[RebFootCav]

This is my first attempt at making grip panels for a pistol. This is a VIS 35 Radom. It was manufactured in Poland just before the Nazies occupied and took over the plant. If you look close, and my picture quality is there, you can see the Nazi proofs on the slide. It's a 9mm that I have massaged a little to accept the hollowpoints you see in the pic.

Lewt me know what you think, I can take it.

 

[sks_hunter]

wow... That's a great looking piece... and a wonderful job on the grip plates... did you carve them by hand? and what type of wood did you use?:rockin:

 

[scubadvr]

Really sweet. How long did it take? What kind of tools? Perhaps you can walk some of us through a set.

 

[Sangrun Hunter]

That's a really nice first attempt! I'd have to say you have some talent.

 

[pmbiker]

Lookin good Reb, they really finish the look of that gun. I've been thinking about making some slabs for my 1911, gotta find some nice wood first.

 

[alpo]

Excellent job. Those grip panels look really nice. :thumbup1:

 

[RebFootCav]

Thanks for the kind words guys.

Yes, I did them by hand. I was at my local shop going over the feeding problem with my "smith", when he remarked that the clear acrylic panels that were on them, "looked like shit". Well.....I had to agree. After a while of rummiging through some drawers, he came up with a pair of cherry blanks and said "do something about itI asked him how much he wanted for them, and he told me not to embarass him with what I came up with...... :rockin:

The hardest part was figuring out how I wanted the grain to run with the lines of the gun and finger grooves once I was done. I then marked my holes for the screws and started to rough them out for the raised areas on the grip like the mag release.

Once I had the rough dimensions to the frame, I used a flat file to round off the squared edges along the frame.I then traced the outline of my fingers with a pencil, just for referance marks while I carved the grooves into them.

I then took the grips off and started shaping the grooves with a combination of files, some rattail and some half round, till I got close to the final shape I wanted. This took some time as I kept refitting the panels to test them for feel. Once I had them close, I started using sandpaper in finer grits until I finished with some 0000 steel wool.

Once they were to the point I liked them and the way they felt, I wanted to finish them off somehow. Well, not having any stain I went with what I figured might be the next best thing.....Gun oil.... :dunno: Why not??

So I filled my mitts with some of my favorite and started massaging it in. I let them soak for a while and repeated the process a couple times.

I'm still unsure how to finish them as I really don't want the glossy look of professional finishes. I'd like to keep the satin look and have a preservative on them. I'd appreciate any suggestions anyone might have.

 

[pmbiker]

I'm still unsure how to finish them as I really don't want the glossy look of professional finishes. I'd like to keep the satin look and have a preservative on them. I'd appreciate any suggestions anyone might have.

When I finshed my ironwood stockset, I used several coats high quality polyurethane to get the protection, then I used the 0000 steel wool to bring down the gloss. A bud of mine at work re-finishes antiques on the side and that's what he suggested, worked like a charm. I can't remember what brand of poly I used, but it was specifically a rub-in type meant to be hand rubbed with a rag. It gives a very thin coat and I prolly put on 4-5 coats for extra durability. After giving the final coat of poly a couple of days to fully cure, I lightly rubbed with the 0000 wool until the gloss was gone.

 

[sks_hunter]

When I finshed my ironwood stockset, I used several coats high quality polyurethane to get the protection, then I used the 0000 steel wool to bring down the gloss. A bud of mine at work re-finishes antiques on the side and that's what he suggested, worked like a charm. I can't remember what brand of poly I used, but it was specifically a rub-in type meant to be hand rubbed with a rag. It gives a very thin coat and I prolly put on 4-5 coats for extra durability. After giving the final coat of poly a couple of days to fully cure, I lightly rubbed with the 0000 wool until the gloss was gone.

Might it have been Formby's???
sounds like a good idea... maybe even some satin poly like minwax... it's good and tough, soaks in well, U.V. protectant, and won't look "goopy thick". Myself, I like the gun oil... if they should happen to get scratched for some reason, just buff with very fine paper or wool, and oil them down again. sometimes for light scratches, just rub them off with your fingers...

 

[mauser88]

Very nice job indeed!

 

[RebFootCav]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the input.

I think I'll keep the oil finish on this one as it seems to compliment the rest of the finish. I do like the idea of the rubbed in poly with the steel wool finish.

I have a old 3 screw Ruger that I've been wanting a new set of grips on. So that might be my next project.

I think there might be a chainsaw involved.