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June 17, 2014
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So I wanted a nice grip to go on my recent 744 purchase.
Eric has a back log so I wanted to work on doing a restoration.
I found this grip on Ebay and it was is decent condition not too many nicks and no large cracks.
Finish was aweful though.
So I stripped the finish off so I can begin sanding and a reshape.
Here I have a couple spots that did not come off the first coat of stripper so I applied a second limited coat of stripper.
So now that I had bare wood I sanded out all of the imperfections in the wood and reshaped the bell of the grip.
I tend to prefer a palm swell, so I tapered the bottom of the grip leaving the flare at the bottom as a target style while creating a small palm swell in the middle. I then stained it to add some color.
Happy with the color I started to apply multiple coats of Tongue Oil.
This is a long process, requireing lots of patience, VERY SIMILAR TO READING ONE OF MY THREADS.
The build up takes time and most of the coats just get soaked up into the grain.
I wanted a presentation grade finish so I would build up and then sand down, build up sand down.
Eventually the grain fills in and you get an even finish.
Then you can do final sanding and since I wanted presentation grade it needed to be polished.
I think it all came out well.
One thing I failed to do was check the finishing process.
Once I was done I found that the alignment was out, which can be seen in a couple pictures here although I was hiding it where possible.
So after taking some pictures, I decided to fix the fit.
First I taped up the top of the grip to protect it as much as possible, then I grabbed my dremel tool and began to cut down inside where the high spots were pushing the grip into a forward lean.
Slowly I tilted the grip backwards stopping and fitting the grip multiple times to make sure I did not overshoot the mark as that would make me refinish the grip completely. I also addressed that the hammer pin was pushing the grip outward on the right side so I made a pocket inside so the hammer pin would now allow the grip to fit flush. It is not perfect, back it is close. I may tweak again on the angle but for now I am happy.
DWF Supporters
June 17, 2014
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Here you can see the palm swell along with the bell left at the bottom.
Again this was a process of sand for a while, check the feel, sand some more check the feel again.
Then I needed to check both sides so it was symetrical, it is easy to get one side done and not have the other
match it.
Ultimately I wanted it to look completely factory with a little better shape and finish.
Hopefully you afficianadoes will feel I have done so and not performed Sacrilege.
Dans Club
December 5, 2008
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Well done, Terry! Clearly a labor of love.
February 20, 2008
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Bravo! I've sone many projects with tongue oil...what brand did you use on this?
Thanks for sharing.
If you're going to drink, don't drive. Don't even putt.
DWF Supporters
June 17, 2014
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photohause said
Bravo! I've sone many projects with tongue oil...what brand did you use on this?Thanks for sharing.
Hi Snake-Eye, yes indeed it is!
Hi Photohause,
I used Formby's classic and believe it or not the "Low Gloss" blend.
However enough wet sanding at 1500 and 200 grit and a buffing wheel after words could make sand paper shine. LOL
Thanks guys for the compliments, it is nice to have someone appreciate the work it takes.
August 28, 2009
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Nice work. Question though....why don't you pop the emblems out while you are refinishing? It's makes the job a whole lot easier.
DWF Supporters
June 17, 2014
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DakotaJack said
Nice work. Question though....why don't you pop the emblems out while you are refinishing? It's makes the job a whole lot easier.
Hi Jack,
Valid question.
I tried, the wood had actually swollen over part of the emblems and when I cut back the wook I still could not get them out. Arrgh!
I was too afraid of damaging the wood so I just bit the bullet so to speak and moved forward with them in.
I would have preferred to get them out but I was just sure that I was going to tear up the grip in the process.
Range Officer
Range Officers
Dans Club
March 27, 2009
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Looking good, I hate to ask (well not really) how much time do have you put into this?
February 20, 2008
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A couple of years ago I looked for Formby's and came up empty, company sold. Low and behold, products are on Amazon!
I'm glad I asked. Thanks.
If you're going to drink, don't drive. Don't even putt.
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Dans Club
March 25, 2013
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I am curious on how you got the verdigris off the medallions. Great job on everything. BTW, it is tung oil from the tung tree. The nuts are pressed for the oil. Very prolific but all parts of the tree are poisonous. The oil less so. It is also used for cutting boards . It is from China but is naturalized in the Gulf coast and Northern Florida. I bought one tree and can get hundreds of seedlings a year from the nuts. If anyone wants any let me know. They are very prolific and good for biodiesel. The wood is a substitute for balsa wood. Bees love the flowers. Google it.
DWF Supporters
June 17, 2014
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Dave_Ks said
Looking good, I hate to ask (well not really) how much time do have you put into this?
hi Dave,
I really m not sure.
initially I spent about 4 hrs shaping sanding and staining.
The hard pars is tracking how much time on putting on tongue oil.
It only takes a couple minutes to apply, but at first I was doing 2 coats a day and the next day do a clean up
with scotchbrite to knock down any high points.
I did those over about a week and a half adding coats.The nice part is the Formby's is nice and thin so
it made nice thin coats that had no runs or finger print marks like some others.
When I thought I was close I did a wet sand at 1500 grit and finished with the buffer to smooth any grain patterns out.
I wound up doing a couple more coats as I went too deep in a couple spots.
Then again, hit it with the buffer with paint polish to smooth any tiny streaks in the finish.
I spent a total of 2 weeks, but the daily investment is small so maybe 8-9 hrs. total?
If I was less picky I could do it in way less time. Easy work really.
And as snake-eye said it is a work of love, plus I really enjoy making things myself.
DWF Supporters
June 17, 2014
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he
Ole Dog said
I am curious on how you got the verdigris off the medallions. Great job on everything. BTW, it is tung oil from the tung tree. The nuts are pressed for the oil. Very prolific but all parts of the tree are poisonous. The oil less so. It is also used for cutting boards . It is from China but is naturalized in the Gulf coast and Northern Florida. I bought one tree and can get hundreds of seedlings a year from the nuts. If anyone wants any let me know. They are very prolific and good for biodiesel. The wood is a substitute for balsa wood. Bees love the flowers. Google it.
Hey Ole Dog,
So really it was just from sanding.
Once I got the wood removed that had swollen over the medalions, I blended the wood and medalion with sand paper.
I used coarser for shaping the onto finer grits to work out the sanding marks from the coarse.
Side note, I actually preferred the matt finish on the medalions however, I suppose laziness
and fear of scratching the wood prevented me from masking prior to doing the tongue oil.
So that should mean that they will ultimately remain polished since they are sealed now.
Good or bad thats the way it worked out.
Dans Club
October 17, 2008
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Very nice, thanks for the
Dans Club
January 17, 2015
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Late to the game, just got my computer back, but I must add - great job. I also enjoy refinishing wood, and gun stocks/grips are at the top of the list.
DWF Supporters
June 17, 2014
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Thanks Zedbra,
I enjoy taking something that is almost a throwaway and making something nice out of it.
Another hobby of mine is making custom knife handles.
This is one that i ade for my wife, The blade is a Spyderco Mule Team Demascus in VG-10
The handle is Tiffany Burberry Shokwood with brass and copper liners.
Just a way of making things that I could not afford otherwise.
Unfortunately, the picture does not do it justice as the Resin portion is so smooth it looks like glass in person.
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