Box calls lids getting slick

[culpeper]

I completely understand...just had to poke the bear...just a little.   You are right with respect to other callmakers and often, though incorrectly and undeserved, something less than a good callmakers best is still very good and I suspect for many callmakers, at least it is for me, we are all trying to progress and get better, and some of us do that with age   Good luck this season.

Good luck to you too Scott! You're certainly a maker in that conversation and I meant nothing negative in my original comment. I just don't favor Cost style calls personally, as there's obviously nothing wrong with them otherwise they wouldn't be being made still, it's just me that's the weird one.

It's not news to you obviously, as you seem to share similar belief, but I will weigh in on that "better" is very subjective to the turkey we all have in our heads at that time and that's what's great about it all. I find that perspective changes over time, for everyone, especially you call makers when tuning a call. So your progression of better is even subjective determinant upon the current turkey living in your head. Something that sounds bad to one guy, may be great to another; and what sounded good one day to you might not a few months later. I feel like turkeys are the same as us in that respect as well, we all hear and say things a little differently.

Understood and well said

[Zobo]

For the record: Scott Witter bloodwood black cherry shortbox with nice angel wings (no re-chalking needed yet) An absolutely deadly top tier super-fine piece of American craftsmanship. As good as it gets!

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[Zobo]

Someone asked me to post a picture of it.

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[aclawrence]

This is an interesting thread. If the lids play easier when they're polished why don't the builders sand them to 1k grit. I don't have many box calls and I didn't even know people ran them without chalk. Angel wings is a new one one me to. Cool stuff.


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[packmule]

Someone asked me to post a picture of it.

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That is a stunning box call!

[culpeper]

Zobo,  Thanks for posting the pic, but honestly, I would love to have that call back, though I know that will never happen...suspect I would have to pry it out of your cold dead hands to do so  I remember it distinctly and as you have found out, which I don't disagree with, some calls do run great w/o chalk, this is one of them.  I will say though, a lot has to do with the lid and on this call notice the flecking on the underside of the lid across the angle wings, that means it's completely quartersawn.  Historically, I have found those lids, presuming the wood also has the density, seem to perform the best.

This call as I remember runs itself.

alawrence, as a matter of fact I sand the underside of my lids with a finer grit than most callmakers.  It's always been my thinking to get as close of a match between the lid surface and the sound rails to ensure as much contact as possible from front to back.  To me, it seems to enhance sound with fewer potential skips, i.e. allowing the call to run smoother and giving the wood the ability to produce all it can as a call.  Guess I may be giving away some secrets...oh well.

Glad this thread has remainded constructive, good discussion guys!

[Txag12]

Really pleased with all the input everyone has to offer! I've learned a lot from reading yalls responses. From the sounds of it, it sounds like the lid slicking off is almost a preferred quality of the call as a result of "breaking in" so to say. Out of curiosity, as the call lid and rails become more slick and less able to hold onto chalk, is that the point that chalking really becomes less needed, rather then say applied more frequently? I appreciate all the input and discussion!

[culpeper]

Txag12,

It definitely is part/result of breaking in the call.  For me, as a result of running box calls a lot, I can just tell when they have 'lost' something, it's then that I "clean" up the lid just ever so gently and rechalk it.  It's critical for anyone NEVER "clean" up the lid by removing the angle wings, it's realy just a matter of scuffing up the underside very lightly.  Then within a few minutes of running it again the wings become more defined.  Here again, this is a personal preference to the hunter and not absolutely necessary, especially on a well-built box call.

[Txag12]

Txag12,

It definitely is part/result of breaking in the call.  For me, as a result of running box calls a lot, I can just tell when they have 'lost' something, it's then that I "clean" up the lid just ever so gently and rechalk it.  It's critical for anyone NEVER "clean" up the lid by removing the angle wings, it's realy just a matter of scuffing up the underside very lightly.  Then within a few minutes of running it again the wings become more defined.  Here again, this is a personal preference to the hunter and not absolutely necessary, especially on a well-built box call.

Thank you for the response, Scott! What would be your preferred method for scuffing up the lid, using green scotch brite with little to no pressure over the "angel wings"?

[culpeper]

Txag12,

It definitely is part/result of breaking in the call.  For me, as a result of running box calls a lot, I can just tell when they have 'lost' something, it's then that I "clean" up the lid just ever so gently and rechalk it.  It's critical for anyone NEVER "clean" up the lid by removing the angle wings, it's realy just a matter of scuffing up the underside very lightly.  Then within a few minutes of running it again the wings become more defined.  Here again, this is a personal preference to the hunter and not absolutely necessary, especially on a well-built box call.

Thank you for the response, Scott! What would be your preferred method for scuffing up the lid, using green scotch brite with little to no pressure over the "angel wings"?

I normally use 320 or 400 grit sand paper, or a brand new piece of scotch brite and again, I am using extremely light pressure and when done, you should see the angle wings quite clearly...in many respects all you are doing in scuffing the surface ONLY enough to give the chalk something to hold on to.  Last, I might do this only once during the entire season, depending on how much I am running a box call.  Remember, this is personal preference, not a requirement, and as we have read, many of us have different opinions on doing this, which I totally respect and understand.

[Zobo]

Zobo,  Thanks for posting the pic, but honestly, I would love to have that call back, though I know that will never happen...suspect I would have to pry it out of your cold dead hands to do so  I remember it distinctly and as you have found out, which I don't disagree with, some calls do run great w/o chalk, this is one of them.  I will say though, a lot has to do with the lid and on this call notice the flecking on the underside of the lid across the angle wings, that means it's completely quartersawn.  Historically, I have found those lids, presuming the wood also has the density, seem to perform the best.





Sorry, she's not for sale

[Txag12]

Txag12,

It definitely is part/result of breaking in the call.  For me, as a result of running box calls a lot, I can just tell when they have 'lost' something, it's then that I "clean" up the lid just ever so gently and rechalk it.  It's critical for anyone NEVER "clean" up the lid by removing the angle wings, it's realy just a matter of scuffing up the underside very lightly.  Then within a few minutes of running it again the wings become more defined.  Here again, this is a personal preference to the hunter and not absolutely necessary, especially on a well-built box call.

Thank you for the response, Scott! What would be your preferred method for scuffing up the lid, using green scotch brite with little to no pressure over the "angel wings"?

I normally use 320 or 400 grit sand paper, or a brand new piece of scotch brite and again, I am using extremely light pressure and when done, you should see the angle wings quite clearly...in many respects all you are doing in scuffing the surface ONLY enough to give the chalk something to hold on to.  Last, I might do this only once during the entire season, depending on how much I am running a box call.  Remember, this is personal preference, not a requirement, and as we have read, many of us have different opinions on doing this, which I totally respect and understand.

Thank you much for the advice, Scott! I appreciate all the info I can get from y'all that have much more experience than me.