Broken glass pot calls

[Mosby]

I bought a glass call this summer, made by a well known call maker. Loved it. I kept it in my call cabinet and was planning on putting it in my vest in the spring. Pulled it out a couple of days ago to play with it and it is cracked straight across. Sent the call maker an email asking about if it can be fixed and the cost? No response.

Put the call back in my call cabinet and realized it is the third glass call I have that is broken(I do have a bunch of calls). Bought a glass call at the silent auction a couple of years ago at the NWTF. Similar scenerio. Glass broke a few months after I bought it. Sent an email. No response. Still sitting in my cabinet.

No sure what the right thing is to do. Don't want to be a jerk but having new calls crack is starting to affect my wallet. Probably should stop buying glass calls, I guess. Some call makers say theirs don't normally crack but I am evidently an expert in buying the bad ones.

I am assuming these calls are breaking due to changes in humidity or temperature, which affects the wood. Should I consider this bad luck, move on and buy some new calls or should the call makers try to make it right? What bothers me more than anything is that I offered to pay for repairs and still didn't get a response. Not trying to free load and I was polite.

I have been thinking about sending another email to these call makers(I think they are all decent guys) and ask about repairs again and seeing what happens but I thought I might get other opinions. Is it bad form to ask for repairs if the call wasn't damaged hunting? Are they not worth repairing? Should they charge for repairs? I know their isn't much profit in these calls but they shouldn't just break either....at least that is what I am thinking. What does turkey call etiquete say? Thanks.

[strutnrut]

This is JUST MY OPINION. Cracked glass in a call can and does happen most of the time there is one of many reasons. Some times more than one. 
Changes to the environment. Hot or cold (Storage location)
Wood wasn't dry enough.
Not enough clearance between the calling surface and the wood, not allowing for the changes wood goes thru naturally.
Depending on what adhesive that was used to hold the surface. IMO 2 part-proxy dries to tight.
Abuse done to the call.
Now weather you try again with the callmaker/callmakers is up to you but I would. It happens but no response is the wrong response IMO.

[WillowRidgeCalls]

I would try to contact the call makers again, sometimes emails are missed if they have a lot of orders to build, but they should of contacted you back.

[pappy]

DEFINITELY GET A HOLD OF THE CALL MAKERS ANY ONE OF THEM SHOULD OUT OF RESPECT TO YOU AND TO THEMSELVES AS A CALL MAKER SHOULD JUMP ON THE CHANCE TO MAKE IT RIGHT WITH YOU. DOESN'T REALLY MATTER ABOUT THE CHANGE OF WEATHER OR IF THE WOOD WASN'T AT A LOW ENOUGH MOISTURE CONTENT WHAT MATTERS IS THEIR ABILITY TO BACK UP WHAT THEY REPRESENT. IF ONE OF THEM WERE MINE OR ALL THREE WERE MINE I WOULD FIX OR REPLACE AT NO COST AND THROW IN A COUPLE OTHER CALLS FOR YOUR TROUBLE. PAPPY

[strutnrut]

What I said was why  call might crack so maybe if any of those reason might apply. Then steps could be taken to keep his other calls safe. AND as far as how I treat customers havhas never come in question. Right now I am replacing a call that was purchased 7 years ago. Burl wood cracked. AND I don't care why

[pappy]

What I said was why  call might crack so maybe if any of those reason might apply. Then steps could be taken to keep his other calls safe. AND as far as how I treat customers havhas never come in question. Right now I am replacing a call that was purchased 7 years ago. Burl wood cracked. AND I don't care why

Who says you don't treat your customers right? I said ANY call maker should back up their wares. Replacing our calls that have failed at one point no matter how, is part of our persona, one that I am proud of. As my word is about all that I have.

[Mosby]

Thanks guys. I am going to send another email and/or maybe give them a call and see if I can get the calls fixed. If not, I probably will be buying new calls from some of the guys on here. Your opinions are appreciated.

[csgrizz]

Mosby, A little late on the reply, but wanted to let you and others know, I have actually fixed a cracked call before.

Mine was a crystal call that cracked due to mistreatment (vest laying at the base of the stairs and an untimely 5 year old foot).

Since I built the call (I am by no means a maker, but a putterer togetherer of call parts), I had only one thing left as an option, that was to try and fix it.

I actually hit it with a hammer (eye protection!) to break it "more" then heated in microwave (be very careful) to loosen the adhesive, and with a tiny flat head screw driver (and gloves for shards) I worked all the way along the call and worked all the remaining glue and glass bits up.  Now, remember this is not a project for the living room, as there are a lot of tiny bits of material left that you have to make sure don't end up in someones foot!

Got another playing surface and attached and it is still working today.

Just thought I would throw that out there for people that may have broken calls laying around.

CS

[pappy]

CS did something that I think all hunters should try at least once on their broken calls. But a fair warning ... some times the call will not sound like it did originally, due to different glue types used or even a different piece of glass will change the sound, as glass is so finicky each piece is different in thickness and molecular makeup. Even slate is different each piece has different number of layers or even thickness of each layer may be different, so... if you choose to replace the broken piece, be care not to cut your self, wear your protective glasses, gloves, and do your best to get all the old glue out to prevent gaps....way to go CS...

[csgrizz]

Thanks Pappy, you make great points...I want to emphasize that it was a real tedious task to get all the glue out, while avoiding glass splinters in the fingers... not a job for an impatient person.   

And I second the glasses, and protecting the fingers and such from glass/crystal shards.

later,

CS

[ridgerunner]

I thought I was the only one that used a hammer to break the slate and pry glass soundboard off.

[Crawdad]

Mosby, if you don't get a response for the original call makers then send them to me & I will fix them all & only charge you for the glass & shipping them back to you. That is just no way to treat good customers. Robert Glover 62 Banister Rd, Greenbrier Ar 72058.

[Crawdad]

Bump.