ks-shooter Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 (edited) I would like to gather as much information and advice on creating the custom molded grip that I have seen on a number of pistols on this site, Henning's included. If you can list the specific materials you used and instructions on how you did your grip, or would do it differently now that you have done one, that would be great. I would like to see pictures also. Currently I have transferred the wood grips from my Limited to my Gold Team because they provide more area for my left hand palm to get ahold of. My current aluminum grips are covered in grip tape but are too thin to allow a good two handed grip. Thanks in advance for the assistance. Finally updated my Avatar Edited December 28, 2007 by ks-shooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neomet Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 Here is a thread on the subject.... http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?...mp;#entry652788 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam B Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 I know that there is a guy in europe that did an epoxy mold to his svi grip but I cant find the link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ks-shooter Posted December 28, 2007 Author Share Posted December 28, 2007 Neomet..great link; Thanks! Any chance you have pictures of both sides of the pistol that you could post? Did you take the rear stipling off also? Thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neomet Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 KS, Here ya go. I just got back from the range so the gun is till dirty. I did remove the stipling on the back and undercut the beavertail. I also, since the first photo removed the stipling on the front and am using skate tape which I much prefer. If I don't put the dremel down soon though I'm going to wind up in a 12 step program. Saul does this to his grips, as does Henning. In fact if you go to Henning's website he has a short vid on how he does it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ks-shooter Posted December 29, 2007 Author Share Posted December 29, 2007 Great pics! You do have large hands and we all know what that means..................Large Gloves By the way.....Step away from the Dremel! You did a really nice job on it. I have to keep reminding myself when I look at the pictures that you are left handed....right brained! I ordered my putty today...enough for two or three guns. Did you wear plastic gloves when you were doing the molding. I guess I have to go back and check out the link you gave me earlier more carefully and return to Henning's instructions. I really appreciate the effort to get the pics to me. Have a great weekend and a Happy New Year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neomet Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 Thanks! No gloves needed, just clean your hands off before it sets. Then again I am a bit of Neanderthal, so perhaps plastic glovie things would be a good idea. Not sure if I mentioned it in the other thread, but once you get the epoxy where you want it on the grips be sure to take them off the frame before the epoxy cures or you can very easily epoxy your grip panels directly to the frame. Have a great New Year yourself!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ks-shooter Posted December 30, 2007 Author Share Posted December 30, 2007 Ordered A+B putty on Friday! Pictures when it is done........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwx40x40 Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 Ordered A+B putty on Friday! Pictures when it is done........... Where do you order this A + B putty? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ks-shooter Posted December 30, 2007 Author Share Posted December 30, 2007 Where do you order this A + B putty? This may seem hard to believe but the site is :http://www.aplusbputty.com/ Happy shopping Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ks-shooter Posted January 3, 2008 Author Share Posted January 3, 2008 Still waiting for putty to arrive so I played with the wood grips. Sanded them mostly to relieve the area for the mag release and the front portion of the grip. I actually left the checkering entirely in the rear lower area but when I painted and applied more texturing grit, it disappeared. I still need to touch up the rear as you can still see wood, but they feel pretty good and look decent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neomet Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Very nice, professional looking job there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ks-shooter Posted January 3, 2008 Author Share Posted January 3, 2008 Thanks! I am planning on using the same paint and grit on the aluminum/putty grips when I get them done. Here is the stuff I used. I hope the stuff holds up, but only time will tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demax Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 I know that there is a guy in europe that did an epoxy mold to his svi grip but I cant find the link Do you mean this grip: http://www.matsbackstrom.com/index_pages/ThumbRest.html ? The detail procedures how to make it are discribed somewhere on that site... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ks-shooter Posted January 4, 2008 Author Share Posted January 4, 2008 I know that there is a guy in europe that did an epoxy mold to his svi grip but I cant find the link Do you mean this grip: http://www.matsbackstrom.com/index_pages/ThumbRest.html ? The detail procedures how to make it are discribed somewhere on that site... Great Site!! I have not found the grip making instructions, but he has some excellent information regarding many topics. Thanks BTW...the Jalas Cross Control shoes look really good to me. Anyone know where to get them in the US? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neomet Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 I know that there is a guy in europe that did an epoxy mold to his svi grip but I cant find the link Do you mean this grip: http://www.matsbackstrom.com/index_pages/ThumbRest.html ? The detail procedures how to make it are discribed somewhere on that site... Very cool, and he is a lefty on top of it all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demax Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 I know that there is a guy in europe that did an epoxy mold to his svi grip but I cant find the link Do you mean this grip: http://www.matsbackstrom.com/index_pages/ThumbRest.html ? The detail procedures how to make it are discribed somewhere on that site... Great Site!! I have not found the grip making instructions, but he has some excellent information regarding many topics. Thanks BTW...the Jalas Cross Control shoes look really good to me. Anyone know where to get them in the US? Well, here's the direct link: http://www.matsbackstrom.com/index_pages/Grip.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ks-shooter Posted January 7, 2008 Author Share Posted January 7, 2008 Great job in finding that link!!! I have no idea how you did it. I have looked all over the internet for "Super Plastic Pudding" (and puddy and putty). Still no word from the folks I ordered the AplusB putty from. I did my Limited grip similar to how he applied the SC to his epoxy, except I applied it into wet paint, the dried it in the oven on "warm". I will try again to reach the AplusB folks. Thanks again!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 I did one with "plastic steel" or some such from one of the Home Hardware big-box stores. Worked great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinnsyk Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 Next couple of days I'll be working on new aluminum grips for the Tanfoglio / EAA pistols. They will be nicely made and thin. I might make a couple of versions; one with a rough finish that you intend to put putty on and another that is very finished that you could put grip tape directly on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ks-shooter Posted January 8, 2008 Author Share Posted January 8, 2008 (edited) I did one with "plastic steel" or some such from one of the Home Hardware big-box stores. Worked great. Shred:Always good to have alternatives....thanks! Henning: Bring em quick, I'm ready! Edited January 8, 2008 by ks-shooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinnsyk Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 So a quick update on the grips. It's my second day (night) here at the shop where we've been redesigning a pair of beautiful aluminum grips for the Tanfoglio pistols. The first grip will be a long (full length) for the large frame. This means you can put a really pretty grip on your Match or Stock that doesn't have a factory magwell (you can still put them on f.ex. a Match with the EGW welded on magwell. I will also have a short grip for the Gold Team & Limited models. It's the same grip, just cut at the bottom. This means if you start out with a gun w/o a mag well and later on want to put a mag well on it all you have to do is cut the grip and it'll look good. (A big ass mag well is another project I will jump on shortly.) So for these grips, to start I wanted to create a grip that looks really good, feels good in your hands and fits perfect. I think there are some imperfections in the factory grip and we've worked hard to fix all that. I've always liked the wood grips, but they are too thick for my hands and when you start sanding them to make them thinner they break. This new grip will have a similar contour to the wood grip and typical 1911 wood grips. Just that they are a lot thinner. So all shooters with smaller hands will love them. And if you like to build the grip up it'll be a great starting point for your own putty project. It will also be real easy to put grip tape directly on the grip without doing anything else. I will also make the same grip for the small frames. The rest of the world seem to use a lot of small frames, especially in 9mm pistols. These grips will slip right on. I've also thought it would be cool with a logo / image / text engraved. If anyone have a cool image / idea please post here or gimme a call / send me an email. I think a simple image engraved in the center of the grip could be nice. You know, just something for the esthetically inclined shooters who wants to dress up their gun(s)... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinnsyk Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 So that was an all nighter... We burned on through with good assistance from Red Bull... By next week I should have "full-length" and "mag well-length" new Henning Grips available for all Tanfoglio / EAA large frame models. Then as soon as those are available we'll start working on the same grips for the small frames. Something I think all international shooters will appreciate. These grips will fit Gold Team, Limited, Limited HC/Custom, Stock, Stock II, Match, Limited Pro, Steel. We've been nit-picking forever to make them with tight tolerances and what we've got so far looks really nice. Beats the factory grip hands down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinnsyk Posted January 19, 2008 Share Posted January 19, 2008 Quick update on the grips. We are getting really close. I'm up in the mountains at the machine shop again and we've been working on the outside contour. I have to say it's coming together incredibly nicely. What I'm looking at right now is a very light 'knurled' grip from the machining. I could polish them to a smooth finish but I think it would be nicer with a little bit of 'grip' to it. I'm not a fan of polished grips and prefer a little gripping if I'm not going to do anything else to them. I know a lot of shooters are going to put grip tape over it anyway and the way they are contoured, that will be a great grip. One question to interested parties: would you like the grip anodized in black or clear coat ? At first my thought was clear coat to make it blend with the gun, but now I'm leaning towards a black anodized look to offset the chrome look frame. For blued guns the black will look super nice. And for the upscale grip that we keep thinking about I think a black anodized grip with a wood inlay will look really sharp. Opinions and requests are welcomed so speak your mind. It may affect the final look. Of course I could offer in both clear and black, but the less options I have to stock the better. I already have to stock large frame & small frame. Both in short magwell length and long non-magwell length. I tell ya, the grip for Match & Stock models w/o magwell is going to look really sharp. We've made a couple of prototypes that are 95% there and man does it look cool. Right now the top surface is flat which part of it always will be, but it's also going to have knurled look to it. Kinda looks like really small fish scales. Gives the grip a cool look over a polished surface. If you have very strong opinions (...;-)) then gimme a call at (720) 352 1080 to voice it. I'm done for tonite, going to sleep in the shop and get up early Saturday to go skiing in Winter Park (Mary Jane). It was snowing earlier so could be a great day tomorrow. But I've heard it might get cold... brrrrr... Sunday I'll be back here at the shop and try to finish up our design. When I'm happy and my machinist Scott is happy (he's very picky) then we'll start production. To start we're cranking out 50 sets of grips and I'm already getting a lot of interest, including overseas dealers so they might go quick. I'm set on doing some kind of anodizing which typically takes about 3 days. If all goes well they should be available on my shop the week before Shot Show in Vegas (Feb 2nd - 5th). For those of you traveling to Vegas for the big, fun event, I will have grips with me to show and possibly some for sale. A matching magwell will follow... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ks-shooter Posted January 19, 2008 Author Share Posted January 19, 2008 One question to interested parties:would you like the grip anodized in black or clear coat ? At first my thought was clear coat to make it blend with the gun, but now I'm leaning towards a black anodized look to offset the chrome look frame. For blued guns the black will look super nice. And for the upscale grip that we keep thinking about I think a black anodized grip with a wood inlay will look really sharp. A matching magwell will follow... My vote goes to Black! However, I remember you talking about two different grips...one to put putty on and mold and the other meant to stay as it is. Is it still your plan to do that or are you going to stick with the current grip you are working on and a "presentation" grip. I thought an inexpensive aluminum base to putty up would be a good option. Just rough and flat so you can do what you want. No need for making it pretty since it's going to be covered. I still place my vote with black anodizing. A matching magwell.....a BIG ONE? Here is my $02 on the magwell subject: If you can make one like the ICE without any patent infringement that would be great. The plastic insert on ICE's saves mag lips and it can be replaced easily. Okay, we will probably not see that since it requres molding and would be very expensive, but BIG is still the way to go. Again, that's just my $.02 worth. Have fun skiing and but then back to work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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