Bringing call back to life

[Spitten and drummen]

Ok, I have a few pot calls that when I first got them sounded awsome. Mostly glass and crystal calls. Overtime it sounds like they lost some of their sound quality. I condition them like I have always but they have just lost that little extra that set them apart from the others. Have any of you experienced something like this. Is there something or some secrete in getting that surface back to life? Can a call be over conditioned. Also do you think that pot calls improve over time. Kind of like being broke in?

[TeamCF]

I am haveing the same problem with my older Primos Freak Crystal call. I have had this call almost a decade and I am not sure what the problem is. I have tried everything. It sounds "OK" after I really rough it up but it never took that much conditioning before and it feels strange when using strikers.

I personally do not think a call sounds better overtime because of use I think once it is properly conditioned it sounds like it sounds, however I do think you get better with the call and confidence in the call gets higher over time which will make it more effective.

[Spitten and drummen]

I see what you mean , but the couple of calls giving me fits are not but a couple years old. They were outstanding at first , but over time they still sound good but not as good as when I first got them. Maybe I'm doing something wrong when I condition them. I have no idea . Just trying to see if there is any method or little things that will help get them back to where they were.

[TeamCF]

Hmm are you conditioning them in the same direction? Same with the strikers? What I do is condition the slate left to right and then the striker up and down so the lines cross and I get the most friction. Also important is what you are conditioning with. There are certain stones and friction pads you can use for each type of call. I have always really liked the Primos conditioning stick. Its done great for all of my calls and its a good little design. The other thing I use on slates is these covers http://www.midwestturkeycall.com/detail.asp?pid=WH152&link= helps keep them covered from the wet and anything else.

The other thing could be oils on the call. If its glass or crystal I get a cotton ball and rubbing alcohol and give it a wipe then just really condition it again. I have never used the alcohol on actual slate though.

[ky turkey hunter]

Its the surface getting thinner than when it was new slate sounds better as it gets thinner

[TeamCF]

Do glass and crystal sounds better as they get thinner as well?

[Spitten and drummen]

Hmm are you conditioning them in the same direction? Same with the strikers? What I do is condition the slate left to right and then the striker up and down so the lines cross and I get the most friction. Also important is what you are conditioning with. There are certain stones and friction pads you can use for each type of call. I have always really liked the Primos conditioning stick. Its done great for all of my calls and its a good little design. The other thing I use on slates is these covers http://www.midwestturkeycall.com/detail.asp?pid=WH152&link= helps keep them covered from the wet and anything else.

The other thing could be oils on the call. If its glass or crystal I get a cotton ball and rubbing alcohol and give it a wipe then just really condition it again. I have never used the alcohol on actual slate though.

yeah, I do everything that you posted here. I just can't figure it out.

[gobbler336]

alot of factors affect sound, the humidity, temperature, altitude, so on so forth, i guess thats why i carry so many.  glass and aluminum seem to be the most affected, also a call that sounds not so good one day may sound amazing when your go to sounds avg. also to me i think we get conditioned to what our calls sound like then we hear a new one and we think its amazing then it to just gets old to us, kinda like women.

[markjm15]

Another thing to factor in is perhaps adhesion is getting weaker between the surface and the pot. This will create a flat sounding call and just goes downhill over time

[TeamCF]

Another thing to factor in is perhaps adhesion is getting weaker between the surface and the pot. This will create a flat sounding call and just goes downhill over time

This is what I think I am dealing with now. Not trying to hijack the thread.

Spitten and drummen maybe try re conditioning and taking it outside sometimes in a room or house it can make calls sounds strange.

[Hillbilly yelper]

Over time the slate call will absorb moisture and it will hold moisture in. Take a cigarette lighter and heat the slate up a little in the middle working the lighter in circular motions towards the outer edge. This will push the moisture out of the call. Hope this helps with your slate!

[outdoors]

I DIDNT SEE ANYTHING SAID, ABOUT THE STRIKERS ,, DO YOU conditionED THOSE ALSO ...

[TauntoHawk]

I had a call go bad on me, only thing I could figure was it got damp and the wood swelled a bit and after it dried it never set back right. Just sounds a bit deader than before