Smith & Wesson Forum

Go Back   Smith & Wesson Forum > Ammunition-Gunsmithing > S&W-Smithing
o

Notices

S&W-Smithing Maintenance, Repair, and Enhancement of Smith & Wesson and Other Firearms.


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 03-04-2011, 12:10 PM
pabner's Avatar
pabner pabner is offline
Member
How to Refinish Wood Grips How to Refinish Wood Grips How to Refinish Wood Grips How to Refinish Wood Grips How to Refinish Wood Grips  
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Eastern Kentucky
Posts: 32
Likes: 3
Liked 2 Times in 1 Post
Default How to Refinish Wood Grips

I have a pair of J-Frame wood service grips that are in horrible condition. No scratches or nicks on the grips but my wife forgot my m36 in her atv and mold developed.

The metal is ok no rust but the grips turned an ugly gray when clean with Murphy Wood Soap.

What can I do to salvage them?
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 03-04-2011, 01:43 PM
rollin_hot's Avatar
rollin_hot rollin_hot is offline
Member
How to Refinish Wood Grips How to Refinish Wood Grips How to Refinish Wood Grips How to Refinish Wood Grips How to Refinish Wood Grips  
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Arizona
Posts: 707
Likes: 3
Liked 148 Times in 46 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by pabner View Post
I have a pair of J-Frame wood service grips that are in horrible condition. No scratches or nicks on the grips but my wife forgot my m36 in her atv and mold developed.

The metal is ok no rust but the grips turned an ugly gray when clean with Murphy Wood Soap.

What can I do to salvage them?
I use acetone and "Old Master" tung oil with varnish when I refinish mine.

I soak them overnight in a sealed jar of acetone then use a brillo pad to get all the dirt, grime and urathane off.

After it is all off i go over them again with a lint free cloth and more acetone to make sure everything is clean.

I allow them to dry which only takes a few minutes.

I then use another lint free cloth to apply several thin coats of "Old Masters" Tung oil with varnish. I wipe off the excess inbetween coats and allow to dry. I usually apply one to two coats per day with complete drying in between coats.

Depending on the desired look you can add a urathane to them, but I hardly ever do.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 03-04-2011, 01:45 PM
rollin_hot's Avatar
rollin_hot rollin_hot is offline
Member
How to Refinish Wood Grips How to Refinish Wood Grips How to Refinish Wood Grips How to Refinish Wood Grips How to Refinish Wood Grips  
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Arizona
Posts: 707
Likes: 3
Liked 148 Times in 46 Posts
Default Refinish

Pics.....................








Last edited by rollin_hot; 03-04-2011 at 01:53 PM.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #4  
Old 03-04-2011, 02:27 PM
subtle subtle is offline
Member
How to Refinish Wood Grips How to Refinish Wood Grips How to Refinish Wood Grips How to Refinish Wood Grips How to Refinish Wood Grips  
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default Would also recommend...

Consider lightly scouring the surface of the grips with a #0000 steel wool pad when you pull them from the solvent soak.

When/if you choose to apply a Tung Oil Finish, consider sanding the Tung Oil in with 220 grit sand paper, or perhaps scouring it in with #0000 steel wool. Liberally apply the oil and while it is still wet, gently sand with the grain. Let the oil set for a minimum of 5 minutes, until slightly tacky - wipe off with a lint free cloth.

If you choose to apply additional coats of Tung Oil, sand the finish in with higher grits (400/600 etc.). Please wait at least 24 hours between coats, especially when using Tung Oil Finish, which is not pure and cut with solvents. This allows the solvents in the finish due time to evaporate. This is especially important: If any solvent is trapped in between coats, it will visibly start to break the wood down in time.

If you notice that you have not removed any wood when sanding or wiping the grips down, and are not satisfied with the final outcome - consider dry sanding them with an appropriate grit to reach wood. Then, apply Tung Oil mixed at a Ratio of 5 parts solvent (mineral spirits will do) to 1 part Tung Oil. Thinning will allow you to reach wood when you sand the finish in - otherwise you will again be gliding on dried Tung Oil.

I hope to be of some help to you!

-Will
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 03-04-2011, 05:26 PM
Ironhand Ironhand is offline
Member
How to Refinish Wood Grips How to Refinish Wood Grips How to Refinish Wood Grips How to Refinish Wood Grips How to Refinish Wood Grips  
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 550
Likes: 5
Liked 75 Times in 50 Posts
Default

This is good info, as I was wondering about the grips on my 28-2. The target grips that came with the gun are well-used, the right panel dinged up much worse than the left, lots of embedded grime, and more than a few dings. The magnas I bought the other day are not as bad, but they had been sealed in shellac by a previous owner. I removed the shellac with acetone, smoothed them down with 0000 steel wool, and rubbed in a few coats of boiled linseed oil. The targets got the same treatment.

Anything else I should do to my grips?
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 03-05-2011, 07:10 AM
pabner's Avatar
pabner pabner is offline
Member
How to Refinish Wood Grips How to Refinish Wood Grips How to Refinish Wood Grips How to Refinish Wood Grips How to Refinish Wood Grips  
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Eastern Kentucky
Posts: 32
Likes: 3
Liked 2 Times in 1 Post
Default

I would like to thank everyone for their help. I did forget to mention the grips are checkered. How do I deal with the checkering? I will post before and after pictures when the project is completed.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 03-05-2011, 09:27 AM
dmar dmar is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,544
Likes: 3,089
Liked 2,923 Times in 1,066 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by pabner View Post
I would like to thank everyone for their help. I did forget to mention the grips are checkered. How do I deal with the checkering? I will post before and after pictures when the project is completed.
Try a toothbrush...
__________________
NRA Life Member
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 03-05-2011, 10:12 AM
white cloud white cloud is offline
Member
How to Refinish Wood Grips How to Refinish Wood Grips How to Refinish Wood Grips How to Refinish Wood Grips How to Refinish Wood Grips  
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,051
Likes: 2,735
Liked 1,373 Times in 573 Posts
Default

this is all great advice. i have received a lot of pleasure from refinishing s&w grips. allow plenty of time.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
Reply

Tags
checkering, m36, solvent

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Strip and refinish factory wood grips BC38 S&W-Smithing 13 06-08-2019 10:27 PM
WTT: HOGUE WOOD 5906 GRIPS FOR WOOD 6906 GRIPS( GOT'EM !) PPCSHOOTER Accessories/Misc - For Sale or Trade 2 11-22-2014 08:41 AM
WTS factory wood S&W K-frame target grips $45 shipped. S&W model 39 wood grips. $24 albanian Accessories/Misc - For Sale or Trade 2 03-12-2011 12:55 AM
Orginal S&W wood grips. To refinish or not?? Rule3 S&W-Smithing 1 09-20-2009 02:18 PM
S&W orginal wood grips. To refinish or not? Rule3 The Lounge 3 09-19-2009 10:31 PM

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
smith-wessonforum.com tested by Norton Internet Security smith-wessonforum.com tested by McAfee Internet Security

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 08:07 AM.


Smith-WessonForum.com is not affiliated with Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select: SWHC)