Pot/Slate Call Questions

[DirtTime]

What type do you use ( actual slate, glass, aluminum.. ) and how do you condition the surface and the striker?

 

I have an old ( at least 15 years ) Quaker Boy slate. I always use a small piece of green Scotch Brite for the slate, and just sandpaper for the striker.

Edited March 11, 2016 by ....rob

[turkeyfeathers]

HS Strut slate and a custom slate I got a few years back from a member on oldgobbler. Green scotch brite in upper right pocket of vest and sand paper in upper left lol. Moisture sucks with slate so I'm always conditioning it in the woods

[DirtTime]

I smoke so I always have a lighter on me to dry them out. Just have to be careful.

[turkeyfeathers]

Rob ,

Do you have more than one striker ? It amazes me the difference a striker makes with the same slate call. I have 4-5 strikers I carry.

[DirtTime]

Not right now no. I do want to pick up a couple different ones and start using them. In my mid 20's a guy I used to talk to a lot at a local watering hole told me he just used a piece of slate and a cut down of rod plexiglas. 

[Bowguy 1]

Depends on the type surface. Slate is typically scotch brite, glass or Crystal either sand paper or drywall screen, occasionally a sanding stone, aluminum can be simple an alcohol swab or emery cloth, depends on type aluminum, the maker of the call should tell you what's reconmended.

[G-Man]

Scotch bright, on slate

400 grit paper on glass surface

Sand paper on ceramic ( 80;grit)

Scotch bright on acrylic strikers and wood, and gum cement tipped,

Fine sand paper on copper, and carbon strikers (old arrow shafts work well.)

I stay away from sand paper on wood strikers as it can change the tip rapidly, same on most surfaces..

Edited March 11, 2016 by G-Man

[Five Seasons]

when i started turkey hunting i was using just box and mouth. It wasn't till last year that i bought a slate and glass and so upset I didn't do it earlier. I do prefer the slate I think, the glass is better for windy days or trying to call further, but harder to use for me. primos makes a tool i think it's $15 and while probably something the pros would scoff at, its been good to me for conditioning my calls.

[mlammerhirt]

I know we are discussing slate...but without starting a new thread...how do you store or clean your mouth calls??

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[Bowguy 1]

You clean/store mouth calls in a freezer or refrigerator after washing in non alcohol mouth wash. I'm seeing pic n posts about factory calls. Get some custom calls they run easier n sound worlds better.

[DirtTime]

Thanks for the tips on strikers G-Man and Bill.

 

I always like the pot call because it can produce everything but an actual gobble. Clucks, purrs, yelps, keekee, etc.

[Bowguy 1]

Bill if you like soft talk a purr pot by Schafer who is maybe 45-50 mins from Stewart would work perfectly for you. Trough calls as well. McGraw also makes great purr pots. Schafer though you can drive to n actually hear the calls. Ask to hear his tear drop. He'll run plenty of calls for anyone

[Bowguy 1]

Sorry Jim Scafer is oak ridge custom calls. He has a website

[ATbuckhunter]

I use a crystal pot call. Ive used the green scotch brite but i prefer to use sandpaper. Just a little conditioning and im good to go. 

Edited March 11, 2016 by ATbuckhunter

[DirtTime]

I was popping around Youtube. Maybe it's the sound set up I have on my PC or I am not used to hearing it, but glass and blasted glass have an odd sort of almost reverb to them.

[G-Man]

I was popping around Youtube. Maybe it's the sound set up I have on my PC or I am not used to hearing it, but glass and blasted glass have an odd sort of almost reverb to them.

Glass is my last resort, I'll take slate.over glass or.slate.over slate first. But glass is a good foul weather call as they work wet or dry

[Bowguy 1]

Glass is the most realistic sounding surface. Good glass anyway. Crystal is good if you like higher notes. Aluminum is a straight up killer n prob my favorite surface. Again good custom calls. Well made slates have a mellowed tone but great ones have life in em, they pop like other surfaces. Most custom calls cost around the same or less than many factory calls. They sound much much better. Go visit a maker n listen to calls, be pretty sure you'll change your minds guys

[maytom]

I have about 12 pot calls now in my collection, although some I like better than others. Slates work well as long as there is no moisture involved. I have one that was made by David Halloran that I picked up at the NWTF convention over 10 years ago. Still sounds great to my ears. I also have one of his glass calls as well. I have most types of call surfaces made, and I have to admit, a couple of my glass calls are my go to calls that ride in my vest.

[Bowguy 1]

Halloran is a talented maker. His Crystal mistress is one of the best calls ever made imo

[Skillet]

I really like copper. I have one made by Loyalty Outdoors, & it sounds great.

My favorite call is a Primos power slot. Simple to use, & proven many times over.

Edited March 15, 2016 by Skillet

[DirtTime]

I was reading up on some good striker materials. It seems acrylic ( what I have now ) and Hickory work well. But acrylic works best in all conditions where as wood strikers, even the really hard woods soften up a bit with the moisture of a cool early morning in May.

Still leaning towards Hickory as a second striker.

[Bowguy 1]

For strikers, dymondwood, Snakewood, Kingwood, Wenge and tulipwood. Look up Harold fowlers website, he wells then for a fair price

[Rick Howard]

when i started turkey hunting i was using just box and mouth. It wasn't till last year that i bought a slate and glass and so upset I didn't do it earlier. I do prefer the slate I think, the glass is better for windy days or trying to call further, but harder to use for me. primos makes a tool i think it's $15 and while probably something the pros would scoff at, its been good to me for conditioning my calls.

I make turkey pot calls and I keep one of thse in my vest. I'm sure there are few others who use it too. Well made and convenient.

If I could only Cary one pot call... It would be a glass surface in a synthetic pot and a synthetic striker. This gives you the best chance it will run in any moisture conditions. Some sound as good as they come too...

Edited March 16, 2016 by Rick Howard

[G-Man]

I have a ceramic in an acrylic pot thay is one of my favorites like it so much I bought a second and they sound completely different.. so remember conditioning (sanding away the surface) will eventually destroy the call as they all have a sweet spot . Use the minimum you need for a life time of use out of the call

[dbHunterNY]

I don't have too many calls.  I use a green scotch pad for everything.  used to use fine sand paper but I felt like it took too much material from the surface instead of keeping it conditioned.  I mix and match all my strikers and pots to find that works for a particular bird.  friction stuff I've got....

 

Strikers; Primos Custom Dymond wood, Sweet Cedar Calls hickory, Mountain Hollow Hickory, and Mountain Hollow Acrylic.

 

Pots; Primos Jackpot slate, Sweet Cedar Calls Cherry pot with slate, and Mountain Hollow Double talk Xtreme (acrylic pot with slate on one side and glass on the other).

 

Boxes; KITS calls cherry, Sweet Cedar Black walnut/sassafras

 

they all work great but some all always in my vest.  to draw birds on a chain I'll use friction but then soft stuff to draw them in I switch to a mouth diaphragm so I'm on the gun and ready.  little movement and screwing around to get busted.