Decomposing Original Rubber Grips on j-frame

[SafeTFirst]

The original rubber boot grips that came with my model 640 about 30 years ago are sticky and obviously melting away. I’m now on my second set of Hogues.

Question: Should I just throw them away? It’s not like they’re wood stocks that I’d keep forever.

 

[flgolfer29]

I would

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[rosewood]

I have never asked but does Hogue have a warranty? Wonder if they will replace them?

Rosewood

 

[murphydog]

I think he was referring to the original factory rubber grips, perhaps Uncle Mike’s. With exposure to the wrong chemicals or environment (like ozone) the rubber does go bad.

 

[SafeTFirst]

I think he was referring to the original factory rubber grips, perhaps Uncle Mike’s. With exposure to the wrong chemicals or environment (like ozone) the rubber does go bad.

Right. The uncle Mike’s. Maybe they went bad from gun cleaners/oils? I figured it was just old age. I replace rubber grips at the first sign of stickiness.

 

[bwade]

Some of that sticky feeling can be neutralized with a cleaning using dish soap, water, and brush. May take more than one wash, but I have had some success with it. The sticky is the rubber breaking down with age, but you can wash some light deterioration off.

 

[BillBond]

Every pair of my Uncles Mikes grips has turned into a sticky mess.
What makes it worse is when they discontinued making them I
purchased several sets of them at scalper prices on ebay so
I would have a few backup sets.
Even my backup sets went bad.

 

[SafeTFirst]

Every pair of my Uncles Mikes grips has turned into a sticky mess.
What makes it worse is when they discontinued making them I
purchased several sets of them at scalper prices on ebay so
I would have a few backup sets.
Even my backup sets went bad.

I find the Hogue Bantam grips to be as good or better.

 

[murphydog]

Some component of the production process probably used some form of oil that leaches out with heat, cold or age.

I think I have at least one set each of older UM boot and fingergroove grips that are still dry, but they sit in a box indoors.

 

[SafeTFirst]

Ok, throwing them out. If anyone wants them PM me.

 

[bwade]

Before you through them out, think about old windshield wipers, they are soft rubber until they sit out in the sun and rain, they then get brittle. Just for giggles, take the metal screw parts out and leave them outside out of the way and forget about them for a couple of months. The rubber might start to change their molecular status like wipers, who knows? Tires get hard and crack too with age and the elements, no sticky tires unless they are burning out on a drag car!