Bawanna's idea. [Archive] - KahrTalk Forums

gb6491

04-26-2020, 02:14 PM

Had a set of fake stag grips that really looked, well fake. Bright shiny white, pretty good texture and most importantly for me Slim. Very difficult to find real stag and even fake that isn't as thick or thicker than standard 1911.
I'm not a fan of fake but like thin and I'm reluctant to part with the funds for the real thing mostly cause they aren't thin???

Anyhow I got a set from Arizona Grips down near Greg and the color and texture were pretty decent, I'm partial to them. Wanted to put them on my Cbob but of course it's bob tailed. So I thought I'd check and see if the color went through and then I'd just make them bob tailed. Color didn't go through, I can see where something was applied to give it the aged look.
Well that gave me the idea of putting something on the really fake looking plastic ones. I roughed them up a bit and then smoothed them again down to about 500 grit and applied some Maple stain.
Turned out acceptable and I might try some walnut stain to darken them a bit more but they are good enough for me for now until I find some thin real ones. As a grip maker my hats off to the guys making the stag, I've tried and failed numerous times.

https://i.postimg.cc/fLRcbcG9/DSCN7994.jpg (https://postimg.cc/gw1XSZkz)

https://i.postimg.cc/1XLwMLfG/DSCN7995.jpg (https://postimg.cc/hQ1XtZ8v)

https://i.postimg.cc/sf8YVZwM/DSCN7999.jpg (https://postimg.cc/dD2k6DMF)

They look lighter again in the photo's, might have to break out the Walnut stain.
Ok, this kind of pushed me over the edge on something I had been contemplating. To wit, staining real stag. My thought had been to do it overall much like Bawanna has done here. The idea being to give the stag an aged look.
Well, that plan changed when an eBay seller offered me a substantial reduction of price on a set of grips I had saved in my cart. I hadn't bought them because there was a significant in color between the two panels. That and Bawanna's post got me to thinking if I could dye the panels to more closely match. I convinced myself they didn't need to be perfect just better, so I accepted the seller's offer.
Here's what I received:
https://i.postimg.cc/FzRB6tvw/egrips1-700.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
I think they are pretty nice as they came. This caused me to do something I don't normally do when using dye.
If not boiling, I usually use alcohol instead of water to mix the dye with. However, I was worried about controlling the dye when doing the stag, so I used water.
Here's how they turned out:
https://i.postimg.cc/jd1T6cTM/egrips2-700.jpg (https://postimg.cc/7fSjwgfz)
I am pretty pleased with the look. Then found I could revive the dried out dye I had in my mixing cup, by adding water to it. This led me to fear that the dye on the stag might react the same way to sweat. I decided to hit the grips with a matte clear enamel paint, wiping it off the light color areas. To me it doesn't appear to have changed the grips texture/appearance much (if any) from it's natural state.

Here they are mounted:
The light source is from the left and it makes this grip panel shine more than the panel in the second photo (it also makes the panel in the second image appear "whiter" than it is).
https://i.postimg.cc/ZYstWsns/c2st2xx.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
https://i.postimg.cc/G2Ky22NT/c2st1.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

Any thoughts ?

Regards,
Greg

Bawanna

04-26-2020, 07:28 PM

gb6491

04-26-2020, 08:29 PM

I like those, they still have a lot of bark on them for the color contrast. I think they looked fine before but really nice now.

How are they for thick. I'm working a set now (wood) with standard bushings and trying to make them as thin as I can.

I've got thin bushings on most of mine, almost wish there was an in between bushing but they work fine.
They are a bit thicker than wood factory grips, but not uncomfortably so. The front strap checkering does a good job of making them work for me. Like you, thinner is better in my book, but it's not so easy to find in in stag. I just try to avoid those stag grips that are about as thick as 2x4s.
Regards,
Greg

Bawanna

04-26-2020, 08:34 PM

Actually looking closer, you have enough coverage with those that you could probably thin them down from the back. Weather it would be worth it or not is subjective. Sometimes the grips just don't enough to thin down much.

Ok I'm off to look for Stag grips AGAIN?

Keep up with the Greg don't cha know.........

dao

04-26-2020, 09:15 PM

They look great. I'm sure they look even better in hand. And feel good too. How are they for grippiness?

AJBert

04-26-2020, 10:23 PM

BirdsThaWord

04-26-2020, 11:12 PM

Very nice! I think you nailed it putting them on the TLE. Stag looks good on a polished gun, but twice as good on a blue/black gun in my opinion.

Bawanna

04-26-2020, 11:26 PM

Bawanna, next time I get a bull elk down you are welcome to the antlers to experiment with. Well, providing its not big enough to have mounted. Keep in mind I always put in for a cow as I hunt for the meat and not the antlers, but I do get an over the counter bull tag once in a while.

You da man, I've tried a few times but it takes just the right size and shape piece, I don't know how they do it. I found a really nice set a bit ago, I'm debating on weather I want to spend the loot. They are really nice, very similar to the set Greg posted. But a lot of money. Might have to hit the buy button in the morning.

dao

04-27-2020, 08:32 AM

Remember the 210 Target Colonel. Remember the 210 Target....... ;)

BirdsThaWord

04-27-2020, 08:46 AM

Remember the 210 Target Colonel. Remember the 210 Target....... ;)
Lol! Keeping up with Greg’s gonna run him into the poor house!

Bawanna

04-27-2020, 08:56 AM

The 210 is in the bag, as usual I'm being jerked around but it is enroute. Said a couple days to arrive, been 8 now. Then have to do the paperwork and then a couple weeks in the holding cell while they determine I'm ok to own a gun for the 150th time.

I'm off to work today (worked yesterday too) to add to my keep up with Greg fund. It'll never happen of course but I do love a challenge and a good way to go ya know. Man has great taste.

dao

04-27-2020, 09:37 AM

Congrats on the 210 Colonel!

gb6491

04-27-2020, 12:19 PM

They look great. I'm sure they look even better in hand. And feel good too. How are they for grippiness?
Thanks! They provide a decent grip, better than smooth would and some checkering. The left panel has a bit more texture than the right, but most of that is towards the rear and of not much benefit for a right hand shooter. The grips work real well in concert with the front strap checkering.

Very nice! I think you nailed it putting them on the TLE. Stag looks good on a polished gun, but twice as good on a blue/black gun in my opinion.
Thanks! I had stag on the TLE before, but moved them to a Colt I refinished.
https://i.postimg.cc/qMzqhjHY/kstag2.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/rsKcsKPT/1991-1000.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
Bawanna, the above is the set from Grashorn.
Regards,
Greg

dao

04-27-2020, 03:51 PM

Thanks! They provide a decent grip, better than smooth would and some checkering. The left panel has a bit more texture than the right, but most of that is towards the rear and of not much benefit for a right hand shooter. The grips work real well in concert with the front strap checkering.
...

That's one of the reasons why I'm hesitant to spend a lot of money on a set Greg. Because each grip is essentially unique you can't really tell how it will fit your hand until they're on the gun. If I was serious about them and I was able to visit a maker like Bawanna and try them on my gun, that would be the ideal way to be sure.
With a "perfect" grip that matched my hand I can't think of a better looking, custom-made grip. There's something about genuine stag grips and scales that just looks just right. And screams quality.