S&W grip production question

[T44spl]

I started this thread so I would not undermine Gun Relics thread about his pre model 24. Does anyone know how S&W produces their grips or stocks pre or post war? Are the Left & Rights cut from the same block of wood or are Rights made in one run then Lefts made in a different run & then someone mates or matches them up to form a pair?
I realize that S&W may have subcontracted grip production outside the factory such as when Sile was an authorized grip maker for Colt. Believe it or not shoes are made this way and someone physically matches them up for color, leather grain, size etc. That's why I'm asking this question.
A custom grip maker would absolutely make a pair of grips from a single block of wood But would mass produced grips follow this same course of action? Tia for any replies, but curiosity motivated me to ask this question.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Being a long term Grip Grabber, it appears that the grips are cut from one pice of stock.
Often the grain across the bottom matches.

 

[Retired W4]

Being a long term Grip Grabber, it appears that the grips are cut from one pice of stock.
Often the grain across the bottom matches.

You see some with beautifully book matched grain on the bottom and some that look like it came from a different tree.

 

[Doc44]

Some stocks are obviously matched, particularly those that are smooth. Roy Jinks stated many years ago that stocks came off the stocking machine and two technicians did their best to match panels as they came off the machine. This is why most checkered stocks are not matched pairs. Some are close to matching; some are way off.

The above refers to target stocks, so early 1950s and later.

Bill

 

[glowe]

I have an undated article titled From Raw Steel to Smith & Wesson showing the manufacturing processes for revolvers in the timeframe of late 1940s or 1950s. One page shows the steps in manufacture of the stocks and show a large bin with unpaired blanks. Hellstrom was President of the company from 1946 to 1963. There is also an image of forgings and stocks from start to completion from the same era. It is best to download the images to magnify them for details.

 

[Retired W4]

That brings a lot of clarity to the stock making process. Thank you for that.

 

[Frailer]

I have an undated article titled From Raw Steel to Smith & Wesson showing the manufacturing processes for revolvers in the timeframe of late 1940s or 1950s. One page shows the steps in manufacture of the stocks and show a large bin with unpaired blanks. Hellstrom was President of the company from 1946 to 1963. There is also an image of forgings and stocks from start to completion from the same era. It is best to download the images to magnify them for details.

Thanks, Gary, for sharing that article. I’d seen reference to it in the past, but you prompted me to do a bit of searching this morning.

I learned this article is from the 1953-1954 “Gun Guide.” I found a copy on eBay for $7, including taxes and shipping; it should be in my hot little hands early next week.

Thanks again!

 

[boykinlp]

I have an undated article titled From Raw Steel to Smith & Wesson showing the manufacturing processes for revolvers in the timeframe of late 1940s or 1950s. One page shows the steps in manufacture of the stocks and show a large bin with unpaired blanks. Hellstrom was President of the company from 1946 to 1963. There is also an image of forgings and stocks from start to completion from the same era. It is best to download the images to magnify them for details.

Gary, can you hook me up with a “way back” machine? I would love to go back to that time for one day and watch the different processes on grip making, and see what their “woodpile” looked like! Thanks for sharing.
Larry

 

[glowe]

Gary, can you hook me up with a “way back” machine? I would love to go back to that time for one day and watch the different processes on grip making, and see what their “woodpile” looked like! Thanks for sharing.
Larry

. . . and thanks to Frailer for finding the source of this information. I did find another copy of the publication and hope to be able to get higher quality page reproductions from it. Unfortunately, I had to pay $20 for my copy!! The machines used are real Buck Rogers style stuff. Hope to make more sense of how they operate if the original source has better images.