Ceramic problem

[Oconeeguy]

I got a "yella hammer" on sale last summer after the season ended. Began practicing with it in Feb 2012 but it sounded a bit high pitched for me, so I sanded part of it as I would a slate (V. fine sandpaper). Now that part of the call won't make a sound! How do you treat or care for this type call?

[MarkJM]

what grit did you sand it with? a lot of people dont even condition ceramic but I do a little spot with 120 grit. It works fine for me. Try using 120 grit. I dont have a whole lot of experience with ceramic so I only know of 120 working. 80 grit may work but seek other help before using it

[fsu33952]

I have one of those calls and never could figure out how to get it to sound right. I think something is out of whack inside of it. Maybe something came unglued in there.

[northwoodshntr]

I've had a Knight & Hale Sla-Tek (same same different name) for over 10 years. I just started having a problem with it last year. I gave it a good cross hatching with a green scotch bright pad and it works great again. I usually don't use sand paper courser than 120 or finer than 220. hope it helps.   

[CallDr]

Ceramic is HARD. The same stuff you use to sharpen your knife. So Diamond paper is the only thing that will condition it like you can Glass or Crystal. Sorry I don't know where to get it or if someone sells a Ceramic condition tool.

The only thing I know is just Wash it with Dawn and get it clean..... to help.

As to the K&H Hammer Series. The biggest problem is in the design of the Pot and it's Spin Welded and not glued. Plus the pots are not tuned with the right plastic to each disk. I don't know who designed the Pot and went to the trouble to get a patent on it. All I know is it's VooDoo physics. Those rings on the bottom only make the bottom Thicker.

I am the one who made the first mass produced "specific" Creamic disk - Pot caller. ( which ended up as the K&H Ol Yeller )

So I will give the history here.

The Name of the Disk started out MTF. Which stood for, Molded-Tuned- Formulated. What I was trying to do was mass produce a Disk to a specific Consistent "sound". Sla-Tek was just shortened up as a man made Technical- Slate.

The good, bad and ugly.

The bad...... it's molded and fired in a oven like you make other ceramic stuff. The "problem" was the disks in the Middle got hotter than on the edges. ( at least with my vendor) Thus everyone did not have the exact same Pitch.

That was not a deal breaker....... because All slate disks will be a little higher or lower pitch. The last stage was the "formulation" and thickness of the disk. ( If you happen to have one of the original Ol Yeller's and look close..... it's more Yellow than others. That is in the formulation. )

The real problem came on how to put a finish on the surface because it came out of the Mold... Slick. So me and my best friend got several grits and Bead Blasted the disks. That turned out great. We figured out how to get the surface Pre-Condishoned.

The Ugly......... well K&H did not want to spend the money to have all the disks bead blasted as to my instructions. Nor did they want to package the right diamond paper. So bacically no one got the caller I actually made. Then Production got low on glue and made I don't know how many, "under glued" just to get product out. Many were DOA or the disk fell out. Plus no matched strikers.

The Good. The Original Ol Yeller ( first 2 years ) in the Black Pots were good calls. But they changed production to save money and went to spin welding and not glue, plus stopped molding the Pot in the right plastic. It all went down hill from there and what was a caller people liked...... died on the vine.

I am not really a fan of ceramic. But what I do know is the disk NEEDS to be bead blasted to get a "friction finish", so it want slip, slide and squeal on ya. Then most the time because the disk is actually harder than your striker...... is just wash it off clean. But there still needs to be a Diamond Paper or something that will cut into the ceramic  to give it the proper finish.

It makes a great caller if done right. Just like aluminum. Both can be finicky and for that reason alone...... all I will make from now on is either Crystal or Sate. The Custom Guys are better suited to tweak out the details and sound.

For the record so I don't get a back lash on all this. There is not a WRONG way, design or parts to make a Pot caller IF it sounds great like a Turkey. If you find any type of Disk that works........ it works!

[VanHelden Game Calls]

Home depot sells cubic zirconium belts.

[ccleroy]

Primos slick stick, use the side that has the diamond paper on it.

[CallDr]

Home depot sells cubic zirconium belts.

Thanks...... I'll go get a belt and try it. What grit do you like?

[stumpy]

I use a 220 grit conditioning diamond stone on all the ones I make and they work great, it is not to course and not to fine, I can tell a big difference when I condition it vs. just playing it without conditioning, it seems to really bring out the life of the call.

Stumpy

[JThomas]

I use a 220 grit conditioning diamond stone on all the ones I make and they work great, it is not to course and not to fine, I can tell a big difference when I condition it vs. just playing it without conditioning, it seems to really bring out the life of the call.

Stumpy

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