What are your favorite grips?

[Randyzzz]

Chad just sent me pics of the grips from the above blanks. They are shipping out Monday. I'll do the final fit and then finish and post up the results!

I do have a question for the group. The grip frames that these are going on are bare aluminum. Currently they have a brushed finish, but they could be polished. However- what is the general opinion- would wood that stands out like the above sets look better on a black grip frame? Or do you think aluminum would look better? I realize this is a matter of personal opinion and taste- but I'm curious.

 

[Robb Barnes]

Just my opinion Randy but I'd go with a black finish on the grip frames.

 

[Randyzzz]

Just my opinion Randy but I'd go with a black finish on the grip frames.

I'm thinking the same, especially on the lighter set. I may hit one of the frames with black rattle can just to see how it looks. If I like it I can then strip it and have it Cerakoted.

 

[JAYDAWG]

I agree, Black.
Make sure & post some pics!

JaydaWg

 

[Randyzzz]

I agree, Black.
Make sure & post some pics!

JaydaWg

Will do!

 

[Randyzzz]

Will do!

I got the first set finished. Maybe. After fine tuning the fit to this frame, I used danish oil and then using three different grits of 3M polish pads got the smoothest finish possible. This was followed followed by some Renaissance Wax and more polishing. The danish oil actually darkened them more than I had hoped, but the polishing got some of the figuring back. However, this method does leave the grain showing and looks more organic than poly or other smoothing finishes. Plus it feel good in your hand. I need to get better pics with less glare…

 

[jav]

This one is from Altamont it's a conversion from round butt to square butt fit is really nice . I like them so much ordered another set for my j frame

 

[Ride1949]

Wow! Those really darkened up. It changes the whole look. Ordinarily I'd say go with the black, but I think now they look real good on the polished frame.

 

[JAYDAWG]

Wow! Those really darkened up. It changes the whole look. Ordinarily I'd say go with the black, but I think now they look real good on the polished frame.

Yep,
I agree with Ride, looks awesome!
Wish I had that kind of talent, or even better, if we were neighbors, you could do it for me
Seriously Randy,
VERY nice.

Cheers,
JaydaWg

 

[Randyzzz]

Wow! Those really darkened up. It changes the whole look. Ordinarily I'd say go with the black, but I think now they look real good on the polished frame.

Yep,
I agree with Ride, looks awesome!
Wish I had that kind of talent, or even better, if we were neighbors, you could do it for me
Seriously Randy,
VERY nice.

Cheers,
JaydaWg

Thanks for the kind words. I may see about polishing out the hammer, trigger, and grip frame and see how it looks. The grips almost need the gloss of a poly finish to make them pop- I just like the more matte finish.

Nothing is ever done until it is…

I did have a neighbor warn us there might be a cougar roaming around- so I loaded it with some 180g HP's, slid it in my walkabout holster, and walked the bottom of the property. No deer carcasses, no sign or tracks of a cougar. But it sure felt nice on the hip. My wife even likes it!

Well, the lack of depth along with the darkening of the wood bothered me all night. Nothing like waking up thinking about grips. So, I stripped off the renaissance wax and put some satin poly on them. They look so much better, I think. I'll let the poly set up for a week or two and buff it out nice.

 

[needsmostuff]

Material is sometimes not that important.
When there is a matching knife, it can go to a different level.

 

[Randyzzz]

OK- sorta hard to show the polish on the phone, but this is what I call a "user polish". Meaning it's for a gun that will be used. I might work on it some more later, but for now it's looking good, I think. In a week or two I'll buff the sheen off the grips making them more of a satin finish.

 

[caryc]

If you want a duller sheen on them, you might get some Birchwood Casey stock sheen and conditioner. That will take the high shine off of them. I used to use it on my Tru Oil finishes. I did high polish finishes on all my grips but if the customer requested a satin type finish, I just rubbed them down with the above mentioned stuff. Incidentally after using it to reduce the high polish, if one want to go back to the high polish again they could by just a little light buffing on a bench buffer with Brownell's Polish-O-Ray 555 compound. It's for putting a mirror finish on stainless steel.

Beautiful grips by the way !

 

[Randyzzz]

If you want a duller sheen on them, you might get some Birchwood Casey stock sheen and conditioner. That will take the high shine off of them. I used to use it on my Tru Oil finishes. I did high polish finishes on all my grips but if the customer requested a satin type finish, I just rubbed them down with the above mentioned stuff. Incidentally after using it to reduce the high polish, if one want to go back to the high polish again they could by just a little light buffing on a bench buffer with Brownell's Polish-O-Ray 555 compound. It's for putting a mirror finish on stainless steel.

Beautiful grips by the way !

Thank you Cary! I finished these in a spar polyurethane. I have used a fine scotchbrite pad- gray- to smooth any irregularities and knock off the shine. Then usually a white pad to get them right where I want them. But- that Stock Sheen sounds a lot easier- I will have to give it a try.

I was really worried about these grips- the blanks looked so beautiful, and the unfinished grips also looked beautiful. But the danish oil seemed to mute the colors and really darken the light areas. The went from wow to sort of meh. A mineral spirit wash followed by some hot sun helped. Then the poly sealed them up and I'm happy again.

 

[caryc]

I have also used Brownell's 3F Pumice powder to take down the shine from gloss to semi gloss. I just take a soft cloth like flannel and cover my finger with it then saturate the cloth with Johnson's baby oil then dip it into the pumice powder and gently rub down the panels with it. This will remove the high gloss and let one buff them out again if so desired. I did the same high gloss finish on all my grips then toned them down a bit if the customer desired it. I usually used about 24 coats of Tru Oil applied with my finger. I could put on the following coats after drying for two hours. I used 1200 grit sand paper between coats if any dust or anything happened to get on the finish between coats. After the last coat of Tru Oil, I would let the grips cure and harden for no less than 72 hours before the final buffing on a bench buffer. The buffing takes a light hand so one doesn't burn through the new finish.

Of course everyone has their own way of doing things. I'm not saying my way is the best way. It's the final results that count.

 

[contender]

Since we are talking grips here,, and Cary has chimed in,, I'd like to say that those who have ideas about making grips & such need to read, and re-read Cary's posts on his methods of working the wood. While he may say "everyone has their own way of doing things. I'm not saying my way is the best way. It's the final results that count" and be true enough,, his grips have been some of the finest looking grips I've ever seen.
I tinker at making grips occasionally,, just for myself. And the little tips I've gotten from Cary have been invaluable.

 

[caryc]

Since we are talking grips here,, and Cary has chimed in,, I'd like to say that those who have ideas about making grips & such need to read, and re-read Cary's posts on his methods of working the wood. While he may say "everyone has their own way of doing things. I'm not saying my way is the best way. It's the final results that count" and be true enough,, his grips have been some of the finest looking grips I've ever seen.
I tinker at making grips occasionally,, just for myself. And the little tips I've gotten from Cary have been invaluable.

Thanks so much for the kind words ! Here's another little tip that I usually give to someone deciding to make a set of grips. When you have a piece of wood and are trying to decide where you want to cut the grips from, you can do the following. You can take a 4" X 6" index card and trace out a grip panel on it then carefully cut out the grip shape leaving the outside of the card intact. You can place that grip shape over any spot on your wood to see what the grip panel would look like. Furthermore, you can apply some alcohol in a spray bottle to see what the wood will look like with a finish applied to it. The alcohol will evaporate from the wood leaving no damage. Of course you wouldn't want to do this with water.

 

[Randyzzz]

I have also used Brownell's 3F Pumice powder to take down the shine from gloss to semi gloss. I just take a soft cloth like flannel and cover my finger with it then saturate the cloth with Johnson's baby oil then dip it into the pumice powder and gently rub down the panels with it. This will remove the high gloss and let one buff them out again if so desired. I did the same high gloss finish on all my grips then toned them down a bit if the customer desired it. I usually used about 24 coats of Tru Oil applied with my finger. I could put on the following coats after drying for two hours. I used 1200 grit sand paper between coats if any dust or anything happened to get on the finish between coats. After the last coat of Tru Oil, I would let the grips cure and harden for no less than 72 hours before the final buffing on a bench buffer. The buffing takes a light hand so one doesn't burn through the new finish.

Of course everyone has their own way of doing things. I'm not saying my way is the best way. It's the final results that count.

Thank you for sharing your methods, Cary! I will admit- I have refinished rifle stocks for years, but always with the strip/sand/tru oil method until the finish looked right. But I never got to 24 coats! I'm impressed. I have only started my foray into handgun grips in the last 2 years, and then only taking either one of Chad's prefit grips or Ronnie Wells rough fit grips, doing the final fitting and contouring, and applying finish. and I'm also learning that different woods take finishes differently. The danish oil that makes ironwood so beautiful and narurally textured darkens walnut. Hmmm. So this was my first time using danish oil on raw walnut- I have used it on stabilized walnut with better results. So- any and all advice is appreciated!

Hey, Contemder- when are we going to get a look at the Bradshaw Bisley grip frame ?

 

[caryc]

Thank you for sharing your methods, Cary! I will admit- I have refinished rifle stocks for years, but always with the strip/sand/tru oil method until the finish looked right. But I never got to 24 coats! I'm impressed. I have only started my foray into handgun grips in the last 2 years, and then only taking either one of Chad's prefit grips or Ronnie Wells rough fit grips, doing the final fitting and contouring, and applying finish. and I'm also learning that different woods take finishes differently. The danish oil that makes ironwood so beautiful and narurally textured darkens walnut. Hmmm. So this was my first time using danish oil on raw walnut- I have used it on stabilized walnut with better results. So- any and all advice is appreciated!

Hey, Contemder- when are we going to get a look at the Bradshaw Bisley grip frame ?

When I said 24 coats, remember I said applied with my finger. They are very thin coats.

 

[contender]

Cary,, I remember your advice on the index card AND the alcohol idea. You've shared that with me before. Thanks again.

Randy,, I posted pictures of my Bradshaw g/f & grips a while back. Do a search.