Refinish Hogue monogrips

[DWH]

I just got a new pair of Hogue Monogrips in Pau Ferro for my SP101. I'm not real pleased with the wood grain, and I really wish they were much darker. I have been thinking of refinishing them in a darker tone. My question is: Can I just strip the carnauba wax finish with some stripper, stain the wood darker, and re-apply a finish with buffed carnauba wax, tung oil, or the like? Or is there a better method to achieve my madness?

 

[Virginian]

Are you sure all they used was wax? If you haven't, I would call them and ask. As long as you get the old finish off, you can do whatever you like. That goes for furniture or gun grips. Long live Minwax !

 

[RON in PA]

Before you do anything use the gun a bit, the grips will darken some in my experience.

 

[Drail]

Wax is all they use.After some use it will be gone. Most hardwoods will not take stain very well. It won't hurt to try though.

 

[DWH]

Would a chemical stripper be the correct method to remove the wax finish or is there a different way? Is there a method, or stain that works best at darkening hard woods? If I'm satisfied with a darker tint, should I rewax it, or apply tung oil or something similar? Never done this kind of thing before, and looking for a little guidance.

 

[dfariswheel]

Talk to Hogue FIRST.
There's no sense ruining an expensive pair of grips.
They might just exchange them for you.

To strip wax, all you use is paint thinner/mineral spirits.
A good stain for really hard woods is leather dye from Tandy.
They sell solvent-based dyes that will penetrate even these harder, oily woods.
After that, either re-wax or talk to a wood expert.
Some of these tropical hardwoods won't take a standard finish.
As example, polyurethane won't harden on many of these hard woods and stays sticky.

Again, call Hogue FIRST.