My foray into custom exotic wood 1911 grips

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A poor excuse for a closeup. You can actually see the texture better on the set of bloodwood grips that are almost out of frame at the top. I'm no photographer, that's for sure.

 

[2nd 41]

Beautiful wood work. Thanks for posting

 

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Thanks!
Here are some pics of some of my grips on my CDPII Pro.

 

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Amboyna burl

 

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Beeswing Narra

 

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Box Elder Burl

 

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Ambrosia Maple

 

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A couple pics of new grips in Red Mallee Burl from Australia. No staining. Ever. The light wood is the sapwood on the outside of the burl itself, the dark wood is the heart wood from deeper down. You get a few select cuts that can bridge that and you get both. Beautiful wood!

 

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Same burl, just in officers size.

 

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Here are two sets of grips going to the same customer. One set is "standard" with the MSH pin cutout, the other is flat bottomed for a magwell.
the first set is in Amboyna Burl.

 

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Here is the set for the magwell in Beeswing Narra. This grain just rolls and shimmers in the light. My pics don't do it justice at all. Gorgeous wood!

 

[yhtomit]

This thread is helping to change my mind about wood grips generally. I like things to be of materials I think are something close to a) indestructible and b) without sentimental value, but when I do get a 1911, this is looking like a worthwhile way to personalize it.

I esp. like two of the last ones you posted -- the Box Elder burl and Ambrosia Maple. Yow! Gun porn indeed.

timothy

 

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Thanks Tim, glad you like them!
All woods are NOT created equal. Some should be reserved for the safe queen firearms that are all for show and others are perfectly fine in a duty holster or for use on a daily carry weapon. Even the "same" woods vary. You mentioned the Ambrosia Maple - I have blocks in my shop that I can squeeze and crush, and others that are solid as a rock. It's all in the timing of when the wood is harvested. Too early, and the wood doesn't have the beautiful characteristic coloring that Ambrosia Maple is known for, too late and the wood is what is known as "punky" which basically means it's deteriorated beyond being useable. Make sure to ask plenty of questions of whoever makes your panels when the time comes. If you're not sure, hopefully someone will be here to help. Of course, there are woods that are almost always solid and reliable - Narra, cocobolo, ironwood, and many others that are beautiful.
Wow, I'm talking wood and getting carried away. I do that sometimes.
Thanks again for the kind words, I'm glad you're enjoying the pics.
SRT

 

[roo_ster]

Are all your grips standard-thickness, or do you produce some of the thinner grips, as well?

 

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I go where my customers lead me...... I just like working with wood. I guess if I had a "standard" it would be a 1/16 over stock, just because I like the way they feel that way, but thinner is workable also. In fact, I've got a set of blanks that I cut in spalted Tamarind that are WILD beautiful and they are 1/4" thick now, so by time shaping is done, they would have to be thinner than stock.
SRT

 

[Taurus 617 CCW]

Great pics! I've done a couple of my own but only succeeded with the redwood lace burl. The zebrawood split on me when I tried to drill the grip scew holes. Just out of curiosity how do you drill your holes? I use a flat bottomed bit (to countersink) after I drill the initial hole. I've seen a tool for sale that does both in one step through brownells that looks promising.

 

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Yes, I saw those on the other thread. Nice!
I use brad point bits 9/32 and 15/64 for the holes. The sharp point on this type of bit keeps it from "walking" across your wood at inopportune times and screwing things up. Someone else had one of the stepped bits that I think you're referring too, but said he didn't use it for both holes, just to center the larger hole over the smaller one. Don't know much else about it. Sorry.
Welcome to the thread, hope this helps.
SRT

 

[Taurus 617 CCW]

Yeah that'll help me out, thanks.

 

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Here's a couple of sets with a stippled finish on parts of them. The cocobolo set was very dark colored on the bottom half, so I stippled it following a natrual grain line as it wrapped down and around the grip. They came out nice.

 

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This is a set of mixed wood grips. Bloodwood above and below, divided by a strip of Wenge through the middle. These are also "smooth operator" style as they ride higher and necessitate cutouts for the safeties on either side. the safeties sit right down in them and they look sweet on the weapon. I like the different colors together in a grip. Despite what the pictures seem, the finish is a smooth gloss. I need to improve my photography skills, but that would take away from my range and woodshop time.
Hope you like them!
SRT

 

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Todays eye candy is comprised of two sets of grips going to the same customer. He prefers them the way I do now, with no MSH pin cutout.
First set is in Maple Burl and has great eyes and color to it.

 

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Second set is Marblewood which is crosscut. I always bookmatch my grips if at all possible. This wood has some stark graining and is really very pleasing to the eye. You don't see a lot of this wood around.

 

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Here's a pic of those Maple Burl grips on my CDPII from last night.
I like it.

 

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Todays eye candy.
These are in Cochinchin Burl. Somewhat rare and most people have never even heard of it, much less seen it. It's ugly as sin in raw form, but once cut and finished, I think you'll agree, is beautiful.

 

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A set made from Aniegre which is from Africa. It's a very light wood in both color and weight, but very durable. Lots of rolling figure as you can see in the pic. Similar to our maple, but more open grained and lighter weight.