While reading through some of the other threads here, this thought came into my mind. I have so many "favorites", but I am going to try to list my single favorite striker for each call/surface.
Gray slate - JLH TSS Cedar/sinker bullet tree
Red slate - Fowler black locust
Green slate - JLH TSS Cedar/sinker bullet tree
Glass - JLH frogwood
Crystal - JLH snakewood
Ceramic - JLH bloodwood
aluminum - JLH frog wood/tulipwood
copper - JLH sinker sapodilla
I realize that no two pots are identical, even from the same maker. Thought it would be fun to see what other people liked to run the most on a particular call/surface. Might encourage me to practice more with different combos!
I have a striker that I've had since the late 90's, I have no idea what wood type it is but that thing will run and sound good on any surface or brand of call I've ever put it to. I'll take a picture when I get home and maybe someone can identify the wood for me
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My Clay Townsend Osage/Snakewood play real well on everything. I'll carry a spare, usually an Osage/Hickory Harold Fowler......
Cool idea. I think a dymondwood or frogwood is a safe all around to keep in the vest. After that I just carry which ever striker I'm feeling good about. I've been keeping a JLH Tulipwood and varying other strikes.
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I don't carry all of these calls or strikers with me each hunt. I usually carry 2-3 pots, sometimes 4, and I pretty much always carry 6 strikers. Which 6 depends on which pots I have. JLH heavy cedar and frogwood, and Fowler black locust will always be with me, though.
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For me it's Derrick Stuckey Rutland anything on just about everything
Hard to beat a JLH heavy cedar on any surface, particularly gray slate That, heavy bullfrog, and a striker I whittled from a piece of maple all I carry for glass and aluminum pots I might carry time to time.
I have a stuckey mac ebony striker that plays everything great. I need to add some JLH strikers to my arsenal.
JLH heavy hickory on multiple surfaces, or frogwood. I also use a Sneed hickory that I don't leave home without.
I think it's partly striker to surface, but I think it's equally striker to call. I had a Tom Teaser purpleheart that come in a set and I've had it forever and it's never run anything as well as other strikers. Picked up a Lonnie Sneed Hot Hen recently and this striker owns that call. That to say, I think it's always wise to run every striker you have on each new call. Sometimes it'll surprise you.
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Quote from: ChesterCopperpot on February 17, 2023, 10:01:18 AM
I think it's partly striker to surface, but I think it's equally striker to call. I had a Tom Teaser purpleheart that come in a set and I've had it forever and it's never run anything as well as other strikers. Picked up a Lonnie Sneed Hot Hen recently and this striker owns that call. That to say, I think it's always wise to run every striker you have on each new call. Sometimes it'll surprise you.
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I definitely agree, and I do. If certain combos keep working for others, though, I may want to give it extra consideration if I don't already.
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Katalox does it for me on a lot of surfaces.
These all make the vest and will play on anything!
(https://i.imgur.com/OUjAnjx.jpg)
Quote from: 3bailey3 on February 18, 2023, 05:03:32 PM
These all make the vest and will play on anything!
(https://i.imgur.com/OUjAnjx.jpg)
Real nice collection.......
That arsenal will attack anything!!!
I have too many strikers to test on different surfaces. I've thought about it a lot but I don't think about it long.
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A couple different snakewoods, Webbwood, Applejack, Rutland sometimes and waterproof striker - Wood Wise M Stick vintage striker ... It all depends on the pot surface, but these are pretty much my go to strikers
I will say laminate strikers like Rutland Dymondwood and Frogwood are very consistent on most surfaces.
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Dymondwood & Dymalux are always great choices & run well on most surfaces. I also like Hickory on Slate, Purple Heart on Glass/Crystal, & Ipe on Ceramic. I've also found Monkey Wood also grabs well to most all surfaces. Many different options out there.
I always have a 1 pc hickory striker. I carry 2 more depending on the 1 or 2 pot calls I am carrying that hunt.
Green slate - Webbwood
Glass - JLH frogwood
Aluminum- JLH Blue Mahoe
I bought like 15 strikers last winter, most unfinished but turned. After I finished them I tried each on on my 7 pots. I put initials on each surface they played best on. I had one (green laminate) that ran on them all. It's a real challenge but some just like certain surfaces. Strikers are cheaper than pots so go test some.
Cedar, spalted maple, Ipe for copper. Hickory or black locust for slate. Frogwood, Snakewood or Purple Heart for glass
I like a Tulipwood on Red Slate, mac ebony or Katalox on Purple Slate, Dymondwood and Bloodwood on Ceramic, Black and White Ebony or Nicaraguan Rosewood on Grey Slate and a Mac Ebony on glass. I have other favourite strikers, but those are the woods I use first on each surface.
Quote from: Meleagris gallopavo on February 28, 2023, 08:40:20 PM
I will say laminate strikers like Rutland Dymondwood and Frogwood are very consistent on most surfaces.
This is spot on. I believe the call makers do an excellent job of matching strikers to their calls, which are usually diamondwood. 9 times out of 10 I'll hunt those strikers, and I have a number of custom strikers. Two exceptions would be 1) JLH frogwood and 2) Clay Townsend 2 piece diamondwood. Honorable mention is JLH Nicaraguan rosewood. Just my 2 cents.
My satchel this year will likely feature a JLH sinker bullet wood, axe breaker, heavy hickory, and a Mac ebony. Plus a Mike Yingling carbon with snakewood top and a Clay Townsend snakewood with Osage top. I have a pile of other JLH sticks that ride in my back pouch. They all sound great. Hard to pick a loser.
JLH frogwood plays well on most of my pots
Quote from: GuideGun on March 09, 2023, 09:24:04 AM
My satchel this year will likely feature a JLH sinker bullet wood, axe breaker, heavy hickory, and a Mac ebony. Plus a Mike Yingling carbon with snakewood top and a Clay Townsend snakewood with Osage top. I have a pile of other JLH sticks that ride in my back pouch. They all sound great. Hard to pick a loser.
What is axe breaker?
Quote from: roosterstraw on March 12, 2023, 03:45:55 PM
Quote from: GuideGun on March 09, 2023, 09:24:04 AM
My satchel this year will likely feature a JLH sinker bullet wood, axe breaker, heavy hickory, and a Mac ebony. Plus a Mike Yingling carbon with snakewood top and a Clay Townsend snakewood with Osage top. I have a pile of other JLH sticks that ride in my back pouch. They all sound great. Hard to pick a loser.
What is axe breaker?
Quebracho.
I didn't know Jeff made those.
Quote from: HookedonHooks on March 12, 2023, 04:15:05 PM
Quote from: roosterstraw on March 12, 2023, 03:45:55 PM
Quote from: GuideGun on March 09, 2023, 09:24:04 AM
My satchel this year will likely feature a JLH sinker bullet wood, axe breaker, heavy hickory, and a Mac ebony. Plus a Mike Yingling carbon with snakewood top and a Clay Townsend snakewood with Osage top. I have a pile of other JLH sticks that ride in my back pouch. They all sound great. Hard to pick a loser.
What is axe breaker?
Quebracho.
I didn't know Jeff made those.
He makes all kinds of stuff????
Quote from: JLH on March 12, 2023, 06:09:23 PM
He makes all kinds of stuff????
Yeah, I hear he's a pretty cool fella who makes some pretty cool stuff! :funnyturkey:
Now that I got a decent size variety of strikers, from several different makers, I have to say the JLH tss cedar is something special. It will always ride in my vest.
It plays well soft, loud, & purrs purdy on every surface I have. Where it's unique is the way it makes every call sound like a much younger hen compared to everything else. It's dramatically different. If I had my back turned, most would guess it was a totally different pot.
I have some strikers I like more than others on certain surfaces, but Jeffs tss cedar pairs well with all of them. If you ever want to sound like two hens together on the same pot grab one.
Also got a green all weather waterproof stricker from Sinclair. Not a clue what it is made with, or from. I was surprised how well it sounds on everything. The sound is pretty similar to mac ebony on every surface I've used it on. Even worked well on a wet slate. Doesn't skip a beat purrs away on all the wet surfaces across the board.