Altering Strikers

[Spitten and drummen]

Anyone ever had a striker they did not care for and altered it. Like cutting down the length , sanding the tip , adding weight to the head or sanding the stem down?  If so , did it go from a not so good sounding striker to a awesome one?

[JLH]

Ive done it a bunch!

Made some much better....ruined quite a few as well...lol

[CMBOSTC]

Anyone ever had a striker they did not care for and altered it. Like cutting down the length , sanding the tip , adding weight to the head or sanding the stem down?  If so , did it go from a not so good sounding striker to a awesome one?

You'll probably stand a better chance of not ruining the striker by taking weight off the sides instead of shortening the striker. Take off little by little by sanding. Check the sound frequently.

[LabsRUsII]

Strikers have an optimal weight
weight your best ones, average
take your"bad" strikers
drill a hole in the head, to decrease weight or add weight in the hole(lead) to get to correct weight
just my thoughts

[HookedonHooks]

I've had a Macassar Ebony from a very popular striker maker that was total garbage. When I received it, from said maker mind you, it didn't even run on a call. The tip wasn't even rounded or sanded smooth, it was very jagged and looked like a beaver stick. I sanded it smooth and it would atleast run a call, sound good, not so much.

Strikers need proper weight and balance, but grain structure is equally as important.

[Bowguy]

Anytime I get strikers that aren't straight I use sandpaper to make em flat. I'm no fan of any bullet nose or anything like that. Not much sanding. Never had a prob

[outdoors]

Anytime I get strikers that aren't straight I use sandpaper to make em flat. I'm no fan of any bullet nose or anything like that. Not much sanding. Never had a prob

X 2
I'v been told flat striker heads are for more experienced users  I'm not
Just sounds better too my ears and better control

[BTH]

Ive done it a bunch!

Made some much better....ruined quite a few as well...lol

Same here. However, I learned a bunch by doing it and what the changes accomplish now. So only improvements from here on out.

[Greg Massey]

I have a bunch of strikers and what i finally did was purchase some good quality ones and now i have several chop sticks ... not so good ones ....   I feel you can purchase good snakewood, diamondwood, ebony, black locust and tulipwood and run pretty much and pot call made ... in my opinion ......

[LaLongbeard]

My favorite Purple Heart striker was originally a flare tip. I didn't care for it so I cut off the tip sanded it so it's straight with a rounded tip.... perfect.

[Chris O]

I have a bunch of strikers and what i finally did was purchase some good quality ones and now i have several chop sticks ... not so good ones ....   I feel you can purchase good snakewood, diamondwood, ebony, black locust and tulipwood and run pretty much and pot call made ... in my opinion ......

I agree I would add bloodwood and Osage also but it is nice to have some of those 2 pc ones for spares and inclement weather because I have several that sound pretty darn good on most pots.

[Greg Massey]

I have a bunch of strikers and what i finally did was purchase some good quality ones and now i have several chop sticks ... not so good ones ....   I feel you can purchase good snakewood, diamondwood, ebony, black locust and tulipwood and run pretty much and pot call made ... in my opinion ......

I agree I would add bloodwood and Osage also but it is nice to have some of those 2 pc ones for spares and inclement weather because I have several that sound pretty darn good on most pots.

Yes i agree 100 percent .....

[Spitten and drummen]

I have a bunch of strikers and what i finally did was purchase some good quality ones and now i have several chop sticks ... not so good ones ....   I feel you can purchase good snakewood, diamondwood, ebony, black locust and tulipwood and run pretty much and pot call made ... in my opinion ......

I have over 200 strikers from just about any striker maker you can name. I have some that cost the same as a pot call. I simply asked if anyone has altered strikers they did not care for. Just because a striker comes from a well known maker does not mean that it gonna sound great. I have 4 identical 1 piece strikers in macassar ebony from a guy that makes outstanding strikers. 1 does not leave my vest , 2 sound pretty good and one of them would be better suited to start a fire with. There are alot of varibles in strikers. Some sound good on certain calls and are not so hot on others. I have about any wood species of 1 piece strikers that you can name. They are not all created equal I assure you. Hence why I started this post.

[Greg Massey]

I have a bunch of strikers and what i finally did was purchase some good quality ones and now i have several chop sticks ... not so good ones ....   I feel you can purchase good snakewood, diamondwood, ebony, black locust and tulipwood and run pretty much and pot call made ... in my opinion ......

I have over 200 strikers from just about any striker maker you can name. I have some that cost the same as a pot call. I simply asked if anyone has altered strikers they did not care for. Just because a striker comes from a well known maker does not mean that it gonna sound great. I have 4 identical 1 piece strikers in macassar ebony from a guy that makes outstanding strikers. 1 does not leave my vest , 2 sound pretty good and one of them would be better suited to start a fire with. There are alot of varibles in strikers. Some sound good on certain calls and are not so hot on others. I have about any wood species of 1 piece strikers that you can name. They are not all created equal I assure you. Hence why I started this post.

You are right ... i totally agree ... good post ....

[Sir-diealot]

Anytime I get strikers that aren't straight I use sandpaper to make em flat. I'm no fan of any bullet nose or anything like that. Not much sanding. Never had a prob

X 2
I'v been told flat striker heads are for more experienced users  I'm not
Just sounds better too my ears and better control

I really do hate this comment, I used strait strikers for years before I came to this site and learned of the other kinds available, It has nothing to do with experience, some peoples hands are simply more comfortable running one kind of striker and some with others or some people can run all kinds like myself but have a preference for what I like to call a mushroom head or for any other kind of tip, whichever suits them best.

Saying it is experience is insulting to say the least, it is just like some people like V-Neck T-Shirs and some prefer Crew Cut T-Shirts, it has nothing at all to do with experience, just preference. To say otherwise sounds elitist.