Making grips for my K40

[eastenn]

After reading a how-to on making some grips using layers of denim and fiberglass resin I decided to give it a try. I bought my denim from Hobby Lobby and got 2/3 yd in black and 2/3 yd in dark gray. In the light at my house the dark gray looks more like navy, which is also okay with me. I couldn't find any fiberglass resin at HL so I went to AutoZone and picked up some there by Bondo called fiberglass resin "jelly" which turns out isn't what I was looking for. So I ended up having to go back out to ACE and picked up just some fiberglass resin (no jelly, the jelly isn't clear). I had to pick up a few other assorted materials for the project like a file, a sanding block, chainsaw sharpener, latex gloves, saran wrap..thus far I have about $65 in this project. I have plenty of fabric and enough resin to make 5 sets of grips.

This is my first attempt at making grips of any kind. The how-to was on a 1911 forum, which has grips that are much simpler than those on a kahr. I have worked on the project somewhere around 6 hours so far. Most of that time has been spent filing and sanding on them to get them thinner and into shape. I went by the how-to's suggestion of using 15 layers to be approx 1/4". Mine came out 5/16" which is way too thick for me, therefore a lot of time has been spent sanding layers off. Next time I will probably go with 12 layers and see how it does. I say next time because I'm not anticipating this first set to be usable, but more of a practice set (yeah, 6 hours already on the practice). I can already tell on the back side where the grips meet at the top of the frame I'm going to have a small gap. Also, I haven't got to the point of working on where the 2 sides meet in the back.

Here's the how-to I went by:
http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=263495

With his it is just using 2 flat boards to press the grips. Since the Kahr's grips wrap around the back I had to put a curve into it. Also, the grips will darken after applying the polyurethane in the end. Well, here's pics of my progress so far. Probably won't get to work on them much more until later in the weekend.

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd136/smooth8625/k40/0228111858.jpg

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd136/smooth8625/k40/0228112004.jpg

Here's my layers of fabric I cut out, then alternated laying them down.

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd136/smooth8625/k40/0228112120.jpg

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd136/smooth8625/k40/0301110849.jpg

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd136/smooth8625/k40/0301111454.jpg

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd136/smooth8625/k40/0301112240.jpg

[eastenn]

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd136/smooth8625/k40/0302111534.jpg

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd136/smooth8625/k40/0302111452.jpg

My work area is a huge mess now..with denim dust everywhere.

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd136/smooth8625/k40/0302111702.jpg

[eastenn]

Also, I've found that a band saw would be a really nice thing to have, but the jigsaw worked pretty well for me to cut the general shape. A dremel seems to be the most effective on this combo of resin and denim, but mine is cordless, in other words mostly useless except for 10 minutes out of every hour I get to use it before its dead. So, now i'm looking at getting a corded dremel to finish.

[Bawanna]

Wow speaking as one who has fitted wood grips to kahrs I know this is no simple task. As I began to read your post my first thought was what is this guy smoking. Obviously something very good, I can see the potential and your first set are looking darn nice.
I've no clue how your achieving the shape to the inside, are you laying cloth onto the gun itself or somehow matching the grip?

No fear of me doing the copy cat thing, I'm a wood butcher thru and thru. Kahr grips usually take 10 to 15 hours to get close to a finished stage with a little checkering started but not completed.

Looks like your onto something, keep us filled in as you go along.

[Bawanna]

Also, I've found that a band saw would be a really nice thing to have, but the jigsaw worked pretty well for me to cut the general shape. A dremel seems to be the most effective on this combo of resin and denim, but mine is cordless, in other words mostly useless except for 10 minutes out of every hour I get to use it before its dead. So, now i'm looking at getting a corded dremel to finish.

I use a dremel with the little router bits ALOT. I got a little dremel drill stand that allows me to adjust the height although I wish I could come up with a way to make more precise adjustments.

[eastenn]

Well Mr. B I'm aware of the very real possibility that my K40 may be wearing it's rubber grips for the remainder of its life :). I started this project to give me something to do until I start work on the 28. I am hoping I can come out with a nice set of grips though. As for the inside of the grips, I went by the factory grips and tried to get it close then just kept putting it to it and see what needed trimmed more until it fit into place. The grip that I have the most work done on is fitted pretty good at the front of the panel, but I haven't grooved the rear of the panel. I was going to wait until I have the other grip caught up and see how hard it is to fit them to each other before I put a groove in it for the rear of the frame.

Hm a dremel stand would be nice. If such a thing existed to hold a dremel that had adjustable knobs to move the dremel in each direction would be ideal to putting the grooves on the inside of the panel. If it already exists, I probably can't afford it so I'll just keep doing things the hard way.

Thanks for the kind words though. Means a lot coming from the wood man himself.

[Bawanna]

The dremel stand isn't expensive at all. I haven't looked at them for years, I had this one a long time and could never figure out a use for it till I started butchering grips.

The other indespensible item I have is a little bench top B&D workmate, like the kind you used to have in the garage, good for clamping things that aren't straight.

Only downfall is it's all tupperware and try as I might I've never been able to find another one anywhere, garage sales, can't find one.

The beauty of the stand is I leave the outside of the grip flat and use the router bits to fit and shape all those surfaces on the inside of the grip that need to fit and at the bottom they all have to fit perfect or you get unsightly gaps. Once you get the inside shaped and fit and the screw holes in the right place the outside is childs play, or bawanna play as they call it in my neighborhood.

Don't give up on that, you can do it and the world is watching, well maybe not the whole world but we have representatives all over the continuous US of A and maybe a few uncontinuous places too.

[eastenn]

The beauty of the stand is I leave the outside of the grip flat and use the router bits to fit and shape all those surfaces on the inside of the grip that need to fit and at the bottom they all have to fit perfect or you get unsightly gaps. Once you get the inside shaped and fit and the screw holes in the right place the outside is childs play, or bawanna play as they call it in my neighborhood.



Hm that does sound like the easiest way to do it. I just started going at it. Maybe I will have an update in a few days.