Happiness is a new gun 2

[BirdsThaWord]

Try a little oil in a tiny spot someplace and you might darken that holster up a bit. It's pretty and close enough for me, not sure I'd risk taking the chance.

Nice thing about grips is they fit in the wood stove easy if I screw up. I used to do quite a few rifles for friends and always my first question was if I screw up, how much is this going to cost me.
It is painful to spend days making a set of grips, especially hard ones like a kahr and then have them crack or get a hole in the wrong spot. Cracks are usually on like a 1911 or something, there's enough wood on a Kahr grip they usually don't crack.

That must SUUUUUUUCK to spend all that time, only for the grips to crack or get a hole. I’ve often wondered (more so earlier in my polishing career) “what if I mess this thing up”, after spending the dough on the gun,then all of the hours. It’s why I prefer slower methods vs super abrasive/aggressive wheels, etc. I have seen pics of the rounded corners and waves in the metal from guys that want to rush.

[Bawanna]

Exactly, power tools allow one to screw up much faster. I pretty much stay with files and hand tools.

[BirdsThaWord]

I wonder if some of those grip makers on Ebay (I’ve bought a few from a guy in Turkey, custom designed those Beretta grips for me) could affordably make you a set from wood with that SAME wasp pattern (either the same sized hexagons, or even as large as the ones’s on the holster) using their CNC or the pressure/heat/steam methods the Colonel mentioned. You could then get a perfect matching stain that complements your holster leather. Home Depot has MANY colors with little swatches where you could take in your holster, hold it up to the swatch and pick out the one you need. Then a glossy clear over that to match the gloss of your leather. A bit of work and a bit of dough, but if that’s what you desire (I go that far sometimes) it is definitely doable. What you have looks great to me though.

[Bawanna]

Ironically that's what got me into making grips. Eagle Grips made a set of grips for the Para Ordnance P13, it's double stack, but for some reason they did a cut out for something, I don't recall, an ambi safety or something that left a gap if you didn't have that. I contacted the owner, he was middle eastern or something and spoke perfect english. Asked if he could make some without that cut. He said he would try and would send me the first set but it never happened.

I contacted him later when I found that the whole place closed while they went out and looked for bones and antlers and such to make handles. I asked if he had any Whooly Mammoth? The perfect english went right out the window and in his native accent he said I got no Whooly Mammoth, like this was impossible.......funny at the time.

Anyhow I made my own, incredibly difficult and very thin but they work. Never did get any Whooly Mammoth.

[BirdsThaWord]

Neccesity is the mother of invention! I got another set from a Turkish outfit that were ready made (I bought an existing design), but once installed the mag would not drop. My first thought was that their thin profile may have the screws protruding into the magwell, capturing the mag. I removed the grips, dropped the mag, reinstalled the grips and inspected. No, the screws did not protrude. Loostened the grip on the opposite side of the mag release and everything funcioned fine. I inspected the grip on that side and found that they cut the mag relief in the correct spot, but the cut was squared off, when the mag release had a semi circle shape to it. I made a pencil rub template of the frame around the mag release on that side, cut out the template, held it over the relief area and traced the semi circle area that needed to be removed. I carved it out with an xacto (spelling?) knife, reinstalled the grip and everything was good on planet Earth! I said to myself, "Bawanna would be proud of me"! : )
Other than trimming for an ambi safety, that's about as far as I've ever gone to do any type of grip work. I don't think I'll ever attempt anything beyond such simple stuff.

[dao]

I don't know if I'll go to the trouble of ordering an unfinished set to match the holster and then finishing them myself. Mostly because I don't keep any one set of my guns for very long. I admit it would be cool. But then part of the enjoyment of playing dress up is the hunt for new shoes. It's the closest I get to actual hunting these days, and I do rather enjoy it. Not as much as being out in the woods and enjoying that experience along with the company of good friends but that's how hunting has changed for me.


edit: Meant to say I don't keep any one set of grip ON my guns for very long.

[King Rat]

I don't know if I'll go to the trouble of ordering an unfinished set to match the holster and then finishing them myself. Mostly because I don't keep any one set of my guns for very long. I admit it would be cool. But then part of the enjoyment of playing dress up is the hunt for new shoes. It's the closest I get to actual hunting these days, and I do rather enjoy it. Not as much as being out in the woods and enjoying that experience along with the company of good friends but that's how hunting has changed for me.

I love the woods. Loved them since I was a young boy. Spent so many hours in them. Love the America Whitetail deer. Still find them one of the most beautiful creature on earth. Love studying them. I have turned down so many good shots at nice bucks each year. Just do not have the desire to shoot one again. Just being in the woods is good enough. Normally would hike into the swamp for miles. Many bear etc. None ever bothered my. Getting older now and doubt next fall I will even carry my gun with me. (except for the one on my hip for the two legged predators I may encounter)
The woods have been my Church. It is where I see God more clearly than anywhere else.



Swamp Buck

[getsome]

I very much agree, I love the woods and the sound of the morning wind through the trees, the smell of wet earth and leaves, the deep woods are a mystical magical peaceful place…….I also love being out on the open ocean out of sight of land, it makes me remember just how big God is in all his wonder and how insignificantly small I am…..

[BirdsThaWord]

I don't know if I'll go to the trouble of ordering an unfinished set to match the holster and then finishing them myself. Mostly because I don't keep any one set of my guns for very long. I admit it would be cool. But then part of the enjoyment of playing dress up is the hunt for new shoes. It's the closest I get to actual hunting these days, and I do rather enjoy it. Not as much as being out in the woods and enjoying that experience along with the company of good friends but that's how hunting has changed for me.


edit: Meant to say I don't keep any one set of grip ON my guns for very long.

Completely understand! The hunt for something can be fun. Even more so when we get a good deal on it.
I too, like you, getsome and King do love the woods and find it can be a zen like experience. I wish some of the wooded areas of my youth were still around.

[JohnR]

Where are there woods that you don't feel like you're trespassing on someone's property, or you won't be confronted by a park ranger or wildlife management officer? Or run up against a meth lab?