I have zero idea as to which of the common/popular woods for strikers are hardwood and which are softwood. Can some of you veteran pot call guys help out an FNG ? I currently have a plain (non-anodized ) aluminum and a crystal call with which I`m trying to get at least semi-proficient. Thanks in advance for any help.
Every call reacts differently
What I mean is different density get different sound
Some pots sound more like a turkey than others
The biggest factor is the striker being balance
Some common and good hardwood strikers for me are hickory, black locust and purpleheart. These 3 will get you going and are easy to find. Good luck in your search. :turkey2:
Quote from: Double B on September 10, 2018, 05:25:29 PM
Some common and good hardwood strikers for me are hickory, black locust and purpleheart. These 3 will get you going and are easy to find. Good luck in your search. :turkey2:
Thank you sir.
Anybody have a favorite softwood? Trying to get a variety based on Janka hardness ratings.
Cedar is a good softwood for soft talk on slates, it is not an aggressive striker if that is what your looking for.
For a hardwood it is tough to beat ebony for glass/crystal.
Yellowheart is a favorite of mine, not sure where it is on hardness scale.
Quote from: va longbeard on September 17, 2018, 05:27:07 PM
Cedar is a good softwood for soft talk on slates, it is not an aggressive striker if that is what your looking for.
For a hardwood it is tough to beat ebony for glass/crystal.
Yellowheart is a favorite of mine, not sure where it is on hardness scale.
Thanks. Have a pretty broad array now( Janka # )
Cedar ( 900 )
Hickory ( 1820 )
Yellowheart ( 1878 )
Purpleheart ( 2520 )
Dymondwood ( 3000 + )
Snakewood ( 3800 )
Cedar`s so soft, I`m not sure it could get loud ! Yellowheart does sound good.
For me, on crystal and plain aluminum, the harder woods are easier to get good sounds.
I'll throw in my favorite to help you out, Padauk is an amazing striker for mornings around 9 am you want to switch up to something harder for a louder sound but you can't beat it before that time IMO
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I have a lot. Box full
Purple heart ONE of my favorite
I don't know if it is considered hard or soft wood but I have a Halloron ipe striker that sounds fantastic on almost everything I put it on. Also the diamond wood I got from Neal is also good on almost every service I have put it to. I have a Stuckey Tulip Wood that works quite well on most things and I do believe that is considered a very hard wood. Others please correct me if I am wrong there.
Quote from: Sir-diealot on September 18, 2018, 06:03:09 PM
I don't know if it is considered hard or soft wood but I have a Halloron ipe striker that sounds fantastic on almost everything I put it on. Also the diamond wood I got from Neal is also good on almost every service I have put it to. I have a Stuckey Tulip Wood that works quite well on most things and I do believe that is considered a very hard wood. Others please correct me if I am wrong there.
Stuckey's Tulipwood rocks! Works well on everything I've ever owned and as far as it's Janka rating it's slightly softer than purpleheart somewhere around 2300 I believe, so I'd consider it a hardwood
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Quote from: Sir-diealot on September 18, 2018, 06:03:09 PM
I don't know if it is considered hard or soft wood but I have a Halloron ipe striker that sounds fantastic on almost everything I put it on. Also the diamond wood I got from Neal is also good on almost every service I have put it to. I have a Stuckey Tulip Wood that works quite well on most things and I do believe that is considered a very hard wood. Others please correct me if I am wrong there.
[/quote
Ipe (3684 ) and snakewood are about as hard as it gets for our striker wood. Tulip comes in at 2500, certainly a hardwood. Padauk, softer at 1,978, but certainly not a "soft wood ". Diamond wood, or Dymondwood is a laminate, traditionally birch but other woods are used as well, I believe. Because it`s not a natural wood, I think, I`ve not seen a Janka for it. But it is VERY hard, though!
Like everything else pretty much in life now, there`s lots of info on the web on the Janka scale. I think it`s kind of interesting.
Quote from: Turkeytider on September 18, 2018, 06:45:58 PM
Quote from: Sir-diealot on September 18, 2018, 06:03:09 PM
I don't know if it is considered hard or soft wood but I have a Halloron ipe striker that sounds fantastic on almost everything I put it on. Also the diamond wood I got from Neal is also good on almost every service I have put it to. I have a Stuckey Tulip Wood that works quite well on most things and I do believe that is considered a very hard wood. Others please correct me if I am wrong there.
[/quote
Ipe (3684 ) and snakewood are about as hard as it gets for our striker wood. Tulip comes in at 2500, certainly a hardwood. Padauk, softer at 1,978, but certainly not a "soft wood ". Diamond wood, or Dymondwood is a laminate, traditionally birch but other woods are used as well, I believe. Because it`s not a natural wood, I think, I`ve not seen a Janka for it. But it is VERY hard, though!
Like everything else pretty much in life now, there`s lots of info on the web on the Janka scale. I think it`s kind of interesting.
[/quote]Quote from: Sir-diealot on Today at 06:03:09 PM
I don't know if it is considered hard or soft wood but I have a Halloron ipe striker that sounds fantastic on almost everything I put it on. Also the diamond wood I got from Neal is also good on almost every service I have put it to. I have a Stuckey Tulip Wood that works quite well on most things and I do believe that is considered a very hard wood. Others please correct me if I am wrong there.
Stuckey's Tulipwood rocks! Works well on everything I've ever owned and as far as it's Janka rating it's slightly softer than purpleheart somewhere around 2300 I believe, so I'd consider it a hardwood [/quote]
Thank you both, good information. At what rating would you start to consider a wood a soft wood?
Quote from: Sir-diealot on September 18, 2018, 07:29:37 PM
Quote from: Turkeytider on September 18, 2018, 06:45:58 PM
Quote from: Sir-diealot on September 18, 2018, 06:03:09 PM
I don't know if it is considered hard or soft wood but I have a Halloron ipe striker that sounds fantastic on almost everything I put it on. Also the diamond wood I got from Neal is also good on almost every service I have put it to. I have a Stuckey Tulip Wood that works quite well on most things and I do believe that is considered a very hard wood. Others please correct me if I am wrong there.
[/quote
Ipe (3684 ) and snakewood are about as hard as it gets for our striker wood. Tulip comes in at 2500, certainly a hardwood. Padauk, softer at 1,978, but certainly not a "soft wood ". Diamond wood, or Dymondwood is a laminate, traditionally birch but other woods are used as well, I believe. Because it`s not a natural wood, I think, I`ve not seen a Janka for it. But it is VERY hard, though!
Like everything else pretty much in life now, there`s lots of info on the web on the Janka scale. I think it`s kind of interesting.
Quote from: Sir-diealot on Today at 06:03:09 PM
I don't know if it is considered hard or soft wood but I have a Halloron ipe striker that sounds fantastic on almost everything I put it on. Also the diamond wood I got from Neal is also good on almost every service I have put it to. I have a Stuckey Tulip Wood that works quite well on most things and I do believe that is considered a very hard wood. Others please correct me if I am wrong there.
Stuckey's Tulipwood rocks! Works well on everything I've ever owned and as far as it's Janka rating it's slightly softer than purpleheart somewhere around 2300 I believe, so I'd consider it a hardwood [/quote]
Thank you both, good information. At what rating would you start to consider a wood a soft wood?
[/quote]
Personally I'd say 2100 that's where I start to hear/feel a difference but I'm not sure what the actual rating is that separates the two
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Quote from: Techn9cian02 on September 18, 2018, 07:38:17 PM
Quote from: Sir-diealot on September 18, 2018, 07:29:37 PM
Quote from: Turkeytider on September 18, 2018, 06:45:58 PM
Quote from: Sir-diealot on September 18, 2018, 06:03:09 PM
I don't know if it is considered hard or soft wood but I have a Halloron ipe striker that sounds fantastic on almost everything I put it on. Also the diamond wood I got from Neal is also good on almost every service I have put it to. I have a Stuckey Tulip Wood that works quite well on most things and I do believe that is considered a very hard wood. Others please correct me if I am wrong there.
[/quote
Ipe (3684 ) and snakewood are about as hard as it gets for our striker wood. Tulip comes in at 2500, certainly a hardwood. Padauk, softer at 1,978, but certainly not a "soft wood ". Diamond wood, or Dymondwood is a laminate, traditionally birch but other woods are used as well, I believe. Because it`s not a natural wood, I think, I`ve not seen a Janka for it. But it is VERY hard, though!
Like everything else pretty much in life now, there`s lots of info on the web on the Janka scale. I think it`s kind of interesting.
Quote from: Sir-diealot on Today at 06:03:09 PM
I don't know if it is considered hard or soft wood but I have a Halloron ipe striker that sounds fantastic on almost everything I put it on. Also the diamond wood I got from Neal is also good on almost every service I have put it to. I have a Stuckey Tulip Wood that works quite well on most things and I do believe that is considered a very hard wood. Others please correct me if I am wrong there.
Stuckey's Tulipwood rocks! Works well on everything I've ever owned and as far as it's Janka rating it's slightly softer than purpleheart somewhere around 2300 I believe, so I'd consider it a hardwood
Thank you both, good information. At what rating would you start to consider a wood a soft wood?
[/quote]
Personally I'd say 2100 that's where I start to hear/feel a difference but I'm not sure what the actual rating is that separates the two
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
[/quote]Okay thanks. I know Stuckey on his ebay page give the Janka Hardness rating on all his listings, kinda neat info to know. Not sure if he does it on his website or not.
It`s both interesting and somewhat confusing that the terms " hardwood " and "softwood" really don`t pertain to the actual hardness of the wood itself. The terms are botanical in nature. "Hardwood" pertains to deciduous plants ( trees ). By definition they are seasonal leaf shedders. "Softwood" pertains to evergreens/coniferous trees. Case in point, Balsa. As far as hardness is concerned, it`s right at the bottom of the Janka scale. Scientifically, however, it`s a " hardwood ". There`s really no defined Janka threshold to differentiate the two. Most of the strikers that we relate to soft calling are down on the low end of the scale and are thus "soft". Poplar, sassafras, sycamore, cedar, butternut, etc.
I've turned lots of woods for strikers over the years. I never rely on the Jenka scale There are lots of factors that go into making a good striker besides hardness. I've had woods that I never did consider for a striker make some really nice special purpose strikers. I've turned woods that were dense and hard that were crap. And some lighter grainy woods that are excellent every time and I prefer over the some of the denser woods. The notion that harder is better is given too much credibility in striker building as well as in turning the pot call. also don't let your eyes deceive you. Pretty and expensive doesn't equal the best. consistency in production and a design and method that enables a person to re-do or tune the striker is essential.
Quote from: mmclain on October 15, 2018, 12:35:21 AM
I've turned lots of woods for strikers over the years. I never rely on the Jenka scale There are lots of factors that go into making a good striker besides hardness. I've had woods that I never did consider for a striker make some really nice special purpose strikers. I've turned woods that were dense and hard that were crap. And some lighter grainy woods that are excellent every time and I prefer over the some of the denser woods. The notion that harder is better is given too much credibility in striker building as well as in turning the pot call. also don't let your eyes deceive you. Pretty and expensive doesn't equal the best. consistency in production and a design and method that enables a person to re-do or tune the striker is essential.
Would be interested to see what some of your favorite lighter striker woods might be. For me, the lighter ( softer ) the wood, the better the striker clucks, purrs, and soft calls. I can`t seem to make a harder wood striker purr much at all. I`m sure it`s me and not the wood!
call Harold Fowler and get a few, dont over think it or you'll end up with far more strikers then you'll ever need.
Quote from: idratherb on October 20, 2018, 12:29:38 PM
call Harold Fowler and get a few, dont over think it or you'll end up with far more strikers then you'll ever need.
To many strikers is like to many guns, there is no such thing. :P