Ivory, Ultra Ivory or "plastic"?

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

ScottsGT

Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2002
Messages
1,987
Location
Columbia, SC
Not sure if this is in the right forum, but I was thinking it would get more traffic here.
Basically, I'm thinking Ivory grips for a 1911 I'm rebuilding. Real ivory is $250+
Ultra Ivory from Eagle Grips are $100. You can get "synthetic", or plastic for around $20.
Is there much difference between Ultra Ivory and "synthetic"? $80 worth of difference? I'm still trying to figure out how I can justify $250 for the real deal. Anyone here ever compair Ultra Ivory to the real thing??
 
I don't own any real ivory grips but from what I've heard you have to take really good care of them...they can be 'fragile'. I remember reading something about conditioning or oiling the ivory to help prevent cracking. Hopefully somebody more intelligent will come along and let you know! :eek:
 
Yes. Having real ivory grip panels on a couple of my 1911s, it's been my experience that few folks these days can detect the difference between the better synthetic ivory and the real thing ... But you'll know. Eagle Ultra Ivory is not bad, but if you compare it to ivory, you'll easily see the difference. Ajax "Ivory Polymer" grips are the best of the really cheap stuff ($45 - 65, but upon close examination, there's no comparison. Fake ivory tends to look ... fake. If you're putting together a high-end 1911 that you want to be a classy gun, go with the real thing, or --

For my money, the best synthetic ivory grips are done by Bar-S Grips -- "Tru-Ivory." $95, and well worth it, this stuff is, IMO, better than the Eagle product, and looks terrific.
See www.truivory.com
 
I have Ultra Ivory and real ivory. Compared to most fake ivory, the Ultra is much nicer, but I still like the real thing. I can't remember where the Ultra Ivory grips went...

Nutmeg Sports has 1911 ivory for $220 on their website, or check their ebay auctions under 'loobey'. The reserve seems to be around $150, so you might save some decent money. Lately, folks seem to have been bidding them up well above what they would pay direct, but it's worth a look. They have new ones up weekly. If you go direct, you can ask for what you want (bright white, bark, etc.) and you should get it.

I haven't had any problems with the real ivory. They do require some more attention than plastic, but I think it's worth it. All I do is oil them once a month.
 
I can tell the difference between genuine ivory and fakes. I have real ivory on a number of Colts and it's not that bad for 1911 stocks. I got these pictured from a seller on ebay who offers these frequently and they sell for $150-$175. I think I paid $165 and I'm very happy with them.

standard.gif
 
Stabilized ivory doesn't have the care requriements of unstabilized ivory.

I'd also look at stabilized mastadon ivory.
 
Ajax grips I bought looked great, (esp. when the gloss finish was sanded off and allowed to 'mellow' from natural oils) but they cracked rather quickly on my Ruger Vaquero .44, I went to buffalo horn instead.
 
I bought a set of Ajax $45.00 Poly-Ivory grips a few years ago.I was told that they hold up better than natural ivory and can still be scrimshawed,carved,etc. Well I had them on for a week or so and didn't care for the non-checkered feel.They are up in the drawer and I doubt if I'll ever use them again.(Sure are handsome to look at tho).YMMV.tom.
 
I have two pair of the Nutmeg Sports ivory stocks for 1911 pistols, and I am very pleased with the durability and looks. Real ivory looks and feels different from the "replica" material.
 
To "Ivory or Not"

I've had a fair amount of experience with real Ivory and some of the relatively new man-made "Ivories". I've tried "True Ivory", "Ultra Ivory", the Ajax grips, and a few that I can't remember who made em.

What you need/want really depends on what you will be using your pistol for, and the depth of your pocketbook. Real Ivory is expensive, since the supply is pretty much fixed here in the US of A. There are some very good grip makers out there that work with real Ivory. Nutmeg comes to mind. A fellow that I really recommend you contact is Mike (and for the life of me, I can't remember his last name). His web site is: http://hometown.aol.com/mgpsrjr/myhomepage/index.html This gentleman supplies the Colt custom shop with Ivory grips. I bought a set of double diamond grips for my new Colt WW I 1911. These grips on this very nice Colt bluing, is a sight to be seen. The quality is second to none. Mike has original Colt grip patterns to go back to the turn of the century.

That said, if you're going to be nailing up wanted posters with the butt of your SSA, like Gabby Hayes used to do, don't invest in real Ivory. I had a set of Ultra Ivory grips on a Ruger Blackhawk that looked alright. The grips were very white and the bluing on the B'hawk is very dark, almost black. The contrast was very nice. This pistol received some rough treatment out in the boonies, but the grips held up very well.

There, I said it, and glad I did. Hope this was of some help. Do yourself a favor and check out Mike's web page - Masterful work.:)
 
I have also owned a couple of sets of Bar-S Tru-Ivory stocks. I really liked them and will probably get another set someday.
After all they're just up the road from me so I can hand pick the exact pair I want.


IF you know about real ivory you can tell the difference. But not from 10 feet away.
And most people haven't held enough real ivory to know the difference anyway.
 
Wow, thanks for all the great help guys. This 1911 is one that I am building for my Dad from a 1911 that was his Dads, but had a "bad" frame. I replaced the frame with a Caspian, using Dads initials and DOB for the SN. I'm planning on presenting it to him this Christmas as a gift. I have the original grips, double diamonds, but I'm thinking with the high polish I'm putting on the gun, it is going to be one heck of a bluing job and Ivory's would be the deal. It is basicall going to be a "sock drawer" gun that won't be shot but once in a blue moon, and Dad might not even be able to handle it. He's not long for this world, still in good health, just getting old, and I wanted to do something really nice for him since he never had a 1911 he could shoot since his brother stole his years back.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

4
  • Locked
Any Good Fake Ivory Grip?
Replies
9
Views
541
Handguns: Autoloaders
Tokugawa
T
S
  • Locked
Grips for nickel 1911 Buffalo? Ivory?
Replies
3
Views
1K
Handguns: Autoloaders
savit260
S
CraigC
  • Locked
Ivory and substitutes
Replies
28
Views
5K
Handguns: Revolvers
bluetopper
bluetopper
C
  • Locked
Tips on ID'ing real ivory grips
Replies
13
Views
817
Handguns: Revolvers
Archie
Archie
MatthewVanitas
  • Locked
Poor Man's Ivory: bone 1911 grips (pics!)
Replies
17
Views
2K
Handguns: Autoloaders
MatthewVanitas
MatthewVanitas
Top Bottom
Back