I was wondering if any of the members up here have refinished their grips. I was thinking of stripping the finish off of a set of S&W N frame target grips and then refinishing them with either tongue oil or tru oil.

I’m not worried about a potential decrease in value of the grips or how they will turn out because I’ve refinished rifle stocks this way before. My main question is that some companies put a sealer in the wood and it doesn’t oil finish very well and won’t take stain. My question is has anyone up here done this and were there any problems with the wood not excepting an oil finish.

I was wondering if any of the members up here have refinished their grips. I was thinking of stripping the finish off of a set of S&W N frame target grips and then refinishing them with either tongue oil or tru oil.

I’m not worried about a potential decrease in value of the grips or how they will turn out because I’ve refinished rifle stocks this way before. My main question is that some companies put a sealer in the wood and it doesn’t oil finish very well and won’t take stain. My question is has anyone up here done this and were there any problems with the wood not excepting an oil finish.

Art, I have done this many times for my friends, and have not had any problem using Tru-oil. I recut checkering, stained, and finished with Tru-oil like normal. Beak

Thanks for the information and I'll get to work on that set of grips.

Hope this photo came out alright Art. This should be the "after" one. This started out as a "beater" model 65. Beak

Art, This should give you a better idea of what I was working with. Beak

You do really great work and today I have a more pressing grip refinish. I picked up a 29-2 Nickel that is suppused to be unfired. Well it's either that or a renickeled gun. Anyway, The target grips have great character (not book marked) and the two sides may be from different sets. Once side has great figure and a red cast to the wood. The other side has great figure but almond cast to the wood. They were also sprayed with a shellack.

I think I will strip them and stain the the almond side with a red cast wood stain and then refinish them with Tru oil.

My new vintage 36 had patina under the varnish on one of the panels. I bought a new can of lacquer thinner, got a toothbrush, and put them in a flat metal can lid. A little brushing, and about 15 minutes time and the grips were san's original varnish. I dried them off, took my trusty can of minwax walnut stain and wiped some on. You can't tell they were refinished, only that there is no varnish left. I plan to use an oil finish, but for now, there riding just fine.

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Rough waters ahead.

I'll have to try that. I normally strip everything, recut the checkering, stain, and then finish. This 27-2 above was purchased for $240 (5 years ago). A polishing wheel, wax, and rebirth of grips provided me with a real shooter that's pleasing to the eye. Just wish the grips had more detail. Beak