Salvaging old mouth calls?

[mcw3734]

Has anybody had success salvaging diaphragm calls with stuck reeds? Can they be brought back to usable life and keep that way?

I rinsed off my calls last season and just tossed them into a box. So now 10 months later, the reeds are really stuck together. I've carefully separated the reeds using toothpicks while not damaging latex (I think). While I have new calls for this year already, I was planning to use these old ones for practice calls in the truck during the commute.

I also plan on taking better care of them during the season. Sounds like storing them with 1:1 water and non-alcoholic mouthwash is popular.

[Lcmacd 58]

I use several things to keep mine separated and yes I have success with getting them unstuck about 75 % of the time.warm water ... a tooth pick and patience

[runngun]

Same here as far as the toothpick, also keep them in the refrigerator during the off season.

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[Greg Massey]

In the off season i use paper clips to keep the reeds separated

[Canadian]

I store mine in the freezer...theyll never stick. If i cant use the freezer, so in the woods or on the road, i use plastic toothpics to keep the reeds separated. As for separating reeds thatre already stuck, as already mentioned, warm water and patience... just little by little. I also keep a frozen thermose on me when going to work, and put em in there during the day.

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[War Nock]

You just got to hawke  tuea n spit on that thing.

[Paulmyr]

You just got to hawke  tuea n spit on that thing.

That poor girl is going to regret saying that!

[War Nock]

That's  for sure!!!

[JeffC]

You just got to hawke  tuea n spit on that thing.

That poor girl is going to regret saying that!

These kids today live for being "internet famous", bet she has or will have an "only fans" page and be raking in the money!  

[Paulmyr]

You just got to hawke  tuea n spit on that thing.

That poor girl is going to regret saying that!

These kids today live for being "internet famous", bet she has or will have an "only fans" page and be raking in the money!  

Only fans will probably be her only option. I don't see any man with honorable intentions going anywhere near her!

I would imagine something like that might show up in an employment background check as well

[Gooserbat]

I hope folks realize how much bacteria these can harbor and new calls are cheaper than being sick for even just one day. There's a point of saving a good call that you left in your pocket but use judgement.

[GobbleNut]

I hope folks realize how much bacteria these can harbor and new calls are cheaper than being sick for even just one day. There's a point of saving a good call that you left in your pocket but use judgement.

Yup,...regardless of how someone might want to preserve mouth calls, or any other mouth-operated call for that matter, it is best to learn to disinfect them on some sort of regular basis...especially when storing them during the off-season.  Separating the reeds in that disinfecting process is a good idea.

As for the need to separate reeds of a call when using it, it really comes down to how a call sounds...whether the reeds are separated or not. From what I have experienced, reed separation is a temporary thing anyway as they usually become stuck together due to saliva sticking them during any sort of extended use. The only way to overcome that is to take the time to separate the reeds between calls, or at regular intervals...a process which will, over time, fatigue the reeds and change the sound. 

Some folks like to leave their calls in their mouths when hunting...and some, myself included, never leave a call in their mouths except when calling.  Saliva will relax/fatigue the latex of a call over time and will definitely change the sound of a call...whether there is reed separation, or not.  The bottom line is that, for some folks, a "well-saliva'd" call sounds better...and for some of us, it does not. That is often a function of the type of call design each of us prefers, as well.

Each of us is trying to get what we consider to be our optimum sound out of a call. We just have to figure out what reed condition and the need for reed separation, or not, achieves that goal.  Regardless, over time and with extended use, the reeds of any mouth call are going to fatigue enough to change the sound quality. Hence the need to carry multiple "reliable", and disinfected, calls when hunting.

[silvestris]

When I used to use mouth calls, I just kept them in a capped container containing 50% water and 50% rubbing alcohol and I seldom had any problems with sticking.

[Ihuntoldschool]

I just use hot water and put them in fridge after drying.

Tried mouthwash and peroxide but didn't like how it effected the latex.

[jmart241]

Had goodluck soaking in mouthwash then rinse good let dry put in fridge