Conditioning a Slate Call

[Spyderman]

I am having trouble getting my slate pot call to play anything. I used a green scotch brite pad, but cannot hardly get any noise out of it. Should I condition it another way, or is it possible the striker is bad? Any other ideas?

[ElkTurkMan]

I learned this trick from the Georgia Outdoor News Forum a few years back.  Take a lighter or candle and ignite it.  Put your slate call upside down  and move the slate surface call toward the heat source. A Moisture ring will start to appear, once the moisture ring goes to the edge of the call pull it away from the heat source and let it cool.  Then scrub the the surface with a marron scotchbrite pad.  It should sound good after doing this.  This doesn't take long and make sure your call does not get too hot. 

[Treerooster]

Strikers can get gummed up on the tip. Especially when using a metal surfaced pot like copper or aluminum, but slate can gum them up eventually too. You can clean a striker tip with an alcohol pad, like those used to clean cuts. Just clean the tip by rubbing pretty good it with the pad, then wait for the striker to dry off before trying it. Doesn't take long for the alcohol to dry, 5 minutes or so.

I don't like sanding my striker tips as that can change the shape of it. Some guys will burn the tip too. But once it is burned its burned. If it sounded good before it shouldn't need burning.

[Number17]

I put a piece of green scotch brite in the palm of my hand and twist the striker tip lightly to clean it up. Been doing it for years and haven't ruined a striker yet.

[WV Flopper]

 Stowe your pot call in a manner that it will not touch calling surface to ANYTHING while transporting it. Vehicle, vest, shirt pocket... vest, protect the calling surface from everything!

When you condition a "slate" call it will leave a blue/gray dust on it. Blow it off, hold the call parallel to your mouth and blow. Don't spit on it, don't blow face down on it, blow across it.

When you call with this new conditioned call you will collect slate dust on the striker. When it gets enough dust, the sound will degrade.

At this point, take a gentle sand paper, green scotch Brite, red scotch Brite, rock beside you, and gentle twist the striker in the abrasive surface to remove the dust that filled your rough abrasive surfaces of your strikers.

It is truly simple when you understand what kind of instrument you are working with. 

People over condition slate calls because they do not know how to carry them properly. It does not take much to make a slate call run, don't over condition.

[ChesterCopperpot]

Slate should be the EASIEST surface to condition. That said, it can be finicky with oil from hand and moisture in the air. Try not to ever put your hands directly on the surface, wet conditions obviously other surfaces make a better choice. Shouldn't require much conditioning at all. I would suggest getting a cover for the pot. Woodhaven makes good ones. That just makes carrying the call super easy as nothing can directly touch the surface. Assuming you scotchbrite in one direction and blow the dust off and can see visible lines swept across the surface, I doubt it's the pot. It's most likely the striker.


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[idgobble]

Preston Pittman says the best for conditioning slate is # 6444.
SCOTCH-BRITE GRIT CHART 
3M Scotch Brite Nylon Pads:
7445 - White pad, called Light Duty Cleansing - (1000) 1200-1500 grit
7448 - Light Grey, called Ultra Fine Hand - (600-800) 800 grit.
6448 - Green (?), called Light Duty Hand Pad - (600) 600 grit
7447 - Maroon pad, called General Purpose Hand - (320-400) 320 grit
6444 - Brown pad, called Extra Duty Hand - (280-320) 240 grit
7446 - Dark Grey pad, called Blending Pad (180-220) 150 grit
7440 - Tan pad, called Heavy Duty Hand Pad - (120-150) 60(?)
Green Scotch Brite is available EVERYWHERE. It's 600 grit.
Blue Scotch-Brite is considered to be about 1000 grit.

[mountainhunter1]

Slate should be the EASIEST surface to condition. That said, it can be finicky with oil from hand and moisture in the air. Try not to ever put your hands directly on the surface, wet conditions obviously other surfaces make a better choice. Shouldn't require much conditioning at all. I would suggest getting a cover for the pot. Woodhaven makes good ones. That just makes carrying the call super easy as nothing can directly touch the surface. Assuming you scotchbrite in one direction and blow the dust off and can see visible lines swept across the surface, I doubt it's the pot. It's most likely the striker.


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This is great advice. I won't hunt without all my pots covered where nothing can touch them. I have used old promise Margerine containers, among other things (you have to camo those light colors if you do use those type containers) and even the Wood haven covers mentioned above, but do not hunt with them rubbing around on the clothe in your vest. You will be amazed at how the material of your vest will polish that call until it will not make any sound you want the turkeys to hear.

As far as sound, I also agree with the above comments and while it is not always correct, 8 out of ten times it is not the pot, it is the striker. Not all strikers are the same quality. If you cannot make your own, get a competent call maker to turn you out a couple worth having in the vest. 

[mountainhunter1]

Stowe your pot call in a manner that it will not touch calling surface to ANYTHING while transporting it. Vehicle, vest, shirt pocket... vest, protect the calling surface from everything!

When you condition a "slate" call it will leave a blue/gray dust on it. Blow it off, hold the call parallel to your mouth and blow. Don't spit on it, don't blow face down on it, blow across it.

When you call with this new conditioned call you will collect slate dust on the striker. When it gets enough dust, the sound will degrade.

At this point, take a gentle sand paper, green scotch Brite, red scotch Brite, rock beside you, and gentle twist the striker in the abrasive surface to remove the dust that filled your rough abrasive surfaces of your strikers.

It is truly simple when you understand what kind of instrument you are working with. 

People over condition slate calls because they do not know how to carry them properly. It does not take much to make a slate call run, don't over condition.

This is also great advice! Listen to what this gentlemen is saying.

[grayfox]

I learned this trick from the Georgia Outdoor News Forum a few years back.  Take a lighter or candle and ignite it.  Put your slate call upside down  and move the slate surface call toward the heat source. A Moisture ring will start to appear, once the moisture ring goes to the edge of the call pull it away from the heat source and let it cool.  Then scrub the the surface with a marron scotchbrite pad.  It should sound good after doing this.  This doesn't take long and make sure your call does not get too hot. 

I put a piece of green scotch brite in the palm of my hand and twist the striker tip lightly to clean it up. Been doing it for years and haven't ruined a striker yet.

These 2 things have always worked for me.

[MK M GOBL]

Just to ask, have you tried another striker with it? I have also seen the surface loosen (still in place) and would deadened the call.


MK M GOBL

[Gooserbat]

Lighter and maroon scotch Brite.  Never needed anything else.  Striker could need some heat from the same lighter and a little bit of 100 grit lov'n