home made revolver grips

[frontierman]

I just got an idea about making some homemade grips for my 1851 navy. anyone ever do this? if so, can you give me some idea how to start and what type of wood and tools would be required? can,t afford to have custom grips made. I am envisioning making a black stained grip. thanks

[carver]

Originally Posted by frontierman

I just got an idea about making some homemade grips for my 1851 navy. anyone ever do this? if so, can you give me some idea how to start and what type of wood and tools would be required? can,t afford to have custom grips made. I am envisioning making a black stained grip. thanks

Use your old grips as a model. Any wood you want to use will work. You might want to check, and make sure that the wood you will using will take the stain you plan to use. As for tools, a scroll saw, or jig saw, files, drill & bits, and of course, sand papper in several different grits. There are so many things that you can do with wood, I personally like a hand rubbed finish with tongue oil.

[TranterUK]

Originally Posted by frontierman

I just got an idea about making some homemade grips for my 1851 navy. anyone ever do this? if so, can you give me some idea how to start and what type of wood and tools would be required? can,t afford to have custom grips made. I am envisioning making a black stained grip. thanks

I did it once for a revolver. I cut and shaped the wood as best I could making sure the grips were oversize, a simple paper pattern being transferred to the wood. I then attached the still oversize grips to the frame and continued rubbing down the wood, having covered the back and front straps with duck tape to protect the finish. Anytime I damaged the tape, I replaced it.

I got there in the end, but to be honest it was a lot of work and took a long time. I am not sure I would recommend it.

[Pistolenschutze]

Originally Posted by TranterUK

I did it once for a revolver. I cut and shaped the wood as best I could making sure the grips were oversize, a simple paper pattern being transferred to the wood. I then attached the still oversize grips to the frame and continued rubbing down the wood, having covered the back and front straps with duck tape to protect the finish. Anytime I damaged the tape, I replaced it.

I got there in the end, but to be honest it was a lot of work and took a long time. I am not sure I would recommend it.

But Tranter, we're still waiting for those custom-made, squirrel skin covered grips you were going to make for your Webley. Oh, wait! The instructions say, "first you must shoot the squirrel." Bird feeders make poor pistol grips I understand. :::::::digging fox hole much deeper and laying concertina wire:::::

[TranterUK]

Originally Posted by Pistolenschutze

But Tranter, we're still waiting for those custom-made, squirrel skin covered grips you were going to make for your Webley. Oh, wait! The instructions say, "first you must shoot the squirrel." Bird feeders make poor pistol grips I understand. :::::::digging fox hole much deeper and laying concertina wire:::::

as I think you know pistol, some fox holes just never seem deep enough.

[Alpo]

Originally Posted by carver

Use your old grips as a model. Any wood you want to use will work. You might want to check, and make sure that the wood you will using will take the stain you plan to use. As for tools, a scroll saw, or jig saw, files, drill & bits, and of course, sand papper in several different grits. There are so many things that you can do with wood, I personally like a hand rubbed finish with tongue oil.

Or, if you don't want splinters in your mouth, you could use tung oil, from the tung tree.

[Larry in Michigan]

You can save a lot of work by merely refinishing your stock grips...unless
they're damaged in some way. That's what I did. I finished with a nice
pecan stain....right before I bought a set of black pearl grips on eBay.


Larry in Michigan

[frontierman]

Thanks Larry, I didn't think about that. is there a color stain that is pretty close to black? thanks

[frontierman]

anyone know how to remove the grips from a pietta navy? thanks again, should'ved included in the above post.

[woolleyworm]

Check out VTI , you'll have to remove the backstrap to get the grips off.

http://www.vtigunparts.com/store/sho...etta+1851+Navy

[Larry in Michigan]

Black stain? I don't know. Certainly there are very dark stains. I went the complete opposite way, sanded the old finish off, smoothed out the wood with progressively lighter grits of paper until they were right. Then I bleached them and went with a very light-colored stain (pecan). But I like the black pearl grips better.

You might consider paint (ducking now), but if it doesn't work out, you have to strip them again, and you're talking about some small, fragile pieces of wood
as opposed to a rifle stock or something.

My refinishing job was mostly an experiment as I was looking for something else anyway.

Larry in Michigan

[carver]

Originally Posted by Alpo

Or, if you don't want splinters in your mouth, you could use tung oil, from the tung tree.

Alright! Alright! Alright! So I can't spell! Moma always said I couldn't spell s*&^ without getting it in my mouth!

[carver]

Originally Posted by frontierman

Thanks Larry, I didn't think about that. is there a color stain that is pretty close to black? thanks

I've had good success with Rit Dye. But only if you are going to use some "tounge" oil to finish it with! The grain of the wood will show through no matter what you use in the way of dye.

[kbolt]

heres some i made for my tok. http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/show...009#post467009

[johnlives4christ]

you can take dye and use it to color lacquer or another type of finish that builds and it will cover the grain in the wood. one thing i have done in the past is to put a sealer coat on, then black spray paint, then several clear coats to protect the color. never tried it on grips, but did a wooden bb gun stock

[Larry in Michigan]

If you DO refinish the grips, remember that the main factor in the outcome
is your sanding and really smoothing out the wood. Just as in automotive painting, the prep work greatly influences the final result. The finish from the factory is a little rough, but maybe they're looking for a rustic look. Maybe you are, too. As far as paint, I must confess that about four years back I carefully refinished a rifle stock and then sprayed it with an automotive clearcoat.
Another experiment, but it turned out well and still looks great. Scratches can even be rubbed out. But in the end my preference is an oil finish as I like to sip a cocktail and rub some oil into the stock. I find it soothing.

[frontierman]

thanks everyone for your suggestions, I think I'll sand it a little and put an ebony stain on it and see how it comes out. I'm a biker at heart and I just had to personalize my firearm just like my bike. you know how that is, if you're a biker.

[Nitro]

Originally Posted by kbolt

heres some i made for my tok. http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/show...009#post467009

Really nice job on the grips. Incidentally, what caliber is that handgun?

[frontierman]

thanks wooleyworm for the diagram. applied the first coat of minwax ebony stain. tommorrow will put a 2nd coat on. when i'm done I'll see if I can post some pictures.

[kbolt]

Originally Posted by Nitro

Really nice job on the grips. Incidentally, what caliber is that handgun?

Its a 1953 romainian tokarev tt-33 7.62x25 cal. with an added brake/compensator, ventilated trigger and a mag extender

[Nitro]

Originally Posted by kbolt

Its a 1953 romainian tokarev tt-33 7.62x25 cal. with an added brake/compensator, ventilated trigger and a mag extender

That's a pretty heavy caliber, pretty much dwarfs my 9mm. How's the kick from that thing?

[Maximilian II]

Kbolt, you have succeeded in making a normally unattractive pistol into quite a beauty.
You have my compliments!
I'm curious too, how's it shoot?

[kbolt]

I bought this handgun back in april along with 2,248 rounds of ammo. I have put about 700 rnds through it without a single problem. I've been really impressed with the accuracy at normal handgun distances,so last weekend I decided to see what it can do at long range, I set up at 75 yrds, 100 yrds and 125 yrds. I'm still very impressed with the results(see pics)the top two targets are 75 yrds, the middle is 100 and the bottom two are 125 yrds. I think I could have done better at 125 yrds but I could barely see the target at that distance. (I need to get some glasses) It shoots flat and staight because the 7.62x25 round was originally designed as machinegun ammo. It has a bit of a kick to it, but not to bad. It is the loudest handgun I have ever fired. for $199.00 I think I really got the best bang for the buck.

[Larry in Michigan]

Is that a small, pale deer I see near the targets in one of the pics? They make for some good eatin".

How much do you change your point of aim between, say, 50 and 100 yards?


Larry in Michigan

[kbolt]

I think it was a jachalope. I aimed about an inch up per 25 yrds, but that turned out to be a little to much.