Zumer you got me focused on strikers again.....

[Bulldogmikey]

i Took 7 different strikers of different wood types yesterday and 4 pot types, Slate, Glass, Copper and Aluminum and ran a very unscientific experiment with tip conditioning. I used green scotchbrite, 150 grit sandpaper, 200 grit sandpaper, 220 grit sandpaper and 400 grit sandpaper.

By far, and it was without exception, the 220 conditioned strikers played more consistently than when conditioned with any of the other mediums. FWIW

Mike

[Zumer]

Mike,

           Rather then using sandpaper, try taking a sharp pocket knife blade with the grain to clean up your striker tips....Doesn't remove any wood, if you don't use allot of pressure...Cleans the residue off and your back to using a hardened tip on the striker.....

           I haven't used sandpaper in a LONG time......

           Let me know what ya think, Mike........T/C, Z

[shad309]

Mike,

           Rather then using sandpaper, try taking a sharp pocket knife blade with the grain to clean up your striker tips....Doesn't remove any wood, if you don't use allot of pressure...Cleans the residue off and your back to using a hardened tip on the striker.....

           I haven't used sandpaper in a LONG time......

           Let me know what ya think, Mike........T/C, Z

I'm going to give this a try! Beats digging in my pockets to find the sandpaper 

[AlanKrow]

Mike,

           Rather then using sandpaper, try taking a sharp pocket knife blade with the grain to clean up your striker tips....Doesn't remove any wood, if you don't use allot of pressure...Cleans the residue off and your back to using a hardened tip on the striker.....

           I haven't used sandpaper in a LONG time......

           Let me know what ya think, Mike........T/C, Z

That's how I do it.. I learn that from a guy that give me my first pot call (World Class) Bill Zearing...

[M Sharpe]

I know one fella that works his on the unconditioned part of the glass.

[Zumer]

That's how I do it.. I learn that from a guy that give me my first pot call (World Class) Bill Zearing...

Exactly where I learned about it.....

[West Augusta]

Anybody burn the tips of their strikers?  I don't but have thought about it.

[Bulldogmikey]

Anybody burn the tips of their strikers?  I don't but have thought about it.

Dang it, just tried the knife, worked pretty good, now here i go burning to see if that does any good. I remember the ole Jet slate tip was burnt!

Mike

[shad309]

Anybody burn the tips of their strikers?  I don't but have thought about it.

Dang it, just tried the knife, worked pretty good, now here i go burning to see if that does any good. I remember the ole Jet slate tip was burnt!

Mike

I posed that question about burning on another forum about a year ago. I found out by some of the answers and digging on google that the burning hardens the wood and will change the sound your striker makes. It was only recommended on strikers that you didn't like the sound of to start with. Made sense to me

[misfire]

I burnish the ends of my strikers on a piece of glass. Take freashly made or cleaned striker, lay a piece of glass down on a hard surface, then rub the end of the striker with a lot of pressure on the glass. You will notice a glaze on the striker tip. Runs great and doesnt clog up the end grain. Should work just like buirning the tip

[Zumer]

I burnish the ends of my strikers on a piece of glass. Take freashly made or cleaned striker, lay a piece of glass down on a hard surface, then rub the end of the striker with a lot of pressure on the glass. You will notice a glaze on the striker tip. Runs great and doesnt clog up the end grain. Should work just like buirning the tip

That trick, I am going to try......Thanks!!!

[M Sharpe]

I burnish the ends of my strikers on a piece of glass. Take freashly made or cleaned striker, lay a piece of glass down on a hard surface, then rub the end of the striker with a lot of pressure on the glass. You will notice a glaze on the striker tip. Runs great and doesnt clog up the end grain. Should work just like buirning the tip

That's what I was referring to in my post. Harold Fowler showed me that. Have tried it but did not care much for it. I want grab out of my strikers not squeals. The concept of something glazing over and then having grab just doesn't click with me. Maybe I didn't give it a good enough chance.

Mark

[Bulldogmikey]

Took a striker that I could not get to sound good on any pot and believe me I have tried dozens over that last year and a half. I used a soldering iron, (can't use open flame with my oxygen) and i throughly burnt the tip and my hand... and ShaZam!!! It work great now on several calls. I was surprised. It made the tip super hard!

Mike

[Zumer]

Mark,

            I didn't think much of it, either......Squealed like a newborn seal.....

   

[M Sharpe]

Mark,

            I didn't think much of it, either......Squealed like a newborn seal.....

   

Yep, it sure did. I'm going to have to give that knife tip a try.