Chris Leong Posted May 18, 2001 Share Posted May 18, 2001 Hi there Tried out a friend's Limited gun today and noticed that instead of front strap stippling or checks it had skateboard tape. Felt unusual at first but I got used to it pretty quickly. I'm thinking of putting it on my gun (when I get my gun). Adverse experiences, anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriss Grube Posted May 18, 2001 Share Posted May 18, 2001 I've been using it for 3 years w/o any problems. Beats the cost of checkering. You can buy a big sheet at any of the skate fag shops for about 6 bucks. It will last you years. When the old stuff gets screwed up you cut another piece and stick it on. It has to rank right up there with sliced bread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38supPat Posted May 18, 2001 Share Posted May 18, 2001 You pay for yours?! I tell them what its for and they think it's pretty cool so they give me the ends of rolls for free...lol Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooter Posted May 19, 2001 Share Posted May 19, 2001 I prefer the 3M texture tapes from the hardware store. It doesn't feel like gripping sandpaper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Leong Posted May 28, 2001 Author Share Posted May 28, 2001 Hey guys - I scored a template for grip tape (looks like the whole grip incl. side panels, not just the front strap) from the Para Ord message board. email me if you want a copy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriss Grube Posted May 29, 2001 Share Posted May 29, 2001 Chris, Just remember that if you take the grip panels off you have to get the grip inserts for the back. Thats why the Para grips have the tab gizmo on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38supPat Posted May 29, 2001 Share Posted May 29, 2001 I like just covering the front strap with skateboard tape and then covering the grip panels separately. You need to slim the grips down a bit and remove the molded checkering so that it sticks and doesn't add thickness to the grip. This prevents having to add parts and modify gun just for a bit better grip. Unless you have small hands I wouldn't recommend putting grip tape on the frame as you also have to tape the inserts to get grip on them. Btw the best grip I ever saw on a Para was by the gunsmith who built my old P-9. He took the grip, reduced it as much as possible and checkered the whole cicumference (very expensive) including the inserts at the rear of the frame matching them with the rest of the grip. Sorry he no longer works on guns. Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriss Grube Posted May 29, 2001 Share Posted May 29, 2001 Pat, A bunch of us "hicks" down here took the soldering iron to the factory panels. No need for grip tape on them now. Took all of 5 minutes. Just don't try to carry it concealed then. Grips stick to everything. I still use it on the front strap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38supPat Posted May 29, 2001 Share Posted May 29, 2001 I got so much skateboard tape on my open gun I almost don't need blueing...lol Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Leong Posted May 29, 2001 Author Share Posted May 29, 2001 So I guess for a fastidious type a set of cheap slimmed down spare grips for fooling around with would be in order... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Kline Posted June 1, 2001 Share Posted June 1, 2001 Chris, I use grip tape on everything. And I mean everything. My IPSC, duty, carry and any other gun you can think of. I have been using it for 6 years and I can remember feeling it for the first time, it was love at first feel. I went home that night and taped everything, including the kids. Now a gun just doesn't feel right unless it has skateboard tape, I truly have a problem. Anyway, I use the 3M tape from Home Depot, it lasts longer than others and if it gets a little wet or a little solvent, it doesn't come off. It stays on almost until you decide to take it off. Regular skateboard tape gets slick and slips everywhere if it gets wet. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Leong Posted June 1, 2001 Author Share Posted June 1, 2001 Thanks Kevin, I'll give that a go. Any particular type of 3M texture tape? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted June 1, 2001 Share Posted June 1, 2001 If you are thinking about wrapping your grip completely then you might want to consider using Powerflex tape by Andover. It doesn't leave any residue on the gun, this stuff only sticks to itself. Good feel. Check it out on some Glocks at CGR. http://www.custom-glock.com/pics.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Leong Posted June 1, 2001 Author Share Posted June 1, 2001 Thanks a lot - very interesting guns there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted June 10, 2001 Share Posted June 10, 2001 What I've found works really well is putting two pieces of tape on the inside, front and back, of the "clip" on Safariland mag pouches. The fit to a Safariland belt is a bit sloppy to start with, so you can get some movement when drawing the mag, or you'll actually find the pouch moving to one side on the belt. I prefer ladder tape to skateboard tape for this use. This is the stuff they put on the steps of aluminum step ladders for better traction. Skateboard tape is basically sandpaper with a sticky backing; ladder tape is plastic with the "grit" molded in and a sticky backing. Being made of plastic it's a bit thicker than skateboard tape, thus takes up more space inside the mag pouch clip so it grips the belt harder. Ladder tape, in my experience, does not work well for side panels on guns. It has a tendency to straighten out over time, since it's stiffer than skateboard tape. This is not a consideration if you're going around the frontstrap and using the grip panels to hold down the ends. Still, for the frontstrap I prefer skateboard tape - actually I prefer 30 lines per inch metal checkering - but if I had to choose one of the "tapes" for improving the grip I'd go skateboard. Not to sound like a wimp here, but ladder tape is pretty rough stuff and it's hard on the hands after awhile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolan Posted June 19, 2001 Share Posted June 19, 2001 I gave up on the skateboard tape and switched to AGRIP by Brooks Tactical http://www.brookstactical.com . It's basically a really tough suede with an adhesive backing. The stuff works very well, wet or dry. It doesn't snag or drag so you can adjust your grip, but as soon as you grip the gun it's locked in place.. It also looks pretty good, doesn't tear up the inside of your jacket or the inside of your arm. The only downsides are having everybody wanting to fondle your gun and you have to unwrap it if you want to remove the mainspring housing. It is re-usable, but I replace it once a year. Happiness is a warm, fuzzy grip, now if they only made it in "Blue Suede" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted June 20, 2001 Share Posted June 20, 2001 Back when I carried a Glock 19 I had an A-Grip on it. It worked great. Eventually though I did come to the conclusion that the molded-in grenade checkering on the Glock grip performed its intended purpose well and the A-Grip came off. A friend of mine used to joke about my "velvet Elvis grip," as he called it. You know, "It looks good, but will he ever offer a version with Elvis painted on it?" Still, it was ultimately cool while it lasted. If memory serves me correctly, I had that on my gun when I went through the Firearms Academy of Seattle's FAS-4 class and got my FAS Handgun Master rating. So it must've worked OK. After fondling my A-Grip (ahem!) an old girlfriend of mine, a serious shooter herself, decided she wanted them on both of her guns, a G19 and G17. Brooks of Brooks Tactical Systems was kind enough to drive down to Tacoma - since my own skills at applying an A-Grip yielded less than Master class results - and fit both those guns himself. I used to look at her as she was carrying her Glock and say, "Can I stroke your fuzzy butt?" "Sure." And I'd run my fingers lightly over the A-Gripped Glock in its holster. "Oooooooooh..." (Edited by Duane Thomas at 1:53 pm on Jan. 8, 2003) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Chiavacci Posted January 8, 2003 Share Posted January 8, 2003 Use Ladder and Step grip tape sold at Home Depot. It lasts forever and is very aggressive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Moore Posted January 8, 2003 Share Posted January 8, 2003 I've removed the grip panals on my p-14 and applied skateboard tape where the panals used to be and also on the front strap and haven't had any problems all season. i did replaced the ambi safety with a single; i really found no need for the ambi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tightloop Posted January 9, 2003 Share Posted January 9, 2003 Duane You suave devil, after that comment, I just know a book on dating tips is in the works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted January 11, 2003 Share Posted January 11, 2003 It's a gift. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scooterj Posted January 15, 2003 Share Posted January 15, 2003 Took all the checkering off my STI. This narrowed it down quite a bit. I then applied 3M texture tape to the entire grip. Most people like the way it feels, but don't want to grind or file on their expensive to replace grips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KentG Posted August 19, 2004 Share Posted August 19, 2004 Does anyone make a slim grip with the skateboard texture imbeded in???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted August 19, 2004 Share Posted August 19, 2004 "...Fuzzy butt"..., indeed. Hmmm... so noted in the SiG Lady use-these-lines-later-and-elsewhere secret codebook. Actually, I was giving VERY serious thought to this product for my G-34 until it was obvious the G-34 grip alone just wasn't a safe or comfortable fit... so the "fuzzy" never happened. But it was about to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted August 19, 2004 Share Posted August 19, 2004 Does anyone make a slim grip with the skateboard texture imbeded in???? For STI or 1911? For S_I you're probably going to have to go to Jim Shanahan or to whoever produces the Scott grip....or buy a dremel and reduce the grip yourself. For 1911, you could invent your own with a set of alumagrips as a base. Jerry Barnhart doesn't make thin Burner grips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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