JaeOne3345 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Hello all, Can anyone tell me if I will be able to reshape/contour the high extremities of this Ed Brown safety without cutting on the frame? It seems highly possible but all of the documentation I see on the net entails people shaping into the frame itself also, or perhaps I am just looking/reading wrong. Thanks in advance! Jared. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike cyrwus Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 externally, it looks like youre good to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GunCat Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 (edited) externally, it looks like youre good to go. I agree. It appears that your frame was manufactured from the factory to accept a high beavertail with the .250” (Ed Brown) radius. I would say that most of the “documentation” is relating to the fitting on a standard 1911 frame, ie; a frame designed for the plain, old 1911A grip safety. Edited December 22, 2011 by GunCat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Cheely Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 It can be done, but it's going to take a lot of trial and error to get it to fit really nice without touching the frame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrider18 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 (edited) It can be easily blended (with proper tools and technique), however, your receiver and safety will need to be refinished. Edited December 22, 2011 by Roadrider18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaeOne3345 Posted December 22, 2011 Author Share Posted December 22, 2011 (edited) It can be easily blended (with proper tools and technique), however, your receiver and safety will need to be refinished. I guess I worded it wrong. I meant without coming in contact with the frame, whatsoever, period. I couldn't stand the STI beavertail. The Ed Brown is comfy and doesn't pinch my hand, but the fitment is quite ugly. I wouldn't mind a gunsmith having to blend into the frame itself, so long as I could leave that area in the white without rust, etc. I don't wanna refinish the bottom just for that. Edited December 22, 2011 by JaeOne3345 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaeOne3345 Posted December 22, 2011 Author Share Posted December 22, 2011 (edited) So my smith got back to me this morning through email. Just as Matt said (Thanks for your response by the way), it may be done but is gonna take him much much longer than if he would blend into the finish on the frame, which I'm guessing may add to the cost. DOH! If I kept the area oiled, could I leave it in the white? Thanks for everyone's help thus far. Edited December 22, 2011 by JaeOne3345 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stardust tommy Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 look @ 1min40 , maybe you can "tape" the frame with this cind of "inox-tape" for protection. don't know the English name for this "tape" (don't know the dutch name also :-) ) gr T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skydiver Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 look @ 1min40 , maybe you can "tape" the frame with this cind of "inox-tape" for protection. don't know the English name for this "tape" (don't know the dutch name also :-) ) gr T Okay since I never did machine shop is school, I have to ask... what's the point of the talcum powder before the final wipe off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amerflyer48 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 (edited) Skydiver >> I know it is a trick used by some folks who polish Aluminum wheels and engine parts in the show circles to get the "blue" tint of oxidizing out of the pores for a warmer look.... then they wax it to seal not sure if it is the same with SS. JaeOne >> without touching the frame I can see alot of work with scribe lines and files,.. run the numbers with your smith his Labor vs. refinishing and you may be surprised how those numbers come out.. it has a high TINSTAAFL Factor so see what he has to say before deciding... I shot a gun "in the white" for several years constant handling with silicone rags offset the constant handling with sweaty hands Turtle Wax ICE may help, I did this to my blued O/U I take duck hunting have done this every season for the last 4 and so far no rusting whatsoever and ICE leaves no white residue..you can't tell I waxed it either. John Edited December 22, 2011 by Amerflyer48 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaeOne3345 Posted December 22, 2011 Author Share Posted December 22, 2011 (edited) No free luch expected! I wonder if I could just paint that area a silver color that looks like hard chrome since it is only the rear area mainly. On a 2011 with a plastic grip, the actual backstrap thats metal is extremely small. The hard chrome in that area looks like a bright/light shade of grey/silver. Hmmmm. Edited December 22, 2011 by JaeOne3345 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMC Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 Just have it blened the traditional way. I will look better and you'll never notice the differnce and you won't need to paint it. Like you said, the area next to the grip safety is so small. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaeOne3345 Posted December 22, 2011 Author Share Posted December 22, 2011 Hey Calgunner! Thanks. I was just worried about rust. That won't be an issue? What if I just clear coated the area with some Krylon, masked off from everything else? Even necessary? Jimmy Vidanes (JoJo's bro) is gonna do the work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZinSC Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 could I leave it in the white? I'm sorry for the slight thread drift, but this one has been eating at me for some time. What does this expression mean? "in the white" I've looked around for some kind of explanation, and have had no luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Attila Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 "in the white" refers to unfinished carbon steel. Unlike stainless steel, carbon steel is usually treated to protect from corrosion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 (edited) Sounds like you don't want to re-blue/re-plate the frame after matching the beaver tail to the frame either because of the expense or hassle. I can understand that. Why don't you let your pistol smith fit the beavertail and then you can just cold-blue the metal exposed from the fitting. Cheap, easy, and you will get a better fit on the beaver-tail if the smith can fair it into the frame. 20 years ago I turned a comp on an AR down to fit the barrel profile and used PermaBlue Paste as a temp fix...still using it to this day and it looks fine. Same thing with a Caspian open gun that I smoothed and polished the magwell on. Just used cold blue and it looks fine. Save the $$ and buy bullets. Edit: I just noticed that the frame looks like it is plated. Still can use the cold blue on the exposed white metal to protect it. Edited December 22, 2011 by Bamboo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aircooled6racer Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 (edited) Hello: Why not just machine the 3 grooves in the original grip safety then fill in the grooves with black paint? Just another thought for you. Thanks, Eric Edited December 23, 2011 by Aircooled6racer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaeOne3345 Posted December 23, 2011 Author Share Posted December 23, 2011 Hello: Why not just machine the 3 grooves in the original grip safety then fill in the grooves with black paint? Just another thought for you. Thanks, Eric I am not sure what you mean Eric. I dislike the STI grip safety because it has a cut out on each side. I prefer a full profile beavertail. The STI beavertail was downright painful after a shooting session. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aircooled6racer Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 Hello: Then you will have to fit the Ed Brown one or round the corners that are hurting your hand. I like the STI grip safety since I can grab the pistol higher up with those cutouts. I actually cut them into the Ed Brown also. You have to fit things to your hand and grind off the sharp spots before you have it finished. Thanks, Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaeOne3345 Posted December 23, 2011 Author Share Posted December 23, 2011 I tried to "man up" and use the original sti beavertail last night. I already broke the sharp corners. Just doesn't work for me. I will just have Jimmy fit the piece as he normally would and get some bright silver/gray paint to cover the bare area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaeOne3345 Posted June 15, 2012 Author Share Posted June 15, 2012 (edited) I am simply updating this post in case anyone in the future finds it useful. My smith was able to blend the Ed Brown into my frame without actually touching the frame and affecting the hard chrome. Great job considering it was trial and error. Here is a before and after: Check out this link to see a before and after: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=153904&view=findpost&p=1725144 Edited June 15, 2012 by JaeOne3345 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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