foxtrapper
Blackhawk
I have access to some 4 x3/4" boards. Can they be used for grips in single actions.
Mahogany grip panel
- Thread starter foxtrapper
- Start date
Poco Oso
Buckeye
4" square ? If so, they'll be slim (think gunfighter grips) by the time you get them shaped, but otherwise, should work. Caryc has a great diagram in the "single action grip frames explained" thread, of the different shapes and sizes.
Bob Wright
Hawkeye
What kind of mahogany? I tend to believe mahogany might be too soft for revolver grips.
Bob Wright
Bob Wright
OP
foxtrapper
Blackhawk
Thanks so far :D have no idea what type except it seems rock hard ,straight tight grain. On the end cut you can see a green in color hue. Don't know if that helps identifying it.
Bob Wright said:
My every-day grips for my Liberty Blackhawk are some I did out of Red Cedar...
They are soft, but they aren't for show...They only have to please me...
Mahogany can't be any softer...And I bet they'd be pretty...
http://oi42.tinypic.com/m7b6z5.jpg
powder smoke
Hawkeye
Mahogany is a tad soft for grips imo, but making a set will be fun project and
look good on your revolver.. That said you can move up to a harded species
of wood with a little practice and experience under your belt. Enjoy. ps
look good on your revolver.. That said you can move up to a harded species
of wood with a little practice and experience under your belt. Enjoy. ps
Chuck 100 yd
Hunter
Mahogany will make a durable grip panel. Most grip panels are less than 1/2" thick when finished so a board 4"X 3/4" would be fine. The only issue I have with Mahogany is it usually has very little if any figure. I don`t like to spend the time it takes to do a set in wood that I know will turn out plain Jane. If I want plane Jane I would stay with factory grips.
Now if you wanted some nice Claro walnut to make a set out of, I will send you some for just the shipping cost. PM me if you do. Chuck
Now if you wanted some nice Claro walnut to make a set out of, I will send you some for just the shipping cost. PM me if you do. Chuck
Acoustic guitar necks are made out of mahogany (at least on higher end guitars). My #1 guitar was made in 1999 and has been played at least an hour a day every day since 1999. Other than the finish being worn down to bare wood in a few spots, it looks great and feels better than it did the day it was new. I have several others with mahogany necks that are older and a couple newer but they do not get played as much.
If mahogany works for a guitar neck I don't see any reason why it would not work for a single action grip.
Jeff
If mahogany works for a guitar neck I don't see any reason why it would not work for a single action grip.
Jeff
OP
foxtrapper
Blackhawk
Here's a pic of the board.
seems hard as a rock :wink:
caryc
Hawkeye
When I cut blanks for grips, I cut them 2 3/8" wide by 4 1/2" long by at least 1/2" thick. This will make any sized Ruger grip. Of course you need two blanks.
On really expensive wood, I can get by with 2 1/8" in width. The size above just gives you a little to play with. You want to have at least 1/2" in width. This is after the back side has been sanded flat.
I don't buy Mahogany for grips. As Chuck said above it is just straight grained wood. People have to realize that a piece of wood that might make a beautiful jewel box lid will lose a lot of that beauty when cut into something small as a gun grip.
I had a guy send me a piece of flooring (scrap from his home installation). I don't even remember what it was. He mentioned that it was very hard and wanted grips from it. Well, I made the grips and to me they just looked like brown wood grips. Very plain Jane.
Here is what I tell all customers who want to use their own wood or even people that want to make their own grips.
Take a 3 by 5 index card and trace out one of your grip panels on it. Now carefully cut out the part that is the grip. This will leave you with a grip shaped hole in the card. You can place this card anywhere on the wood to pretty much see what a grip will look like. But before you do that get yourself a plastic spray bottle with some rubbing alcohol in it. You can spray some alcohol on the wood to see the color it will have when finished. Never use water to wet the wood. Although it will do the same thing, it will soak into the wood. You want your wood to be about 6 to 8% moisture content, so you don't want to add moisture to it. The alcohol will evaporate before soaking into the wood.
Most people who decide to make their own grips do not have all the equipment that I have so they put a lot of hand work into them. It's a shame to put all that work into a set of grips and wind up with a plain Jane set of grips. So take my advice and do as I suggested above and good luck.
Remember, take your time. Do not try to rush the job.
Foxtrapper, You posted your pic of the wood while I was writing my post. "Hard as a rock" is not number one when I select wood for a set of grips.
On really expensive wood, I can get by with 2 1/8" in width. The size above just gives you a little to play with. You want to have at least 1/2" in width. This is after the back side has been sanded flat.
I don't buy Mahogany for grips. As Chuck said above it is just straight grained wood. People have to realize that a piece of wood that might make a beautiful jewel box lid will lose a lot of that beauty when cut into something small as a gun grip.
I had a guy send me a piece of flooring (scrap from his home installation). I don't even remember what it was. He mentioned that it was very hard and wanted grips from it. Well, I made the grips and to me they just looked like brown wood grips. Very plain Jane.
Here is what I tell all customers who want to use their own wood or even people that want to make their own grips.
Take a 3 by 5 index card and trace out one of your grip panels on it. Now carefully cut out the part that is the grip. This will leave you with a grip shaped hole in the card. You can place this card anywhere on the wood to pretty much see what a grip will look like. But before you do that get yourself a plastic spray bottle with some rubbing alcohol in it. You can spray some alcohol on the wood to see the color it will have when finished. Never use water to wet the wood. Although it will do the same thing, it will soak into the wood. You want your wood to be about 6 to 8% moisture content, so you don't want to add moisture to it. The alcohol will evaporate before soaking into the wood.
Most people who decide to make their own grips do not have all the equipment that I have so they put a lot of hand work into them. It's a shame to put all that work into a set of grips and wind up with a plain Jane set of grips. So take my advice and do as I suggested above and good luck.
Remember, take your time. Do not try to rush the job.
Foxtrapper, You posted your pic of the wood while I was writing my post. "Hard as a rock" is not number one when I select wood for a set of grips.
OP
foxtrapper
Blackhawk
Thanks caryc! Figured I ask, my neighbor has quite a few feet of these boards. Thanks to all!
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