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My first attempt at gun grips. Walnut with 3 coats of Danish oil. I am waiting on new screws (black) because I think the silver ones I had look odd with the wood. Sorry for the cruddy picture. It was taken with my less than stellar phone camera. Can anyone tell me if wooden grips need to be stabilized? I am worried about movement & cracking. Thanks for looking. Dean

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nice looking grps dean

I have made 30+ sets and it has been my experience that they are much better stabilized than not. they just hold up better from the sweat and abuse of handling.

Erik
 

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Love me some 1911's. Good work.
 

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I love your grips. I've got some nice figured wood that I've saved from the wood I use to cut out gunstocks. These small pieces should be great to make into 1911 grips. If you'd like a couple of sets, just let me know what kind of wood you'd like to have. Maple, walnut, or cherry. When I make knife or pistol handles, I finish them with marine grade epoxy thinned with 15% of acetone by weight. It penetrates the wood and hardens it at the same time.
 

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Hal, what brand epoxy is that?

And Dean, what model is that 1911?
 

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Look great! I have a couple of Kimber 1911's in stainless. You make me consider doing grips for them.
 

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Thanks for the comments guys.

Hal, I am interested in the brand of epoxy you use also. I was looking into Minwax Wood Hardener.

Doss This is a Regent Arms R200S .45 in Stainless steel. I really wanted a SA 1911 but they are harder to find than a polar bear in a snow storm right now. This one will hold me over till they become readily available again.
 

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Good looking grips, Dean. Got a slab of sycamore I have been considering making a set for mine, but would someone please 'splain what is "stabilize". I know what the word means, but how do you do it?

Thanks, guys

Have a good'un
 

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Thanks rejo55. Stabilizing is a way to impregnate the wood with some type of resin. The resin bonds with the wood & helps prevent cracking, warping & wood movement. I am sure someone else can give a better explanation but this is a simplified answer.
 

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Dean, I've been hunting the stainless Mil Spec for a while now (everyone wants too much for it). I might have to get a Range Officer, but I want it in stainless.

My XDm 9 4.5" is dead-no reliable (hundreds of shots and not one malfunction). I can hit 2" groupings at around 20 yds with it factory stock with 115 grain.

I love the Springfields and their warranty is awesome.

I've heard mixed results about wood hardeners. I've always wondered about clearcoating or putting a layer of that bar top epoxy on (really, really thin coat) and see how that turns out though.
 

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Sweet

As far as the screws go, you may want to out a rubber washer/o ring on the screw. I have heard that some grips can crack when tightening otherwise.
 
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