White Chalk Paint/Dark Wax distressing Rosewood Spanish Grip

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Doug.38PR

Single-Sixer
Joined
Oct 10, 2007
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195
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Somewhere between El Paso TX and Charleston SC
I have a pair of Rosewood Spanish Dymond Grips for my New Vaquero that I bought a year ago. I don't like them. They look ugly.

http://shopruger.com/Ruger-New-Vaquero-Rosewood-Spanish-Dymond-Grips/productinfo/19872/

I don't know how familiar everyone is with this, but my wife has recently gotten into White Chalk Paint with Dark Wax and taken to making a lot of our wooden furniture more antique and old looking. (you can google it).

Well, last night, I ask her to do the same thing to these grips to make them look white, distressed old and like rough Stag grips. I showed her a photo of what stag grips look like and she nodded "Oh yes, I can do that easy."

Has anyone ever done this to grips? Just curious
 

kestump

Bearcat
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Idaho
I've not ever heard of it, but would like to see the result if you have a chance to post some pictures. Thanks!
 

toysoldier

Hunter
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Hutchinson, KS USA
I did a quick search for images of this technique. It seems the intent is to re-create the appearance of a piece of nice wood furniture that some farmer decided would look better with a thick coat of white casein paint, then used for 30 years. Not my style.
 

Doug.38PR

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Oct 10, 2007
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Somewhere between El Paso TX and Charleston SC
Some of you might be surprised at what my wife a can come up with. She's pretty talented. She said she could, in effect, stagify my rosewood grips after I showed her what stag grips looked like. And ANYTHING will look better than these horrible looking rosewood color diamond grips.
 
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Everything is in the eye of the beholder. I think I could like the checkering pattern on these grips, but even Ruger must know how horrible their generic rosewood is, since they've even tried to cover the ugliness up with stain and lacquer.

Many of us buy lots of very nice grips from extended sources. Walnut and/or other exotic woods. We know it costs more but we're obviously not opposed to paying the price. So...I wish Ruger would realize that a little added cost does make for a much more pleasurable product.

I look forward to see the results of the OP's project. 8)

WAYNO.

P.S. Not being artistically inclined, I did not know what White Chalk Paint/Dark Wax Distressing even was. Google being my friend, I discovered this worn-out paint project is quite the rage. I do not think your grips are large enough to create a jewelry box, however.
 

eveled

Hawkeye
Joined
Apr 3, 2012
Messages
5,606
My mother in law, ordered a dining room set finished like that. Pretty funny to pay for new furniture that looks all beat up, even funnier it was delivered all wrapped in foam, and bubble wrap to keep it from getting more distressed?

Funniest part was the look on the kids face that was helping the driver unpack the furniture when he saw the all the damage. He started to panic looked at his boss and said "I didn't do it".
 

Hondo44

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Apr 3, 2009
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People's Republik of California
Those Ruger grips are not rosewood, just near rosewood color. The reason they're so ugly is because they are virtually plywood! Laminated slabs of cheap wood and impregnated with dye and resin. Can't stand them. Anything will improve them and I think covering the plys while still showing the diamonds and fleur-de-lis will be a nice improvement.
 

awp101

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Jul 25, 2011
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TX, home of DeeDee Snavely's Used Guns and Weapons
Hondo44 said:
Those Ruger grips are not rosewood, just near rosewood color. The reason they're so ugly is because they are virtually plywood! Laminated slabs of cheap wood and impregnated with dye and resin.
Are the ones listed on Altamont's website the exact same since they supply Ruger or are they a better grade? What about the other types of wood they offer?
 

Salmoneye

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Mar 19, 2012
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Vermont
Ethan Allen furniture plant in Orleans, VT used to have a 'distressing room'...

Furniture came in on an overhead chain driven track...Hung all through the room were logging chains that would ding and scratch the furniture...

lol
 

awp101

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Jul 25, 2011
Messages
290
Location
TX, home of DeeDee Snavely's Used Guns and Weapons
Hondo44 said:
All the "wood looking" grips on the Altamont site are laminated.
"Wood looking". Or what the Handi Rifle guys call pallet wood and what WWII Mauser collectors pay big bucks for (late war laminate stocks). :mrgreen:

Looks like I'll check out the bonded ivory instead if I get anything from them, thanks!

Highjack over, we will now re-join the thread currently in progress. :mrgreen:
 

Hamilton Burger

Bearcat
Joined
May 6, 2015
Messages
11
Thanks to WAYNO for giving us something to look at while we wait.
I just still can't picture those Spanish check grips whited up like that...
guess they can't look any worse than the faux stags I got off ebay, can they?

I do like the look of Esmeralda's "ivorywoods" though.
Wish she made 'em in birdshead flavor...
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