Strikers
03-08-2014, 04:34 AM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: northeast
Posts: 115
Strikers
Does any one here make there own? With a basic slate call, it's the striker that makes the call, so I experiment with the sounds I can achieve. I have taken dried limbs of maple cherry oak and ash...varying widths,cut to different lengths and drilled holes in one end...I then have used varying lengths of dowel and carbon arrows that have been broken 3-D falling over snaps them off clean
. Sometimes I can take a piece of limb out and a few different "rods" to interchange for a variance in pitch and tone...Fun to see what I can come upo with and how they work in the field. Oh lets not forget dried corn cob ...another distinct sound.
. Sometimes I can take a piece of limb out and a few different "rods" to interchange for a variance in pitch and tone...Fun to see what I can come upo with and how they work in the field. Oh lets not forget dried corn cob ...another distinct sound.
03-08-2014, 10:30 AM
#3
Typical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Hatton, Alabama
Posts: 520
It's not just the stiker but yeah it can change a call quite a bit.
Lighter tops = higher pitch
Heavier tops = deeper pitch
The denser the striker dowel the louder and higher pitch. The softer stuff is more mellow. A rosewood striker will scream on an aluminum call.
What you condition your surface with will have an effect too. Some very light grit paper (240 or lighter) will create some areas that will grap your striker better and make the call have some rasp to it. Scotch pads are good but don't get too light of a grit or you are just slicking the call over. 180 grit on a glass call is a good option. 240 grit on aluminum or copper but keep it light and don't bear down.
Most people do it but I never condition slate call surfaces. The slate just doesn't need it. I also have found that if I don't sand my striker tips when I get copper or aluminum buildup that it will actually run better.
Just some things that I have found out while producing calls.
Lighter tops = higher pitch
Heavier tops = deeper pitch
The denser the striker dowel the louder and higher pitch. The softer stuff is more mellow. A rosewood striker will scream on an aluminum call.
What you condition your surface with will have an effect too. Some very light grit paper (240 or lighter) will create some areas that will grap your striker better and make the call have some rasp to it. Scotch pads are good but don't get too light of a grit or you are just slicking the call over. 180 grit on a glass call is a good option. 240 grit on aluminum or copper but keep it light and don't bear down.
Most people do it but I never condition slate call surfaces. The slate just doesn't need it. I also have found that if I don't sand my striker tips when I get copper or aluminum buildup that it will actually run better.
Just some things that I have found out while producing calls.
03-08-2014, 03:17 PM
#6
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Indy
Posts: 728
One other tip- before randomly scratching up a glass, crystal, aluminum, or ceramic surface dip the striker tip in water/moisten with mouth and then dip in baking soda. This gives you a grip and friction. You find the sweet spot before scratching up the call face.
