First Time Sanding of Crystal Call?

[snapper]

I sand all my calls the same...sand side to side over the entire surface...turn 90 degrees and sand the entire surface again. I sand all my calls, Slate, Glass, Alum this way and all work fine. I think as long as you don't go in circles...you'll be ok.
The new crystals can be tough to rough up at first...but sand the heck out of it.

[Rod]

Your call will be fine, just keep working with it, and sanding it in one direction. The more you condition them, the better they sound over time.

[AdvantageTimberLou]

By going in one direction and not circles it allows the striker to skip across the small sand grooves and produce sound better. Its this surface area that is helping produce the sound. I may be mistaken but I think that is why you want to go in one direction and not circles. Its the friction between the surface of the call and the tip of the striker that produces the sound.

Sometimes I try rough grades of sandpaper to really work up the surface. Like Ryan H said in another post try other strikers as well as 1 call with numerous strikers will sound like numerous different calls which is needed when hunting turkeys.

Its like taking the handle off a striker, it doesn't seem to work after you do that, but put it on and it does, all about harmonics and acoustics there and getting the tone and balance to work.

Keeping sanding and working at it and in no time flat you will be talking turkey.

Lou

[LifeNRA]

I just bought a power crystal call and used the Slik Stik on it worked great! Man is the call loud too!!!

[Nick]

The instructions on a slate call I bought a couple years ago was to sand it in one direction. Thats what I have always done and it works great for me.

[KYLimbHanger]

I too just purchased the Crystal Freak and a Slick Stick. Very nice call. First glass call also. High pitch and loud yet I can also make some soft tree yelps. The Slick Stick is the only way to go with conditioning.

[AdvantageTimberLou]

Fowlfoolr1979

Don't worry about the writing and the image of the turkey on it, The writing and image is below the surface you are sanding. Granted you are not going to see it like it was when it was new but you must sand it up to get it to work. You can sand it anywhere on the call but remember about going in one direction, don't worry about the writing, your not sanding it off.

Practice calling on it on different areas on the call. For instance try starting in the center of the call and working out to the edge of it. The sound will change. Practice, practice, practice and you will sound just like a turkey!!

Good luck with it.

Lou

[Blaine_Cardilli]

Technically, it's suggested you sand 'side-to-side', never two different directions, and certainly never in circles. The best sounds will always come from dragging the striker against the grain, so to speak. In other words, don't sand one way and drag the striker the same way along the sanded grooves; go opposite. Most guys sand as Snapper mentioned, which is Ok, but sanding one way and turning 90 degrees and doing the other will inevitably create inconsistencies and areas where the striker will skip. No biggie though.