Well, I had an old extra set of walnut grips from a Single Six in the junk drawer that had seen better days. They were faded, scratched, chipped up, and the previous owner caused a blowout by over-tightening. I stripped 'em down, got rid of the scratches and dents, repaired the blowout, and gave them several coats of Tru Oil (one drop at a time). I got a couple new emblems from Ruger (they wouldn't even charge me!), finished them up and stuck them on my 1978 stainless Single Six. I like the way they came out and I still have my original walnut grips.
My grip refinishing project
- Thread starter tss106
- Start date
Tru-Oil is a great and wonderful thing.
Nice work.
Nice work.
If you will, tell me please how you remove and reinstall the emblems.
Those look very nice and I might have a pair or two to experiment with myself.
Those look very nice and I might have a pair or two to experiment with myself.
hittman":2dxvuuas said:
I used advice from someone else on this forum to remove the emblems. I put the grip panel on a thick folded towel (finish side down) and very lightly tapped 'em out with the right size punch and a small hammer. They popped right out since they weren't glued in. For the new ones, I gently pressed 'em in (being careful as this looks like the perfect place for a crack if you press too hard) and put a dab of epoxy on the backside with a toothpick just to be sure they wouldn't fall out. The new emblems are inexpensive thru Ruger....., when I called to order a few and told them what I was up to, he said they'd send 'em no charge! That's why I don't mind buying anything from Ruger.
Great Job! You've inspired me, and a few others too I'm sure. They look clean and smooth!
caryc
Hawkeye
To remove medallions, I drilled a 5/8" hole in an old paper back book near the edge with a spade bit. Place the medallion over the hole and punch out with a drift pin. The book supports the grip nicely and won't damage it.
All my medallions are glued in with a drop of Elmers white glue only. Epoxy is not needed, especially if you ever wanted to get that medallion out again.
I have been making grips for many years and that drop of white glue holds them in just fine.
If you are reinstalling a medallion that has been staked in, be sure to file off the staked material from the medallion post before re installing it. It will go in easier with a nice smooth post.
All my medallions are glued in with a drop of Elmers white glue only. Epoxy is not needed, especially if you ever wanted to get that medallion out again.
I have been making grips for many years and that drop of white glue holds them in just fine.
If you are reinstalling a medallion that has been staked in, be sure to file off the staked material from the medallion post before re installing it. It will go in easier with a nice smooth post.
To clarify..., to hold the emblems in, I put a very tiny dab of epoxy on the tip of a toothpick and just touched one edge of the "stem" of the emblem on the back side of the grip (where you can see the emblem "stem" thru the hole), no glue on the back of the emblem or in the counterbore area of the grip. I figured if I ever wanted to remove the emblem, all I'd have to do is "pick" that tiny area of epoxy away and push the emblem back out with no damage to the large counterbore area of the grip (since the wood is already thin there). But hey....., after only doing one, what do I know???
One thing I did learn real quick...., take a little time and build a jig/fixture to hold the grip panels from behind (use the 3 available holes) - eliminates finger prints if you're applying finish that way. Anyone ever thinned Tru Oil and applied it with a detail air brush? I've seen guitars finished with Tru Oil that way and they look incredible (with way less coats).
One thing I did learn real quick...., take a little time and build a jig/fixture to hold the grip panels from behind (use the 3 available holes) - eliminates finger prints if you're applying finish that way. Anyone ever thinned Tru Oil and applied it with a detail air brush? I've seen guitars finished with Tru Oil that way and they look incredible (with way less coats).
caryc
Hawkeye
People finish guitars lots of different ways. But then you're working with a nice big flat surface. There are lots of ways to seal the pores before applying the Tru Oil finish. There are micro bead sealers for instance that you can rub in across the grain then sand with something like 600 grit before applying the finish.
I use Tru Oil full strength on all my grips applying it with a finger tip although it can be thinned with mineral spirits up to 50%. A gun grip is just too small to mess around with an air brush. There's just no need, at least for me that is. Might work good on a rifle stock though.
I use Tru Oil full strength on all my grips applying it with a finger tip although it can be thinned with mineral spirits up to 50%. A gun grip is just too small to mess around with an air brush. There's just no need, at least for me that is. Might work good on a rifle stock though.
Yep, that's what I did....., full strength, unthinned rubbed on by my finger one small drop (max) at a time for very thin layers. The final gloss was a bit too much for my liking - I followed advice of the experienced and buffed 'em out with the Stock Sheen and Conditioner to cut the gloss a little.
I'm the culprit who recommended the "folded towel" approach to removing medallions.
In retrospect, I believe that Caryc's drilled paperback book approach sounds better. Just make sure you get the medallion centered over the hole so it falls out of the wood freely.
In retrospect, I believe that Caryc's drilled paperback book approach sounds better. Just make sure you get the medallion centered over the hole so it falls out of the wood freely.
caryc
Hawkeye
Ale-8(1)":1kinm2cx said:I'm the culprit who recommended the "folded towel" approach to removing medallions.
In retrospect, I believe that Caryc's drilled paperback book approach sounds better. Just make sure you get the medallion centered over the hole so it falls out of the wood freely.
When you think of the grip splitting at that point while tapping out the medallion, I really can't say which is best, the softer folded towel or the harder paper back book.
I'm just saying what has worked out well for me. :wink:
I've never had a wood grip break but I have had one of Rugers faux ivory grips break while trying to remove the medallion. In the future, if I tried it again I would try drilling it out from the back first.
caryc
Hawkeye
By the way, those medallions from Ruger are $2.50 per piece and the shipping is $3.50.
So that's an $8.50 value sent to him by Ruger for freezies. Very nice of Ruger.
So that's an $8.50 value sent to him by Ruger for freezies. Very nice of Ruger.
americal
Hunter
106 you get a ----A++ on that project--- very appealing grip panels :!: grips can make or break the looks of a gun
caryc
Hawkeye
tss106,
Forgive my manners, I got so tangled up in technical stuff I neglected to tell you that you did a great job as americal said above.
Forgive my manners, I got so tangled up in technical stuff I neglected to tell you that you did a great job as americal said above.
rugerfan100
Single-Sixer
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2010
- Messages
- 420
I have a set from 1976 that could use your touch in a bad way....nice job. Outstanding.
Olsherm
Blackhawk
Hey! Where do you call Ruger to get the medallions?Arizona or Conn? I called their catalog store I guess and they informed me in no uncertain terms that they did not sell those to customers. I told the lady that you guys said you were getting them from Ruger and she got mad and hung up on me??
caryc
Hawkeye
603 865-2442
Choose #2 for the New Hampshire plant.
The catalog store is not a parts store.
Choose #2 for the New Hampshire plant.
The catalog store is not a parts store.
caryc
Hawkeye
tss106":2z7uitop said:
Hmmmm,,,,,I hadn't thought about that either. I just checked my remaining supply of silver eagles. They all have the SR.
Maybe I should lay in a new supply and save these for collector items. :wink:
Yep, now that I look into it, when Ruger sent them to me, they sent 3....., 2 had just the "R", 1 had the "SR". The 2 that I pulled out of the little envelope were both "R"......, I didn't even check the 3rd at the time. The old ones that were original to the grips were "SR" but pretty much most/all of the black was gone from them. Oh well - there's something else I learned!
caryc
Hawkeye
tss106":3sknc74l said:
Repainting medallions is very simple. Be sure to remove all the old paint first for a nice smooth re paint. A couple drops of paint remover takes it off in a minute.
I use Rustoleum satin black for the new paint. Use a small brush or even a que tip to apply the paint. Don't worry about being too neat with it. Let it dry for a few minutes then take the medallion by the post on the back and rub the face of it down a sheet of printer paper on a nice flat surface. This will remove all the excess paint and just leave the background.
Baldy
Single-Sixer
Don't kown how you shoot, but you sure done a fine job on them grips. Good luck on your future projects.
VonFatman
Blackhawk
I'm very impressed. You did a fine job and the like many have already suggested, you have inspired several with your workmanship and patience.
Congratulations!
Bob
Congratulations!
Bob
