Making Revolver Grips

[Olon]

Hello,

I just ordered some 3/4"x6" Maple boards which I intend to use to make grips for my 7.5" blued Ruger Super Blackhawk. I think the lighter colored wood would look pretty cool in contrast with the blued finish.

I'm making this thread to invite any tips/advice anyone has gathered. This would be my first venture in making grips, though I do have some hobbyist woodworking experience. I know how to orient the grain and I plan on using a jigsaw to get the rough cut (don't have a bandsaw). Then I'll use hand files and a die grinder with a flap wheel to finish it up. I welcome suggestions for finishing the wood once I get it done. Thinking of going with the old standy shellac w/ everclear but I don't know what's best for wood that’s going on a gun.

So fire away: thanks in advance!

 

[whughett]

I am a hobbyist wood worker but have never done that.

Projects involving maple, soft or hard , straight or curly get sanded up to 220, Wacto Danish Oil, natural, then up to six coats of Minwax wipe on urethane. Generally a satin but gloss is available also.

Would be interesting to see photos as to progress and finished project.

Happy Holidays.

 

[doubleh]

Just remove everything that doesn't look like a grip, right? I quit the hand applied finishes long ago and MinWax spray polyurethane from a rattle can has become the only thing I use. It's about as tough a finish as anything you can apply and it's very easy to do. Build up the coats with clear gloss to where you are satisfied to avoid the grain killing effect of multiple coats of the semi-gloss or matte poly. Leave as is for a high gloss finish or sand lightly and spray with either semi or matte poly if a duller finish is desired.

The easiest and quickest finish I've found is one recommended by a person that is no longer with us. Mist coats of clear lacquer applied with one of the very cheap airbrushes that are external spray. Do three very light coats at a time waiting a few minutes between coats. Depending on the temperature wait several hours to a day, do it again, and then one more time. No sanding required unless you manage to turn a mist into a run and all you have to do is sand the run smooth. It will take more coats of course on open pored wood like walnut unless you use a filler first but three coats work well on woods like maple. If you want a matt finish do nothing, shiny, rub it out with compound like in the old days of automotive painting. Lacquer is one of the hardest finishes available and also probably the easiest to repair. I just hate to mess with the required clean up of the airbrush.

 

[MikeInOr]

For a dark colored wood like walnut an oil based finish like 1/3 Spar Varnish, 1/3 Tung oil and 1/3 Turpentine will sink into the grain and really make the character of the wood POP! Several thin coats will make the best finish. I usually use a very thin first coat (1/4 spar, 1/4 tung and 1/2 turpentine) to saturate the woods pores really well then thicken the following coats for a faster buildup and faster drying.

But an oil based finish on a blond wood like Maple will give the wood a yellow hue. If you don't mind the yellow hue then the oil based finished finish will do a great job protecting the wood. If you don't want a yellow hue a water based finish will dry clear without imparting a color to the wood. A coat of Super Blond de-waxed shellac with several coats of the water based polyurethane should bring out the grain and protect the grip very well. Make sure to use De-waxed shellac if you are going to overcoat with a water based poly... I like super blond for its lack of tint. Water based polyurethane has very long urethane molecules and is generally an even tougher finish than an oil based varnish.

Lacquer does give a very nice clear finish that looks good on blond wood but I find the lacquer generally does not hold up as well as a water based poly. I will often use lacquer on the sides of a piece of furniture then use a water based poly on the top wear surface.

 

[whughett]

The finish of choice in years past on gun stocks, was multiple coats of boiled linseed oil. Oil will soak into the wood and, as well as curing in the wood will bring out the woods Chatoyance. As the oil is Amber in color it will cure in a butterscotch color, actually only hastening what in time and exposure to light will accomplish.

Varnish, Urethane oil or water based, cure on the surface and are primarily protective finishes. Oil will add a measure of color, water based, is IMO, a dead finish. It neither adds nor detracts from the woods natural appearance. It’s only purpose is to add sheen and protect.
Shellac will soak into the wood depending on its “cut” and is as natural a finish as any. It’s an evaporative finish, its solvent is alcohol, as opposed to the other mentioned finishes that react with oxygen and cure.
Lacquer is also an evaporative finish but flashes off so fast it’s best sprayed on. I have zero experience with it.

Look at photos or better still find and admire a rifle stocked with curly maple, often called Tiger maple.

I think you’ll find it’s been hand rubbed with multi coats of linseed oil.

I built a bed room set for my grand daughter, crib to full size bed, with two dressers and a night stand all from hard maple. 17 years now and the oil and urethane finish has become a rich colonial maple color. Recently a mishap in moving the bed resulted in one leg being damaged to the point I had to replace it. I finished the new leg as before but, my own limited ability could not quite match the old finish and the new. The old was a bit darker, the new will catch up in time I hope.

 

[Bill M.]

I have made several sets of Blackhawk grips. It is fairly straight foward with a few twists. I have an extra old grip frame that I use to hold the grips while shaping them. I would not want to be shaping the grips on the gun for fear of scratching the finish. It is a little difficult to get the fit up at the top tight and correct. I take the alignment pin out of the grip frame on the gun I am fitting them to and use the frame as a guide to drill the alignment holes. And you have to locate the grip screw in a good location.

All in all, after making several well figured walnut grip panels that I really like the fit and finish on I am not using them. I like the feel of the old Herrets that I bought on eBay. I put my panels on every once in a while but after a few full powered loads go back to the Herrets.

 

[Olon]

I have made several sets of Blackhawk grips. It is fairly straight foward with a few twists. I have an extra old grip frame that I use to hold the grips while shaping them. I would not want to be shaping the grips on the gun for fear of scratching the finish. It is a little difficult to get the fit up at the top tight and correct. I take the alignment pin out of the grip frame on the gun I am fitting them to and use the frame as a guide to drill the alignment holes. And you have to locate the grip screw in a good location.

All in all, after making several well figured walnut grip panels that I really like the fit and finish on I am not using them. I like the feel of the old Herrets that I bought on eBay. I put my panels on every once in a while but after a few full powered loads go back to the Herrets.

It would be nice to have an extra grip frame for this. Hopefully these ones will be good enough for me to keep on. So far I haven't shot a lot of full house loads; they're what I would call moderate magnums.

 

[Olon]

Update: moving into a new house so I've been busy but I did manage to get the rough cut done. Just clamped it in a vise and used a jigsaw to cut them out. I was a little liberal on most of the edges after I undercut on one side. I think that piece will still turn out though; I just need to be choosy with which side I make the outside.



Waiting on the NAPA truck to come so I can get some flap wheels for my die grinder and begin to take some more material off. My goal is to get the outside contour down and make the sides square. I will then drill out the appropriate holes and begin shaping them further. So far so good!

 

[Olon]

Got the outside shaped, now it's time to compare it to the grip frame and adjust

 

[beag_nut]

You might (or not) want to consider this tool. If you have access to a drill press, it REALLY makes it easy to get close to the final profile if you can mount your new rough grips to the grip frame beforehand. Just be sure to protect the revolver's metal with some masking tape beforehand. I used that tool to make oversize grips for my Single-Ten. Then, make sure that, during the final tapering of the grips that you don't go too far and accidentally make the new grips too small.

https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/supplies/sanding/drums/59448-template-sander

Hope this helps.