Jigged Bone History?

[Rick Bowles]

Most of the early jigged bone was made by the Rogers Manufacturing Company of Rockfall, Connecticut. Rogers started making manufactured bone products, and bone fertilizer in 1891. They began to make jigged bone handles for knives and guns around the turn of the century. Other manufactured bone products included combs, toothbrush handles, baby pacifiers, and one of their biggest sellers, corn-cob pipe bits. By the time of the first World War Rogers Mfg. Co. was the nation's largest maker of manufactured bone products. At first, all of the bone used by Rogers Mfg. Co. came from domestic cattle. By the 1920s, or perhaps even earlier, all of the raw bone was coming from overseas, mainly from Argentina. Rogers Mfg. Co. also made jigged bone for hunting knives, gun stocks and kitchen utensils. This unique style of jigging was called "Indian Trail", a long, random "worm" style of jigging. During the Second World War, Rogers's production of jigged bone handles continued without interruption. Many of those handles wound up on cutlery items made for the government. The bone used by Rogers during the war was all imported from Argentina, Brazil, and a new source: Australia. The Australian bone came mainly from old tough range cattle, and was very thick, dense and strong. This heavy Australian bone quickly became the preferred material for handles. Though these distinctive stocks are no longer made commercially, hand made "Indian Trail" jigged bone stocks are still available.

 

[CMudrock]

I have Buffalo Bone & Buffalo Horn grips on 2 1911 clones - & really like them. As a boy I was given a rusted out muzzle loading shotgun with beautiful carved greenish black horn trigger guard & butt plate - to play with - I never forgot the fine horn details.
I recently bought a pretty 1917/1937 S&W .45 acp Revolver, & tried to use a pr of simulated jigged black horn grips for "N" frames - on it. But they didn't fit - they were handsome though being same shape as the originals just not tall enough. I then purchased a vintage set of simulated jigged bone by "Pointer Pup" They are a shape supposedly more comfortable to shoot - but looks like cap gun grips. So for now staying with the pretty original wood grips - until I find some real bone or horn I like. See photo examples.

 

[Modified]

Most of the early jigged bone was made by the Rogers Manufacturing Company of Rockfall, Connecticut. Rogers started making manufactured bone products, and bone fertilizer in 1891. They began to make jigged bone handles for knives and guns around the turn of the century. Other manufactured bone products included combs, toothbrush handles, baby pacifiers, and one of their biggest sellers, corn-cob pipe bits. By the time of the first World War Rogers Mfg. Co. was the nation's largest maker of manufactured bone products. At first, all of the bone used by Rogers Mfg. Co. came from domestic cattle. By the 1920s, or perhaps even earlier, all of the raw bone was coming from overseas, mainly from Argentina. Rogers Mfg. Co. also made jigged bone for hunting knives, gun stocks and kitchen utensils. This unique style of jigging was called "Indian Trail", a long, random "worm" style of jigging. During the Second World War, Rogers's production of jigged bone handles continued without interruption. Many of those handles wound up on cutlery items made for the government. The bone used by Rogers during the war was all imported from Argentina, Brazil, and a new source: Australia. The Australian bone came mainly from old tough range cattle, and was very thick, dense and strong. This heavy Australian bone quickly became the preferred material for handles. Though these distinctive stocks are no longer made commercially, hand made "Indian Trail" jigged bone stocks are still available.

Well that's excellent information, and it makes total sense to me.

Time to start looking for a Rogers Mfg. Co. catalog!

 

[Ol' Drover]

That is interesting. I'm familiar with hand-jigged Rogers Bone on early Case knives but I've never seen anything indicating they made gun grips too. A catalog would be nice.

 

[needsmostuff]

I wonder about the wonderful creamy Sanbar like color these have aged to .
I do some work with modern cow bone and the stuff is white , bright white . It does not color well or predictably having tried coffee, tea , leather dyes , aniline dyes and even wood stains. What I can get now is what seems to be a bleached bone and never picks up that beautiful , translucent creamy yellow color.
So there was something different in the way it was prepared .

 

[bruce5781]

Amusingly, I have also come up with a single set of jigged ivory, which may be of some interest here too:

I also have a set of jigged ivory. These are the only two sets I am aware of.

Sent from my SM-S506DL using Tapatalk

 

[Ol' Drover]

I appreciate all the information, articles, opinions and pictures posted in response to the questions in my original post. It gives me a lot to work on.

I'm also glad to see so many people still recognize the history, especially the law enforcement history, these old grips represent, and are not like the guy who once handed my century old hand-ejector back and advised me to get rid of the grips.

"Them things," he said "ain't nothing but cheap imitation stag. I wouldn't have 'em on a pistol of mine. "

I was happy to let him in on this secret: The true difference between jigged bone and stag is in the material that darkens the bottoms of the deep grooves that both have. On jigged bone, it might be the blood shed in dozens of conflicts the gun has survived over the past 100 years. With stag...it's probably barbeque sauce.

 

[Igiveup]

I have a somewhat conflicting opinion of these stag grips after this post. I like the bone jigged handles on the Case knives and others, but for a revolver, I have been enamored by the grips like bigmtnman manufactures. Grasshorn is another. My goal is to purchase one their sets once I decide for which revolver and save the funds to purchase. I guess I don't care for the yellowing color of the stag horn grips. Just an opinion, and I respect those opinions of the others.

 

[The Gila Bender]

This set came attached to a prewar N-frame and appear to have had several owners over many years. "2/2/44" on the left panel, and "TJH 6/8/44" on the right. Four owners put their marks on these stocks. It just occurred to me that these stocks could have been mounted on a Model 1917 .45 during WWII. Maybe?

 

[Ol' Drover]

That's some history. Have you checked out that name?

 

[Joe Kent]

An all around interesting thread. Thanks to one and all for posting. All my very best my Friends, Joe.

 

[Eddie Southgate]

I appreciate all the information, articles, opinions and pictures posted in response to the questions in my original post. It gives me a lot to work on.

I'm also glad to see so many people still recognize the history, especially the law enforcement history, these old grips represent, and are not like the guy who once handed my century old hand-ejector back and advised me to get rid of the grips.

"Them things," he said "ain't nothing but cheap imitation stag. I wouldn't have 'em on a pistol of mine. "

I was happy to let him in on this secret: The true difference between jigged bone and stag is in the material that darkens the bottoms of the deep grooves that both have. On jigged bone, it might be the blood shed in dozens of conflicts the gun has survived over the past 100 years. With stag...it's probably barbeque sauce.

I'd have just informed him that what he just handed me back was a fine vintage Smith & Wesson revolver not a pistol .

 

[paplinker]

Went to the gun show today and found a N frame set labeled as K frame. They have a lot more patina than my K set but I like them. I have been selling most all of my service grips but really have a soft spot for jigged bone still.

 

[bruce5781]

One of my favorite sets on this pre-war Heavy Duty.

Sent from my SM-G781U1 using Tapatalk

 

[mikerjf]

Great pictures and history!

I made a “jigged wood” 1911 set from holly, and wood-burned the grooves. Also have the most awesomely cheap hollow jigged plastic J frame set - good candidate for the cheesiest grips ever.

 

[SS336]

Beautiful grips on this thread. Just discovered it.
But the revolvers displayed with the grips are even better. Makes me wonder if we buy Smiths just to put grips and stocks on them. You know, like, “I really like those grips, I think I will buy this Triple-Lock”

 

[Ol' Drover]

I'll admit to buying more than one gun because of the jigged bone grips it wore or the holster it came in.