposed to being stamped out in a production line and sold to anyone that wants it. In other words... &quot;Joe Shmoe&quot; calls you up and says, &quot;Make me a medium length, wide 'purring' striker out of walnut&quot;. As the custom call maker, you make the striker to Joe's specs not your own.

I suppose calls that are made in limited quantities for a certain company to sell could also be considered custom as well. (For example: The calls Cody makes specifically for certain catalog companies out there. You know... The ones where the catalog company logo is included behind the glass of the call. They aren't really custom to each customer that buys one, but they are custom to the catalog company.)

Personally, I'll take a good rosewood or cedar (Yes, I said cedar.) striker on a slate cal any day.

Jeremiah &quot;Pro&quot;

RE: Custom Strikers ??
 

I have one of my friends make me a striker out of glass that works very well on a black widow. The other one i use is a rosewood on a MAD super crystal.

RE: Custom Strikers ??
 

Hey Pro T C Do you know were i can get me one of those ceder strikers?

RE: Custom Strikers ??
 

Mr Longbeard , if Pro can't help you, I can just email me...BT

RE: Custom Strikers ??
 

Well, I gather by your question that you don't have access to a wood lathe and some aged cedar 2x2's.

That's the only way I know to get one, so you better email BT.

RE: Custom Strikers ??
 

Custom to me defines art---such as a customized paint job on your car.

A customized striker has to be functional, but should also be unique. The time and effort should be evident from the onset, with appeal to the eye second only to touch.

With that said, I've made some downright UGLY custom strikers, handcarved with the old Swiss Army knife. Downright nasty sounding though on any friction surface.

I like to personally experiment with lengths and widths---I think the biggest common &quot;denominator&quot; about manufactured strikers is their uncanny resemblence to one another. Same size, same shape.

The key to strikers, in my mind however, is that to truly be custom the striker must be matched to the surface. I've made some strikers that will sing on a slate, but sound completely awful on glass or ceramic. That gets into the density and specific gravity of each wood---lucky for me I've got a brother who's a carpenter, cabinetmaker and woodcarver all in one. I also get access to alot of his &quot;throwaways&quot;...

Even the ones you pictured on a different post---all three &quot;look&quot; identical.

If you're going to go custom, and they're not for show but for use, design each one a little differently.

For example, these are some of the thoughts that come to my mind when I start a custom striker, for either myself or my brother. Carve something into the cedar handle...shorten the locust's handle, and top with a piece of deer hide. That tiger maple would feel great with a wavy handle, and also help with the balance. What new wood can I try to experiment with??

And from my experience and your neck of the woods, I've got some great tips for woods BT---I grew up in NY and now live in CT. I've got one &quot;shorty&quot; that is so balanced and so high-pitched I had the gobblers going bonkers a few weeks ago---and brought in the boss hen for a peak -see.

Drop me an email and we can trade &quot;ideas&quot;.

[email protected]

S&R

RE: Custom Strikers ??
 

i make my own strikers by hand...i WISH i had a lathe..i use a pocket knife! i was taught by an older guy hes 40 or so i duno how old...i split logs by hand and use the heart wood...they arent too straight or nice and even but it will be an acomplishment to myself to take a turkey using my own strikers..im still experimenting with wood..it takes along time to pop a fully done stricker using a pocket knife..sledge hammer..wedge..a log..and some epoxy to attach the top...i like to work on them while sitting on a lake or river bank fishing..it passes the time and gives me something to do...