Sanding

[Country boy]

How often do you sand a slate surface pot and peg call? And what kind of sandpaper should I use?
Thanks!

[WillowRidgeCalls]

I never sand a slate with sandpaper, only a green scotch brite pad. Slate is a soft surface, and the more you sand it the better chance you have of ruining your call. The only time I ever sand on a slate is if it's a bad piece of slate that just will not play.

[Country boy]

That makes sence, it's a good thing that I didn't sand it then! Do you use that pad on box calls too?

[WillowRidgeCalls]

No because the pad will polish it, and "I want it to grab the wood better than slide across it. All you need on a box call is chalk.

[icdedturkes]

As he said with green scotch brite.. Striker conditioning is just as important as surface conditioning.. Alot of times when you think your surface needs conditioned its actually the striker..

[WillowRidgeCalls]

Good point ice, some strikers play better dirty and some need to be clean to get a good bite. I use a piece of 220 grit sandpaper to clean my striker tips, so they bite good. The green pad works on some, but it can smooth the tips so they skip more than bite.

[stankyolgobbler]

i use 150 grit on all of my striker tips and slates and have done so for 5 years. i used to use the scotchbrite and could never get my calls to have that good bite you look for. so defiantly sand paper. i have 2 slates and 2 glass pot calls all which i have used sandpaper on and they are fine. i tune them up every morning before goin in the woods too.

[onpoint]

How 'bout some more detailed info on the method of sanding and not just the grit used or when to use Scotchbrite versus sandpaper?

[WillowRidgeCalls]

As far as sanding goes, on a glass, alum, or copper calls. I only sand them Back N Forth across the call to cut groves in it. On a slate, it really doesn't make a difference which way you scub it, becaise mostly your just cleaning the gunk out of the slate pours and not trying to cut groves into it. It's up to you what grit sandpaper you use, and it depends on how well the call is playing? You can change the tone of a call by using a course or fine grit sandpaper, the finner the grit the higher the pitch the call will be. On slate calls if you use sandpaper I recommend using a fine grit 200 grit of higher, most will use just a green scotch brite pad. On alum or copper I like to use a brown scotch brite pad because it's a little bit courser and scratches it better. I'll also use it on a glass call that I want to kee kee on, it smooths the cuts in the glass out and makes it easier to run a kee kee. It's important to keep your striker tips clean on most woods, some play better dirtier and some won't play at all dirty?