Fun Father's Day project

[txpitdog]

I did a really fun project with my 3 and 4 year old boys today. We took my Blackhawk 357 and breathed new life into some of the plainest ugliest grips you ever saw. I've seen nicer wood on a 2x4. Not much grain, a couple of scuff marks, and the flattest lifeless character imaginable in walnut, or whatever they're made of.

So, we set off to the hardware store and got some MinWax red mahogany stain. Came home, took em off the Blackhawk, and I let each one do a grip panel. They did great and were absolutely shocked when I cut a sock in half to use for applying the stain. I think they thought Mom was going to have my hide for ruining a sock.

I was hoping to do another coat before they went to bed, but their first coat was so thick, it just left a sticky residue. To prepare the grips for another coat in the morning, I took some 000 steel wool and gave them a gentle once over. Lo and behold! Not only were they a deep rich reddish brown, like rosewood, but grain appeared from out of nowhere! One coat was good enough, so tomorrow we'll put them back on. Hell, we might just do a second coat for the fun of making a mess.

I wish I'd done some before and after pictures for y'all but honestly, the grips just look nice,and above average, nothing unique or crazy special. I think the reason they look so awesome to me is b/c how bad they looked originally. I'm going to take a pen and write each boy's name on the inside of the grip panel he stained and "Father's Day 2011".

I've also pulled the grip panels off my SBH and will do those tomorrow.

Fun stuff.

 

[chris_]

Nice work. You're boys will remember that for a while. Someday when you're an old man, you'll pull those grip panels off and remember fondly.

 

[deserttrans]

That's a great project with the boys.

 

[Bucks Owin]

Cool beans dad! Now, when they start shooting reduced loads in that .357 in another 3 or 4 yrs (got mine started at age 7) they'll get all the more pleasure and remember that day every time they operate it's trigger henceforth until they're old men like me... :lol:

 

[roylt]

Still would like to see a pic.

I try and let my kids come with me to the "shop" even if I know they will be in the way more than help. Kid time is good time even if it goes bad. If you know what I mean.

 

[txpitdog]

I'll post some pics when finished. I liked the way they came out so much that I pulled the grips off my SBH and will do those too.

 

[Tallbald]

My two children talk like they cherish the time they spent with me in the shop where i did so much woodwork. My son, a recent college grad proudly uses the workbench I made many years ago (laminated 2x4 top edged in oak, with two sliding drawers ) but outgrew, as a kitchen island at his home. He fondly talks of the times he himself sat working at it or would watch me as I worked. My lovely 20 year old daughter often talks about being in my shop with me late into the night. I kept my small utility trailer in there too, and when she was young but didn't want to go in to bed, I'd take a sleeping bag and make a bed for her to sleep on on the trailer. Funny as they see us age what memories they want to hold on to. I sure love my wife and babies....

 

[txpitdog]

Ok, here are the AFTER pics. The only before pic I have doesn't do the grips' lack of character any justice, so you'll just have to use your imagination. One heavy coat of MinWax red mahogany stain, applied with the expertise and attention to detail that young children can provide. Excess was wiped off and "buffed" with a paper towel.

My SBH grips are sitting with their second coat. I'll post before and after pics of those tomorrow.

 

[Bozack]

A job well done. But you only show one grip. your other boy is going to be jealous that his is not posted. Can't wait to see the next set of grips. Deffinately a memorable project.

 

[Mike Armstrong]

That WORKED! I did an old Savage Model 4M .22 WRM rifle with that stuff and got similar results: BLAH to WOW! Oddly, the guy that told me about Minwax Red Mahogany Stain lives in Santiago, Chile...."gun nuts helping gun nuts," international!

Kids just do love to help; they don't realize how much "helping" really helps THEM! Neat post!

 

[roylt]

Not to high jack but I thought I would share a bit more.

My Father passed last year and I am the executor. Had to clean out his house etc. He was an engineer in the army and did construction etc. Had a shopsmith since the 50's.

Well I disided to take his work bench out of the basement and move it to my basement. All of us kids (4) had memories of working with Dad at that bench. When I took it down I noticed my Dad had signed and dated it as he did with most of his projects.

I added an end date and a new signature of mine when I took it over. I hope to have 50 years of work with my kids to.

 

[txpitdog]

Ok, here are the before and after pics for the SBH grips. These were done with two coats of stain, but there wasn't much noticeable difference between the first and second coats... or really from how they looked before staining.

BEFORE

AFTER

AND WITH MY CHEAPO FAKEY FAUX-STAG GRIPS FROM AJAX

So, as you can see, the better quality wood on the SBH grips did not change much or benefit much from the stain. Still, in the sunlight, you can see the red mahogany color come out and give them a rich deeper tone. The Blackhawk grips were vastly improved, somewhere between a restoration and a miracle.

I know the faux stag grips won't win any beauty contests, but they are slightly oversized, which makes controlling recoil much better. If I ever get the cash for the real deal, I will send the fakeys off so that the real stag can be cut to the same dimensions.

 

[M'BOGO]

Make sure that you seal the grips after the stain dries.