Custom Strikers ??
12-12-2002, 09:25 AM
#12
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: SW Michigan
Posts: 1,906
RE: Custom Strikers ??
Custom to me defines art---such as a customized paint job on your car.
A customized striker has to be functional, but should also be unique. The time and effort should be evident from the onset, with appeal to the eye second only to touch.
With that said, I've made some downright UGLY custom strikers, handcarved with the old Swiss Army knife. Downright nasty sounding though on any friction surface.
I like to personally experiment with lengths and widths---I think the biggest common "denominator" about manufactured strikers is their uncanny resemblence to one another. Same size, same shape.
The key to strikers, in my mind however, is that to truly be custom the striker must be matched to the surface. I've made some strikers that will sing on a slate, but sound completely awful on glass or ceramic. That gets into the density and specific gravity of each wood---lucky for me I've got a brother who's a carpenter, cabinetmaker and woodcarver all in one. I also get access to alot of his "throwaways"...
Even the ones you pictured on a different post---all three "look" identical.
If you're going to go custom, and they're not for show but for use, design each one a little differently.
For example, these are some of the thoughts that come to my mind when I start a custom striker, for either myself or my brother. Carve something into the cedar handle...shorten the locust's handle, and top with a piece of deer hide. That tiger maple would feel great with a wavy handle, and also help with the balance. What new wood can I try to experiment with??
And from my experience and your neck of the woods, I've got some great tips for woods BT---I grew up in NY and now live in CT. I've got one "shorty" that is so balanced and so high-pitched I had the gobblers going bonkers a few weeks ago---and brought in the boss hen for a peak -see.
Drop me an email and we can trade "ideas".
[email protected]
S&R
A customized striker has to be functional, but should also be unique. The time and effort should be evident from the onset, with appeal to the eye second only to touch.
With that said, I've made some downright UGLY custom strikers, handcarved with the old Swiss Army knife. Downright nasty sounding though on any friction surface.
I like to personally experiment with lengths and widths---I think the biggest common "denominator" about manufactured strikers is their uncanny resemblence to one another. Same size, same shape.
The key to strikers, in my mind however, is that to truly be custom the striker must be matched to the surface. I've made some strikers that will sing on a slate, but sound completely awful on glass or ceramic. That gets into the density and specific gravity of each wood---lucky for me I've got a brother who's a carpenter, cabinetmaker and woodcarver all in one. I also get access to alot of his "throwaways"...
Even the ones you pictured on a different post---all three "look" identical.
If you're going to go custom, and they're not for show but for use, design each one a little differently.
For example, these are some of the thoughts that come to my mind when I start a custom striker, for either myself or my brother. Carve something into the cedar handle...shorten the locust's handle, and top with a piece of deer hide. That tiger maple would feel great with a wavy handle, and also help with the balance. What new wood can I try to experiment with??
And from my experience and your neck of the woods, I've got some great tips for woods BT---I grew up in NY and now live in CT. I've got one "shorty" that is so balanced and so high-pitched I had the gobblers going bonkers a few weeks ago---and brought in the boss hen for a peak -see.
Drop me an email and we can trade "ideas".
[email protected]
S&R
12-14-2002, 02:26 PM
#13
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: PA
Posts: 9,085
RE: Custom Strikers ??
i make my own strikers by hand...i WISH i had a lathe..i use a pocket knife! i was taught by an older guy hes 40 or so i duno how old...i split logs by hand and use the heart wood...they arent too straight or nice and even but it will be an acomplishment to myself to take a turkey using my own strikers..im still experimenting with wood..it takes along time to pop a fully done stricker using a pocket knife..sledge hammer..wedge..a log..and some epoxy to attach the top...i like to work on them while sitting on a lake or river bank fishing..it passes the time and gives me something to do...
