Started a new set...

[Canoeal]

Ok so I wanted to replace the striped grips that cracked on my Wasp. I started with the original  grips from my BW, but that may change as I go. I like real wood not engineered layers of something like wood. These will be in Black Walnut, one of my favorites. This is the first set that has no strap exposed so it created the need for creative solutions to get the frame recess cut in. All of it has been done with a band saw to cut out the shapes from figured Walnut, a drill press and Forstner bits to hollow the internals, a chisel to clean it up, and a variety of sanding tools in the shop including a 2" drum on the drill press, a Dremel sander, and a few dowels with sand paper glued on, down to 400 grit. Oh and a flat 1/2 sheet, folded in half, of 220 gr. It is the first half and just a start...

[Uncle_Lee]

Well it looks like you have the shape.
Now the finish.
That is going to be pretty.

[OV-1D]

  Al you got me thinking again also and here I am up to my cheeks with other gotta does . THANKS ALOT dang it . Hey those do look great already .

[RogueTS1]

Now those are looking really good Al. Cannot wait to see the finished product. 

[Boisesteve]

Hmmm, too bad about those striped grips failing. They looked like the tail end of a wasp!
I admire folks with the talent to make things like you do.

[Canoeal]

Yeah I put the screw in too close to a glue line... My bad.

[pietro]

.

Me likey - CONGRATS ! !

[Canoeal]

Cracked! #$@*&(&$$%&*^...need to start over.

[barrytheprof]

A dremel in a drill press might be handy for that small work. Ya think?

[Canoeal]

I made the back of the grip thin at the back strap...too thin. I have a dremel and several small drums 3/4" to 2' for the drill press. Just tried to get too fine.

[pietro]

Cracked! #$@*&(&$$%&*^...need to start over.

FWIW, I prevent stress cracking of wood grips via cutting a length of small diameter metal tubing to a length equal to the grip frame width, then run the screw  through the center of the reinforcing tube.

[OV-1D]

  Its always wise to put a spacer in between unless its real hard material . Even bone or antler will warp some if one keeps tightening the grip screw , over time and humidity that is . Myself I find elephant tusk is the toughest over time not sure about that giraffe leg bone yet . Oh and be careful if you put those stabilizing pins in the grips to keep them from shifting independently , those will break out too if too close to the edge .  MAY THE MAKER BEWARE !!!   Come on you guys lets see some more artistic flair , theres got to be more artisans out there .   .

[Canoeal]

Cracked! #$@*&(&$$%&*^...need to start over.

Cracked in shaping not in fitting it on the gun...


FWIW, I prevent stress cracking of wood grips via cutting a length of small diameter metal tubing to a length equal to the grip frame width, then run the screw  through the center of the reinforcing tube.

[Canoeal]

Ok , so I did some thinking and now am starting over. Cherry this time. Open backstrap, finger grooves: really a slightly narrower version of the BW grips (3/16" when you take off the stuff past the backstrap). One side is roughed out, the other is just fitted to the gun and drilled. Essentially, I do not like grips wit a humpback so it had to go.
I was making it to replace the striped one that was on the Wasp, but It will look better proportionally, to put it on the BW, and move the Walnut long birdheads to the Wasp.

[Canoeal]

Three more pics.

[barrytheprof]

Lookin' good Al!

[Rick_Jorgenson]

I like where those are heading Al!

It looks like a great shape 

[bill_deshivs]

Looks nice.
Walnut is generally too soft for little thin grips like this. It's fine for big guns.
Exotic woods like ebony, cocobolo and other hard, close-grained woods fare considerably better-but they are much harder to work.

[Canoeal]

Not sure there is any Ebony in the boatshop scrap pile...

[Canoeal]

So I got up early (for me) because I had a customer coming to work on, of all things, a desktop. While I was waiting I worked on the second half of the grip.
He was 11/2 hours late. So now the only thing left is a little more finish (oil for now). I like it.

[barrytheprof]

Very classy Al.

[Canoeal]

Very classy Al.

Thanks.

[Uncle_Lee]

Getting real close to "beautiful".

[RogueTS1]

Love the shape Al.

[flash]

Looks real nice sir.  A great personal touch to your mini!

[Rick_Jorgenson]

They look great Al! 

[OV-1D]

  Al there going to feel extra special after your finished , its one of my problems I can't part with anything I make . I just can't figure how you Rick , except for the income of course ,are able to part with such beauty . I still want to buy back any guns I've sold over time , isn't that disgraceful .

[RogueTS1]

I still want to buy back any guns I've sold over time , isn't that disgraceful .

OV; that is why one never sells one's guns. If not used they just sit in the vault waiting for some future person to take an interest in them. 

[northwoodneil]

I second that about selling guns. I let 2 really nice Lugers and some hard to find over and unders go during my divorce. They were the fastest way I had to raise cash when I needed it. I have parted with a few guns I'm glad to see gone though. I had a Rogak 9mm once, it was the sassiest looking thing you ever saw. It was stainless, like 19 shot, well balanced. To bad it functioned so bad it was almost a single shot. Now back to the topic. Al, those are sweeeeeet! I going to have to try it.

[Canoeal]

They look great Al! 

Thanks

[Canoeal]

So here are my current "on gun" grips, that I have made...