Not the typical striker question

[Ryan@roosagamecalls]

Rick I also enjoy using domestic woods there's nothing better than sawing up some wood from where you hunt ,making a call,and using that call to harvest. As with purple heart I've also used the janko chart for some time but as I'm sure you found in your research side grain and end grain have a different janko rating. As striker builders vibration and density are key for me. If you have two same strikers with different lengths you will get a different tone. So if your wanting something close to purple heart my suggestion would be hickory or honey locust because it has similar hardness then play with the length s.

[Rick Howard]

A little more on Janka ratings.  It appears that you can find a range of ratings for the same wood.  Which figures as wood is not known for ultra consistency.  I have found purpleheart ratings of 1860-2520.  That seems like quite an unpredictable range.  As someone also pointed out.  Janka is measured in the side grain not the end grain.  I still think the Janka rating is important.  Just not as important as I thought. 

There is a certain amount of "grab" that each wood has.  I do not know how to define that better or to measure it.   I am thinking that the density, hardness, and grain all contribute to that characteristic.  The grabbyness is part of the reason I like or dislike a striker for a particular surface.  On the slicker surfaces like crystal and copper I like a grabby but heavier striker.  On slate I prefer something a little slicker and medium to light weight.  I have not gone so far as to weigh strikers.  But I think I will pull out the scale at some point.     

I am over thinking here but that is part of the fun for me.  I let my mind go crazy thinking of every detail I can .  Then rein it back in to what is important.  It is just the way my brain works.   

 Ash is on the list JCZ.  I think my eyes were going batty last night and I skipped it lol.

Just guessing I think black locust has great potential.  I made up a striker last spring from black locust.  It was not great but it has potential.  I think my design was poor.     

Ryan, you point out another reason I prefer domestic wood.  I like to get some of it myself too.  I find it rewarding to go from tree to call.  Eventually I would like to source my own slate too.  That is way ahead of me though. 

Thank you fellas for all of the interest and great responses.  Honestly, I did not expect to get this much discussion and I am thrilled with the discussion going on.  I am learning a lot. 

[DanNolen]

Rick, i like locust as a striker wood, as far as how close it is to purpleheart ( not sure )

[Joe Short]

Most of the uses for which Hedge seems to be a preferred wood, Black Locust and Mulberry are quite frequently used as substitutes. I think if you can figure one of them out from a dimensional standpoint, you'd have three woods you could use interchangeably with high relative repeatability. I'd be trying Persimmon if I were you, it's hard as nails and in the ebony family, indicating good tonal qualities.

[Brad Robinson]

I dont know why, but It is hard to beat  some of the exotics.
I recently ordered 100 PH dowels from dowel on demand, and he put in about 20 extra samples for me to try.I turned a head and put in a purple heart peg and played a call, Excellent results. I took the PH out of the head and tried an osage peg that he gave me, and then a hickory, and then a bubinga, and then a jatoba, by far the exotics outplayed the domestics with jatoba winning first place. I wish now i would have ordered some jatoba as my stock is running low.
I would do like Vince says an order a buch of dowel pegs from dowels on demand, try 3-5  of each. Get some various domestics, get some various exotics and try em out to see which ones play well for you.

[VECtor Calls]

Jatoba is not an overly hard wood. I am surprised it performed that well, I would want to test it in a humid environment before sending a bunch out the door. Just my opinion.

[JCurren]

Anyone tried American Beech?

[Brad Robinson]

Jatoba is not an overly hard wood. I am surprised it performed that well, I would want to test it in a humid environment before sending a bunch out the door. Just my opinion.

I have been making jatoba one piece strikers for a few years now, never once had a problem. I did a one piece comparison to PH before and Jatoba outperformed  as well.I tried the 2 piece experiment  this time trying to have an apples to apples comparison. I do like Ph, but for now Jatoba is my favorite.

[VECtor Calls]

Anyone tried American Beech?

Spectraply used to be made out of beech. It is birch now, just like colorwood.  Beech and birch are very similar in their qualities. Colorwood makes a pretty good striker, but it is a light weight option similar to cherry.

[VECtor Calls]

Jatoba is not an overly hard wood. I am surprised it performed that well, I would want to test it in a humid environment before sending a bunch out the door. Just my opinion.

I have been making jatoba one piece strikers for a few years now, never once had a problem. I did a one piece comparison to PH before and Jatoba outperformed  as well.I tried the 2 piece experiment  this time trying to have an apples to apples comparison. I do like Ph, but for now Jatoba is my favorite.

Good deal man. Good to know! 

My favorite box call is a jatoba box with a purpleheart lid. :)

[Ron Hendrix]

Is purple heart best to use on a 1 piece striker or a 2 piece?
If it used on a 2 piece what is the best wood to use for the topper?

[David @ Mad Duck Game Calls]

I have found in my VERY little experience that purple heart with a light head is way to high pitch. I like a medium to heavy striker head on it. Any wood would be fine as long as you get the weight right.       
()

[Rick Howard]

oh boy... I have my hands full now.  I finished up my orders this morning.  Just got a request for a dozen howlers.  It will be a few weeks before I get shop time for turkey calls.  My quiet time will be filled with research though.  I have a pretty good list of domestic suspects to try.

My plan is to order several dowels of various species.  Spin a few toppers.  One Heavy, One mid weight, and one light.  I wont glue anything together for trial so I can adjust the length.  I will test material, overall weight, and length.  Then I will record what I have.  Then work on balance if needed.   

[dogcatcher]

Someone needs to compile all of the info off of this thread and then make it a sticky.

Rick Howard, you started this thread, when you get all the info compiled and sorted how about a report to the masses as to what you have found?

Marvin

[VECtor Calls]

Is purple heart best to use on a 1 piece striker or a 2 piece?
If it used on a 2 piece what is the best wood to use for the topper?

PH shines in its grabbing qualities. The striker needs a balanced head to go with it (balanced heavy) no matter the wood. My 2 piece PH strikers usually have a rosewood head for contrasting qualities.  My fancy headed strikers have a chunk of spectraply on the top though.....just a little bigger that the rosewood ones.....to have more weight up there.