EricW Posted September 4, 2006 Share Posted September 4, 2006 I am going through heck right now. I have blisters on top of scar tissue on the web of my right hand. The grip safety / ambi safety region of my gun is chewing my hand to pieces. I've done some serious blending work courtesy of Mr. Belt Sander, Mr. Dremel, and lest I forget...Mr. Buffing Wheel. But...what I really want is for all of that stuff to be blended into basicaly one, unbroken surface with no sharp edges or gaps ANYWHERE. Is that even possible? Anyone have any examples of that type of blending and what parts lend themselves best to that? FWIW, I've tried taping my hands, which doesn't work at all with the shitty adhesive they put on athletic tape these days. Don't ask me how athletic tape is supposed to stick to anything. I've even resorted to chalking my hands in order to keep them dry. That's working with some limited success. The tool hanger strap on 5.11 shorts is ideal to hang the chalk bag off of BTW.... At least I'm down to just getting blisters rather than having my skin tear. I'd rather have none of the above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoshidaex Posted September 4, 2006 Share Posted September 4, 2006 Eric, Do you happen to have a pic of exactly where you have applied the belt sander/dremel/buffing wheel technique to? just wondering if its the left or right side or both sides thats giving you problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brazos Custom Posted September 4, 2006 Share Posted September 4, 2006 I trim the individual parts with a belt sander, put them on the gun assembled - then blend with a carbide burr on the foredom (big dremel), then with sandpaper rolls, then the buffing wheel. Then you still have to knock off the sharp edges. You can actually make it worse by taking off material in the wrong area - go slow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMITH Posted September 4, 2006 Share Posted September 4, 2006 I have the same problem with my gun. The number one offender for me is the bump for the ambi right side 'wing' retainer to slide into. It hits my first knuckle on the draw, and makes for a sore hand after a while. My hands are pretty hard due to how I make a living so I don't lose skin but I would like to see some improvement. On a single stack I can get them as smooth as a baby butt, but I haven't done anything with my STI as it was delivered in hard chrome. I have a frame and parts here for my next gun, so I am going to work at it and see what happens. The two smoothest I have seen are an EARLY SV Limited gun and a Bedell Open gun, they are the least offensive S_I guns I have seen. Eric, have you tried the other S_I types your friends are running to see if one of them is significantly better? Might be simplest just to copy what works..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted September 4, 2006 Share Posted September 4, 2006 Pics ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted September 4, 2006 Author Share Posted September 4, 2006 Here's where I am right now. I've done all the dremelization of parts *off* of the gun. I don't have the nads to start grinding on the frame yet - for the very reason Bob spoke of. If it was a perfect world, I'd move the hole location for the safety/grip safety hole up about 0.050" and I'm pretty sure I could end up with exactly what I want. FWIW, this picture was taken *after* I did some mondo belt sander / dremel action to the ambi safeties. I'd been pretty conservative about metal removal after I fitted the Wilson safety because I didn't want them to break. Now...breakage be damned. I want comfort. I'm probably going to buy a pile of sanding drums and really get after it. I just wish I had a tig handy because I'd pad up the grip safety a bit at the hinge point and take out a bit of the gap there. I'd also run a bead along the sharp edge on the RHS ambi and make that surface totally smooth. Eric,Do you happen to have a pic of exactly where you have applied the belt sander/dremel/buffing wheel technique to? just wondering if its the left or right side or both sides thats giving you problems. It's both sides. I fixed the left side week before last. Fixed the RHS last night. I now have blisters spaced exactly the distance apart of my ambi's. This isn't going to be a lot of fun for the Manny Bragg class. I guess I need to overcome my fears of wrecking a frame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.40AET Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 Have you tried emory cloth? Put it in a vise and use a shoe shining action on it. It's no where near as aggressive as a power tool and will form to the curves of the grip safety. good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wsimpso1 Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 I have done three pistols by assembling it and very slowly working the surfaces with abrasives on the Dremel, files, emery cloth, and then break the sharp edges. It feels good to have Bob validate it. I have no respect for the surfaces if they bite me, even the safeties and frame get run over to get a smooth whole. Billski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Sierpina Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 Eric, Are you doing the grinding with the safety in the frame? That's the fastest way to get a seamless finish. I may be stating the obvious, but, use tape to hold the grip safety in the depressed position while you do the work. Use strips of abrasive cloth about 3/8" wide to smooth things out while it's assembled. Other methods are faster, but require things most guys don't have at home. Like a Scotchbrite wheel that's worn down to fit in the radii, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin c Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 I have the same problem with my Para's. Though the smith who worked on them did a good job blending all the grip/safety parts, I still have a callous on web space between thumb and trigger finger, which gets sore with long/repeated shooting sessions. And the cause is the same as EricW noted - the edge of the thumb safety. I asked my smith to grind it down more, and he said woud break off if he did. Ignorance speaking here: Do the original 1911's have this problem? I'm wondering if the fat double column grip and/or the high grip beavertails are part of the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wsimpso1 Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 My Colt, Para, and Springfield (with the odd pivot pin location) were all handled the same way. Well, I did have to get out some stainless rod and do some welding on a Smith and Alexander grip safety for the Springer. But they all have the same process. Ihave always just removed a bit of material off of the safety, but not near the pin. Maybe I was not relieving as radically as you guys... I was just starting with the shape of the Ed Brown safety and blending to it, and then on the Springer, I just tried to duplicate it. Billski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted September 6, 2006 Author Share Posted September 6, 2006 I'm removing material near the pin. Lots of it. I honestly don't care either. If the ambis break, I'll get some barstock ambis from SVI and try again. If that doesn't work, I'll tig on some barstock pins to the broken safeties and try that. What was a blister got infected...so bye bye skin. Now I have yet another open sore that will turn into a bloody knot if I keep handling my gun. I guess this is my golden opportunity to learn to shoot weakhanded. Which actually isn't a half bad idea. A week or two of shooting lefty ought to learn me somethin'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfinney Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 Like maybe a matching set of blisters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMITH Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 Don't worry about taking it up near the pin, it isn't a high stress area. What you have to be careful of is thinning of the safety right over the pin. Get it too thin and it will snap regardless of construction. Been there and done that. Instead of aggressively thinning right over the pin on the safeyy try to radius it smoothly from the frame out to the full thickness of the safety over the pin. It will feel almost as good in hand radiused well as it would if you really thinned the safety. The shoe-shine motion with emery cloth is the best way to finish this area once you contour up close to the pin hole. The other bright spot here is the grip gets quite high on the gun when you take the contour up near the pin. Here is a pic of one I took medium high on a single stack. You can see that the safety is beveled quite a bit but none of the thickness over the pin has been removed. There is room to contour up almost another .100", but this is a rough fit for now as I am going to put a set of SV barstock ambi safeties on this gun. I just smoothed it out enough to be nice to shoot in the mean time. I removed almost .100" of material from the frame right under the pin, frame was a stock Colt. Hope this helps illustrate what I am trying to convey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radical Precision Designs Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 Eric- The biggest issue for being careful about removing material at the pin (right side usually) area is that it will snap under moderate to heavy down push force from your thumb placed over it, while shooting "left handed". This can be remedied by "initially" (properly) installing the ambi safety to the frame, prior to "cutting" the sear mating lobe/cam. In doing this properly you will have a complete free travel without binding or sponginess of either side, and "both" sides will come to a natural stop point in the frame or grip/stock. This will almost certainly eliminate the usual breakage as there will be no "cross/stress" pressure to create a break point. After this is done, then you can be a little bit more aggressive with your thinning out, and have some peace of mind. Although I would fit a "spare" ambi safety for in case it did break. A lot of the breakage when thinned out this much seems to come at the time of removal from the frame with tight fitting "mating pin halves". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted September 6, 2006 Author Share Posted September 6, 2006 The one thing that I'm noticing is that my grip safety is cut *much* higher than most everyone elses. I love the fit, but it looks like I'm going to be stuck with removing material over the pins on the ambis whether I like it or not. I think this may be one thing that could eventually push me over to the CZ or Tangfolio platforms. Well...at least the grass *seems* greener right about now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reneet Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 I am going through heck right now. I have blisters on top of scar tissue on the web of my right hand. The grip safety / ambi safety region of my gun is chewing my hand to pieces. I've done some serious blending work courtesy of Mr. Belt Sander, Mr. Dremel, and lest I forget...Mr. Buffing Wheel. But...what I really want is for all of that stuff to be blended into basicaly one, unbroken surface with no sharp edges or gaps ANYWHERE. Is that even possible? Anyone have any examples of that type of blending and what parts lend themselves best to that? FWIW, I've tried taping my hands, which doesn't work at all with the shitty adhesive they put on athletic tape these days. Don't ask me how athletic tape is supposed to stick to anything. I've even resorted to chalking my hands in order to keep them dry. That's working with some limited success. The tool hanger strap on 5.11 shorts is ideal to hang the chalk bag off of BTW.... At least I'm down to just getting blisters rather than having my skin tear. I'd rather have none of the above. And I was thinking I was the only one with this problem. make it as smooth and seamless as you can but I still blister and callous in that exact same spot due to the exact same reasons. All I can do is try to minimize the damage. Mine has never actually torn ... thank goodness. That sounds incredibly painful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted September 6, 2006 Author Share Posted September 6, 2006 (edited) Renee, It only hurts when I shoot. What makes me mad is the involuntary changes I make in order to minimize the discomfort. Whenever my paws get sore, my index is gone because you're automatically shifting your grip. Then it's a week to two weeks before I can really get down the shooting again. One thing I'm going to try is using Tuffoot on my hands. I have it to toughen up my dog's paws for hunting. Maybe it'll toughen up people paws for shooting too... Edited September 6, 2006 by EricW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reneet Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 I tried some of the medical 2nd skin stuff at one point. Maybe I didn't spread it over enough of my hand but the oil and pressure of the gun on my hand rendered it useless. Let me know if that stuff works. I'll give it a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 E, Have a look at the 45 in this thread: http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=39202 (might be different from what you are after, and might be too late now too...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 I tried some of the medical 2nd skin stuff at one point. Maybe I didn't spread it over enough of my hand but the oil and pressure of the gun on my hand rendered it useless. Let me know if that stuff works. I'll give it a try. The nu-skin stuff I've used is too wimpy to take any serious use. Superglue works pretty well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted September 7, 2006 Author Share Posted September 7, 2006 That faint smell that you get when the wind shifts ain't the stockyard...it's time for Half Baked Idea Du Jour! How's this for whacked? Maybe chalk *is* the answer. But maaaaybe the chalk would stay on better if the grip safety area was deeply sandblasted and then you polished off the top on a buffing wheel. Then there would be places on the gun itself for the chalk to become embedded. Only half a beer and I done thunk that one up all by myself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irishlad Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 My hand is very sensitive in a similiar way also. It may not help, because I use a single stack and a single sided safety, but I did file the "pin area" of an EB wide safety a "bit". Then shoe shined it with emory cloth on the frame. No problem now. From your pictures it "appears" the EB safety may actually be "thinner" on the frame than what you have now. Or, pictures can be deceiving, or I may have filed and shoe shined a lot. As far as breaking, the paddle of the EB is actually stopped by the wood grip, so I can't torque it down too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemo Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 (edited) Eric, To me there seems to be nothing wrong with the blending job you performed on your pistola... It's your hand what's defetcive. Put your dremel fitted with a sanding drum to work on that spot on your hand and take material away at your leisure until it fits the gun. Seriously, what I did on my first pistol-hacking job was, after blending the parts as close as I could get for comfort with a half-round bastard and The Tool From Hell (Dremel) then removed the marks with emery. Finally, with all parts in place I wrapped emery around a wood dowel of broomstick diameter and worked that curved area from one side to the other until the thumb sfty, frame and grip sfty looked and felt like one smooth piece. Two pics of the finished product, after Rich bead-blasted the SS parts and refinished. Edited to correct: The safety in the pics is not the EB with which I started, I believe I switched to a Wilson before sending the gun to Rich just because the EB wasn't SS. Thus the blending you see in the pics is not what I did originally. Sorry. Edited September 7, 2006 by Nemo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted September 7, 2006 Author Share Posted September 7, 2006 Your pistols are all so cosmetically attractive. And mine...well...mine....ummm....isnt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now