GRIPS FROM SCRATCH....

ST BERNARD · #1 04-19-2015, 05:33 PM

Last week, a couple guys told me they'd like to see this in the works, so we figure we ought to put in the Gunsmithing section. Piece of English stump that was left over from a shotgun stock years ago. Both halves inletted to the gun, blocked out and rough shaped by "feel" so far. Kind of a cross between Troopers and Combats. Still don't know at this point, so taking the wood off slowly.
BTW... we shot this thing at the range this morning with some full race magnums.... one of the local cops is a instructor and range master there, and he had more fun with it than I did. He was still grinnin' when I left.
Will put up more pictures once we hit the final shape.
Bill

KEN L · #2 04-19-2015, 07:08 PM

So far, so good. Can't wait to see the final results!

gmborkovic · #3 04-19-2015, 07:38 PM

you are almost there. Mike 2796

smitholdtimer · #4 04-20-2015, 01:38 PM

Hello ST BERNARD, great photos. Would you mind showing the in side where the wood is fitted to the frame?
Thanks

ST BERNARD · #5 04-20-2015, 05:33 PM

Here ya go Oldtimer... nothing special. Epoxy to bed the shoulders, and will also epoxy the dowel holes once they are finished.
Bill

05CarbonDRZ · #6 04-20-2015, 06:22 PM

Very nice Work,Do You have past experience in Wood Working?

smitholdtimer · #7 04-20-2015, 06:47 PM

Many Thanks ST BERNARD, was wondering if you used a power tool to cut out the wood that needed to be removed. Very nicely done!

ST BERNARD · #8 04-20-2015, 07:09 PM

Thanks fellas.... many shotgun and rifle stocks Carbon, but this is the second pair of pistol grips.
We used a small trim router Oldtimer, .. with a 1/4 inch carbide bit to hog out the wood and keep the bottom flat. Stay inside the line and then spot and shave in the places where it will show.... at the top and behid the trigger guard. This one will get some more epoxy. It's a kicker and we don't want anything moving around inside the grips.
Bill

stu1ritter · #9 04-21-2015, 07:58 AM

St. Bernard, what is the inletting process for the frame? I've thought of making a pair just to see but seem to be stumped on how to get a good inlet fit.
Thanks,

ROK · #10 04-21-2015, 09:48 AM

Nice work ST BERNARD!
I've looked at wood scales on eBay, but always held back because I was not sure what thickness I would need for each grip.
And enclosed or open back strap... And how long and wide should I look for... So I did nothing.

I like what you have done. And I'm back to eBay for scales!

usnrigger · #11 04-21-2015, 10:09 AM

Those look great, stock and grip work for me is a love hate thing. Wood is it's own beast but really makes things look great. I like what you've done and the grain layout really lays nice

ST BERNARD · #12 04-21-2015, 08:59 PM

We really didn't expect much interest in "how it's done", but rather in the finished grips and "how they look". When these are finished, we are going to make a set of fiddleback Claros up for my buddy the gunsmith (small payment for all the times he's helped me out). We'll try to get pictures of every step and set up, and write it up the best we can. Have been loving the "Shop Gun" series which is OUTSTANDING! ,... and think it would be a priveledge to contribute something like that. We'll give it a try on the grips.
Finished up the coarse rasping now, and using files to get the lines crisp and knock down the ripples... also started to "roll" the top edge over. Hard part will be getting some nice shape to the ejection cut out and making it work. (the basic snuff can radius didn't look so good.)
Thank you again for the replies, likes, and PMs;
Bill

ST BERNARD · #13 04-25-2015, 03:53 PM

We cut the tar out of the ejection side until the cases would all clear every time.... THEN tried to take that big hole and put some nice lines into it, and came up with this. Will do it a little different next time.
All sanded out to 400 grit and already starting to glow from the oil in my hands.... God, how I love nice english walnut.
Still not sure what to think of the shape..... we shaped them by feel and ended up here. Making grips is all brand new to us and there is much to learn, but I can pick a spot and bring the gun up, and the front sight is right on it..... not cocked in the hand. We've shaped many shotgun stocks that way. Maybe revolver grips have a lot to do with where the gun shoots??? .... like a trap gun??? What we intended for these was to keep the gun from sliding down in the hand when shooting hot magnums in it. Will see how it works at the range tomorrow.

Bill

ROK · #14 04-25-2015, 05:23 PM

Looks great! I'm not a fan of finger groves, but your project grips are how I picture how I want to do mine. A lot of space toward the top and light finger groves lower.

How thick across the back strap? Could you show how the grips meet the back strap?

Thanks!!

ST BERNARD · #15 04-25-2015, 06:35 PM

They are full wrap around ROK.....backstrap is covered, but only by about 1/8 inch. They are as wide as we could get them there without being clubby.... try to spread the recoil out across more of the web of the hand. That, and rolling the top edge back over should keep them from sliding down. Will put up more pictures after we shoot it, and get a few coats of oil on them.
Bill

05CarbonDRZ · #16 04-25-2015, 07:01 PM

Very cool! I think the ejector cut out looks nice and has a flow to it.I for One will be looking forward to a "how to" thread from You.Seeing how things are done makes me appreciate the final Product that much more.I make Hand carved Leather Holsters from scratch and before I started I had NO idea why they where so expensive...I figured out why really quick

Tadeus67 · #17 04-25-2015, 07:40 PM

Beautiful set of grips, congratulations on your work!

Drm50 · #18 04-25-2015, 09:36 PM

Do you hold router free hand. I have put grip project off, trying
to figure out how I was going see work and run router. Trying to
think up way like depth setting on drill press. To me 99% of
work is the in letting

ST BERNARD · #19 04-26-2015, 11:31 AM

For those of you wanting to try making a set of grips, here's a easy way to get your feet wet. A member here,... Smitholdtimer PMed us about some pre inletted blanks he has, and was gracious enough to send us one we could take a look at. They are cut for square butt K frames and done well. Not exhibition wood, but nice tight grained black walnut... and plenty dry to work. Eschutcheons and screws already set.
On a K frame they could be spotted and shaved in easily. I opened one up to fit a N frame last night to see what that would involve. The depth on both steps is good, but they needed to be opened up at the top which took a couple hours for the RH side. Plenty of stock to do what ever you like. The LH side is very thick.....more than enough for the big thumb rest if you'r so inclined (these are probably from back when guys were shooting bullseye with K Masterpieces.)
So here you go.....no routing or drill press required,... only a few sharp chisels and gouges, and some spotting black or prussian blue, and you can fit these up and then shape them into anything.
We'll take some pictures and write this pair up as we go, to show how easily it can be done.
Thanks again Mr. Sam;
Bill

dsbock · #20 04-26-2015, 12:18 PM

St. Bernard,

I've been thinking of doing something like this for my 19-5 which is currently wearing Pachmyers.

Very nice work. I'm looking forward to a step by step with photos for your next grip project.

Thanks.

David

ST BERNARD · #21 04-27-2015, 09:15 PM

Inletted the LH blank after supper.... opened up the grip frame cutout to the outside of the line so as to get the flat bottom down in the same place each time we spot it. Used inletting black.... (awful messy stuff that gets everywhere you don't want it) Prussian blue is better, and lipstick will work in a pinch. You can see the very first marks it left under trigger guard and top of frame. About a hour later you can see it's still about 1/32nd from bottoming out on the flat, and just starting to show decent contact. Go slow and only shave off the marks ... many small shavings rather than big slices. Both halves on the gun and looking like a bad fit at the top. That will get cut off when we start to shape them, as it's above the frame now.
Would guess we have about four hours in them so far to get them to fit the N frame. On the Ks that they're intended for, they'd almost be a drop in fit, and would make for a great weekend project.
Bill

Troystat · #22 04-27-2015, 09:38 PM

Thanks for all the pictures, most informative, I often have a lot of Walnut cutoffs from various furniture projects and have thought some of them might be good for grips.

ST BERNARD · #23 04-29-2015, 05:05 PM

Started moving some wood out of the way.... a LOT of wood. These grip blanks are huge. Didn't get a picture of the mallet and gouge. A fiddle makers plane works nice for scooping out a concave radius, and a Nicholson 49 pattern rasp will roll the wood off when you get going in the right direction. Still way oversized and clubby, but we can already see the finished shape.
I had never given a thought to the guy we are making these for being left handed.... That will make for a change of plans on the ejection side, and thumb rest, but we'll find a way to work around it.
This is the fun part, but man, it's tough to shape them by feel when you'r right handed!
Bill

Engineer1911 · #24 04-29-2015, 05:38 PM

Nice work!! Making hand gun stocks takes artistic talent and I have none.

Your superb pictures showed me that I'd be wasting wood. I'll stick to straight cuts and 2 X 4 studs. When will you be taking orders?

ST BERNARD · #25 05-02-2015, 07:39 AM

Still having a hard time with these... trying to make them feel natural in my left hand. We think we're close on the RH panel thumbrest and the ejection cut. Starting to show some lines now, but still bulky in the grip. Will have the guy we're making them for have a feel of them today, as his hands are a lot bigger than mine.
Will be getting some more of these from "Smitholdtimer", and stocking a K38 next. Will try to make K frame cokebottles with them.
Bill

ST BERNARD · #26 05-04-2015, 06:48 PM

We narrowed them up as much as we could without going through to the metal.... came within about 1/32nd in the corners. Have to be careful here and allow a little extra for sanding. All smoothed out to 320 grit and ready to seal as soon as we flatten the mating surfaces and bring them in tight to the gun. Try to keep the edges crisp when you sand... using a felt pad with the paper wrapped around it.
Bill

ST BERNARD · #27 05-08-2015, 05:27 PM

Brought the two halves together tight to the gun, and got the seam line looking good. Piece of 320 grit on a granite surface plate, and light figure eight lapping will get them dead flat. Go SLOW and check the fit often. These may get a little more scraping on the inside along the grip frame before the final sanding and seal coats of oil.
The pre cut inletting is a nick on the deep side, and allows for a good hand fit.
Bill

jframejoey · #28 05-08-2015, 06:01 PM

OP, very nice! It looks like a pair of factory finger combats fell in love with a set of Badger grips and had a baby.

ST BERNARD · #29 05-14-2015, 05:59 PM

Slow going now... putting on finish and wet sanding it back off again until the pores are filled, and at this point it looks awful, I know.... but will be worth it when they start to shine and feel like silk. Got our box of blanks. If anyone wants to try making a set, you should get in on this before they are all gone.
Also picked out a leftover forearm blank from the wood stash that will be going on our "cherry bomb" model 19 next..(change of plans on the K frame cokes for now.) Have more guns and wood than time, so the favorites come first.
Bill

stu1ritter · #30 05-15-2015, 08:59 AM

ST BERNARD, do you wet the stock between grits to raise the grain? That's something I was taught in rifle stock making class. Wet it, let it dry and then sand with the next grit.

ST BERNARD · #31 05-15-2015, 05:16 PM

We've done it both ways Stu... nowdays we "sand in" the finish, and when it's dry we wet sand it back down flush using water. That sounds nuts I know. A well known custom maker wrote about sanding with water in one of his books, and it's the way to go. May be whiskering the wood in the process, and it makes it easy to see where you'r at and what places you've missed. Many ways to finish wood, and as always the hard way ends up looking best.
Bill

ST BERNARD · #32 05-17-2015, 12:08 PM

Was hoping to find a book match in the blank when we sawed it open Friday after work. Not this time.... have to take what the tree gives. It gave us a drop dead gorgeous LH grip, and the right one aint too shabby except for the grain not flowing well with the lines of the gun.
Rained all day yesterday, so we stayed in and routed out and inletted them to the 19. Open back this time, as the blank was not quite wide enough for wrap arounds. Drilled and doweled them this morning, and they are rock solid on the frame....finally some inletting that won't need a touch of epoxy in the shoulders.
Bill

ST BERNARD · #33 05-24-2015, 09:58 AM

A week later, we have the final shape. (shot them yesterday)... and this time they fit the gun like them black yoga pants the girls wear over at the mall.
Finished sawing out the blank, and there were two more sets in it... one pair a perfect book match for something smaller like a round butt I or J frame, so Mamacita's Airweight Chief will be the next project.
Bill

stu1ritter · #34 05-24-2015, 10:27 AM

I really like the doweling technique ST BERNARD, really makes sense. They are looking pretty good. Forgot to mention, I received a set of Smitholdtimer blanks that I'll be working on at some future date. Thanks for that.