Steerhead Grip Restored

[VonFatman]

Thank you Mr. Burg! (and others who encouraged the work).

I took your suggestion and my dentist was thrilled to work on something other than teeth. He took the job as a challenge.

And no...I did not leave the gun with him

Here's a before and a few after pics...I am very happy with his work. I did not know what to expect but my dentist took the job very seriously. He told me yesterday that he was nervous working with such an important piece of history...I think he gets it!

I do not believe that a casual look would reveal the work had been done...an expert (DanM) would probably have no difficulty seeing the rehab...at least that's my guess.

What do you think? Should I have undertaken the restoration? I'm guessing that the restored panel is now stronger than it was before the work (not that I'm planning on shooting the gun with the MOP grips on the gun).

Did I mention my dentist would not take any payment! I told him he'd have to bring his kids out to shoot this spring....perhaps deer hunt during the youth hunt in the fall.

Bob

Before:

After edge:

After under:

After edge:

After next to another steerhead panel:

 

[VonFatman]

Thank you Mr. Burg! (and others who encouraged the work).

I took your suggestion and my dentist was thrilled to work on something other than teeth. He took the job as a challenge.

And no...I did not leave the gun with him

Here's a before and a few after pics...I am very happy with his work. I did not know what to expect but my dentist took the job very seriously. He told me yesterday that he was nervous working with such an important piece of history...I think he gets it!

I do not believe that a casual look would reveal the work had been done...an expert (DanM) would probably have no difficulty seeing the rehab...at least that's my guess.

What do you think? Should I have undertaken the restoration? I'm guessing that the restored panel is now stronger than it was before the work (not that I'm planning on shooting the gun with the MOP grips on the gun).

Did I mention my dentist would not take any payment! I told him he'd have to bring his kids out to shoot this spring....perhaps deer hunt during the youth hunt in the fall.

Bob

Before:

After edge:

After under:

After edge:

After next to another steerhead panel:

 

[pbslinger]

I'd fire that SOB, the stock looks better than your tooths!

 

[DHENRY]

Extremely nice...actually, those grips are just real big teeth!

Don

 

[VonFatman]

pbslinger,
Now easy fella you know I resemble that remark.

Besides, you know it's the only tooth I have!

Don,
You are right, I'd not thought of the material that way.

Thanks for the kind remarks.

Bob

 

[patrolman]

Bob
You did good. Your dentist did real good!
It's good to see something like that restored to the glory, it deserves.

The Dude Abides

 

[Onomea]

Looks very nice to me, Bob. Looks like a swell restoration job.

As I said before, those are the nicest ivory steerheads I've seen! I wonder who made 'em... They really do seem a substantial cut above the average that one sees!

FWIW, at the turn of the 19th to the 20th centuries, I've read, the pearls cost more than ivories, I think probably because it was harder to work.

True or not I dunno, but I also read that the pearls, at least the smooth, non carved, standard types, were worked underwater, in a basin or trough of some sort, as the MOP dust was toxic.

 

[VonFatman]

"MOP dust was toxic"

Great...after grinding MOP buttons to create some dust should it be needed to mix with the dental epoxy...

Oh well. I guess I inhale enough lead infested gun smoke to choke a goose!

Bob

 

[m-1911]

Here is a pair of N frame ivory steerheads on a re nickled 2nd Model 44

 

[VM]

Very cool thread

FYI - at hobby stores (generally in model/ train layout area) you can by two part clear epoxy and ground-up white "milled fibre glass" by Great Plains Company. It is a safe method and can be done at home on kitchen table to produce similar results.

NOTE (to married men)- put newspaper down on kitchen table first

 

[m-1911]

K frame carved pearl

 

[VonFatman]

Gary,
Very nice indeed...beautiful.

VM,
Sounds like someone messed up someone's kitchen table???? Ouch!

Bob

 

[j38]

Beautiful grips, guys! Bob, Thanks for the before and after pics. I think I'd trust your dentist to work on my teeth now that I see what he can do.

Regards,

Jerry

 

[VM]

VM,
Sounds like someone messed up someone's kitchen table???? Ouch!

Bob - I'm old school.........my wife and I have been together for 26 years. I married an Italian girl - everything must be spic and span. I'm just trying to help the young bucks.

I got in trouble rebuilding carbs on our kitchen table a long time ago.

 

[ElToro]

I got in trouble rebuilding carbs on our kitchen table a long time ago.

Jeff Foxworthy has a line about "move this transmission so i can take a bath"

My buddy came into a Muncie M22 "rockcrusher" tranny for next to nothing for his 66 nova and living in an apartment at the time had no where to store it. so... he put it in his shower/tub for a few days till he could take it to his dads place for storage till it came time to install in his car. His live in GF at the time was not pleased.

Fatman, nice grips. my dentist would probly be cool like that he isnt into guns that i know of but is quite into fishing in remote areas.

 

[Sputnik]

WOW! Looks great.

 

[153]

How about some pictures of the restored steerheads back on the revolver!

Your dentist friend may have a second career lined up - excellent work!!!!

 

[jimmyj]

Hi:
The Steerhead Grips were made offered by what company ??
I never knew they were made for revolvers.
When I was a kid I had a western style cap gun with plastic grips like these.
Jimmy

 

[VonFatman]

9303,
I'll get some pics soon.

jimmyj,
I don't know who made them. pbslinger says they were offered in old Sear Roebuck catalogs...at a higher price than ivory.

Bob

 

[pbslinger]

Bob- In the 1902 Sears catalog pearl grips/stocks were offered for Colt SAA and Smith revolvers (the new 1899's and/or topbreaks)

Plain pearls were around $2, for steerhead sculptured it was $4 more for a total of $6. The guns were around $15, so carved steerheads were half the price of the gun.