Let's talk pot call and striker conditioning..........

[TN Larry]

My son wanted to sleep in this morning before church and not mad at them enough to chase in the rain with only one tag left between us.

So, I have never been much of a pot call guy this year while mostly relying on mouth calls but did carry a Crystal Mistress and Dawkin's Aluminum. I have learned this year that the gobblers really like the Mistress. It has played a role in just about every bird that we've killed this year. I have acquired a few more this year thanks in part to talking with a member on here not to mention any names, but Tennessee Lead is a pretty good dude that has cost me some money this year.

How do you condition your calls and specific to each surface? Do you do anything to the strikers? What is your morning ritual especially on damper mornings to keep from slipping?

For me, slate is no problem with scotch brite, and the crystal mistress is pretty easy with a conditioning stone. I have a Houndstooth ceramic that seems to do ok with the scotch brite but still a little slippage. My biggest issue is with the Dawkin's aluminum. It is a sweet call if I can get it to run right. I am just not sure if it's the conditioning, the striker, me, or a little of everything. I have tried different pressure, strikers, etc. It sounds great when I can get it to run.

Just bored and looking for some info on what everyone does with each surface and thinking I'm surely not the only one that has issues sometimes.............

 

[TheAirMan]

I've never owned a crystal. For slates, I just use scotchbrite. For glass, I'll use either a stone or sandpaper, which ever is handy. I think all I use on my ceramic call is scotchbrite as well. For my aluminum I just wipe it off with a alcohol prep pad. I'll usually do slate and glass a little every time I use them. The aluminum, just when I feel it needs it. I rarely do anything to the strikers. Every year or two I will dust the ends off with some scotchbrite.


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[ZachMarkus]

Glass and crystal: conditioning stone

Aluminum: scotch brite pad

Slate: sand paper or scotch brite pad

For strikers I carry some pool cue chalk with me to dip the ends in when needed, works great.


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[String Music]

I use 120 grit sandpaper on glass and crystal. I use very fine sandpaper on anodized aluminum and scotch brite pad on slate and blasted aluminum.

I'll spin the striker tip on scotch brite pad. If there is a lot of build up, I'll use very fine sandpaper on the tip.


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[Setterman]

I cannot count how many birds I've killed with the Dawkins wood pot aluminum. It's at least 100 if not more and I don't usually use anything else. So I've got some experience keeping it running. I use the green scotch brite on the call and press hard to make sure I score it well. The one I use is now silver where the sweet spot is. The striker and your hand are more important though. On the striker I use pool cue chalk. Every few days I'll hit it with a sanding block to fresh it up and apply more chalk. If you press to hard with the striker it'll slip. It's better to run the striker real easy and it'll sing

 

[Tennessee Lead]

[emoji12]
I'm happy to help [emoji23]


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[TN Larry]

I cannot count how many birds I've killed with the Dawkins wood pot aluminum. It's at least 100 if not more and I don't usually use anything else. So I've got some experience keeping it running. I use the green scotch brite on the call and press hard to make sure I score it well. The one I use is now silver where the sweet spot is. The striker and your hand are more important though. On the striker I use pool cue chalk. Every few days I'll hit it with a sanding block to fresh it up and apply more chalk. If you press to hard with the striker it'll slip. It's better to run the striker real easy and it'll sing

I think my problem is not pressing hard enough with the scotch brite. Pool chalk and light pressure does help. What striker are you running on it? It does sound really good when it's running correctly.

 

[TN Larry]

I cannot count how many birds I've killed with the Dawkins wood pot aluminum. It's at least 100 if not more and I don't usually use anything else. So I've got some experience keeping it running. I use the green scotch brite on the call and press hard to make sure I score it well. The one I use is now silver where the sweet spot is. The striker and your hand are more important though. On the striker I use pool cue chalk. Every few days I'll hit it with a sanding block to fresh it up and apply more chalk. If you press to hard with the striker it'll slip. It's better to run the striker real easy and it'll sing

I think my problem is not pressing hard enough with the scotch brite. Pool chalk and light pressure does help. What striker are you running on it? It does sound really good when it's running correctly.

 

[Setterman]

I cannot count how many birds I've killed with the Dawkins wood pot aluminum. It's at least 100 if not more and I don't usually use anything else. So I've got some experience keeping it running. I use the green scotch brite on the call and press hard to make sure I score it well. The one I use is now silver where the sweet spot is. The striker and your hand are more important though. On the striker I use pool cue chalk. Every few days I'll hit it with a sanding block to fresh it up and apply more chalk. If you press to hard with the striker it'll slip. It's better to run the striker real easy and it'll sing

I think my problem is not pressing hard enough with the scotch brite. Pool chalk and light pressure does help. What striker are you running on it? It does sound really good when it's running correctly.

I've found two that are incredible. Fred Cox Tulipwood and Prairie Game cAlls snakewood

 

[2in1shot]

One thing I'll add for slate is heating up the slate with a lighter to get the moisture out of it. Makes a difference.

 

[TN Larry]

I cannot count how many birds I've killed with the Dawkins wood pot aluminum. It's at least 100 if not more and I don't usually use anything else. So I've got some experience keeping it running. I use the green scotch brite on the call and press hard to make sure I score it well. The one I use is now silver where the sweet spot is. The striker and your hand are more important though. On the striker I use pool cue chalk. Every few days I'll hit it with a sanding block to fresh it up and apply more chalk. If you press to hard with the striker it'll slip. It's better to run the striker real easy and it'll sing

I think my problem is not pressing hard enough with the scotch brite. Pool chalk and light pressure does help. What striker are you running on it? It does sound really good when it's running correctly.

I've found two that are incredible. Fred Cox Tulipwood and Prairie Game cAlls snakewood

Thanks. The pressure with the scotch brite along with the chalk made a huge difference. A Halloran two piece ebony and Dead End Game Calls waterproof sounded really good on it for me. I was really close to listing it for sale but believe I'll keep it.

 

[Setterman]

If you want to sell that Dawkins and its a wood pot, I'll take it off your hands :super:

 

[TN Larry]

If you want to sell that Dawkins and its a wood pot, I'll take it off your hands :super:

I'm gonna hang on to it for now. I had remembered you bragging on these and was actually going to offer it to you first if I did sell it as I think you're the reason I bought it. I'll let you know if I do

 

[Spurhunter]

My biggest issue is with the Dawkin's aluminum. It is a sweet call if I can get it to run right.

When the air is dry the Dawkins aluminum will flat sing. But I struggle when the humidity is high as well. I use the green scotchbrite and pool cue chalk like he said. The biggest thing that's helped me is ordering a Woodhaven surface saver for mine. They are a good fit on a Dawkins wood pot. I used to have to condition it every time I moved. Now once in the morning will last. I guess this surface smooths out more in your pocket than most. I am going to look for the strikers Setterman mentioned as well.

https://www.midwestturkeycall.com/turke ... saver.html

https://www.midwestturkeycall.com/turke ... -pack.html

 

[Setterman]

My biggest issue is with the Dawkin's aluminum. It is a sweet call if I can get it to run right.

When the air is dry the Dawkins aluminum will flat sing. But I struggle when the humidity is high as well. I use the green scotchbrite and pool cue chalk like he said. The biggest thing that's helped me is ordering a Woodhaven surface saver for mine. They are a good fit on a Dawkins wood pot. I used to have to condition it every time I moved. Now once in the morning will last. I guess this surface smooths out more in your pocket than most. I am going to look for the strikers Setterman mentioned as well.

https://www.midwestturkeycall.com/turke ... saver.html

https://www.midwestturkeycall.com/turke ... -pack.html

I should've mentioned I use those lids on my calls and can't imagine life without them. They're drink cup lids that I've also found at gas stations before and are much cheaper than a wood haven one

 

[PickettSFHunter]

I've found that koozies work well for protecting pot call surfaces and the pot call itself. I pick them up free from someone advertising their business.


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[ZachMarkus]

I've found that koozies work well for protecting pot call surfaces and the pot call itself. I pick them up free from someone advertising their business.


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That's what I keep most of mine in.


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[muddyboots]

I've found that koozies work well for protecting pot call surfaces and the pot call itself. I pick them up free from someone advertising their business.


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That's what I keep most of mine in.


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I picked up that little trick at the convention this year. I bought a call and it came in a coozie. I thought what a great idea. It also keeps them quiet in the vest.

 

[TN Larry]

I've found that koozies work well for protecting pot call surfaces and the pot call itself. I pick them up free from someone advertising their business.


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That's what I keep most of mine in.


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I picked up that little trick at the convention this year. I bought a call and it came in a coozie. I thought what a great idea. It also keeps them quiet in the vest.

This is what I have started doing this year as well.

 

[Setterman]

The coozies work fine but I've noticed they polished the surface smooth on some calls