Question about handmaking grips

[Doc_rab]

I just bought a CZP01 9mm a couple of days ago, great shooter by the way. But doesn't fit my my hand as well as I'd like. Anyway I'm going home for the holidays and my father-in-law has a great woodshop that I can use. So I thought I'd try my hand at making some grips, I'm going to a local wood shop tomorrow to pick up some ebony wood or something else that catches my eye.

Anyway, I can handle the basic outlines and such but does anyone have any advice on creating the palm swells, finger grooves, ect... Has anyone ran across a website, book, pics that can help me. Or better yet anybody have any first hand experience? I have large hands with big palms so I'm hoping to put some larger palm swells to help control the compact pistol. Thanks a ton for any advice.

doc_rab

 

[jkomp316]

a dremel tool and lots of time is all you should "need" a scroll saw would make things easier. im not sure what kind of finish would hold up best. maybe fab up the handle of your gun, so you can fasten them to this "fab" peice, and sand around with them on.

 

[Doc_rab]

Trust me time is not an issue here... 1 week off at the inlaws:banghead: nuff said

I've been searching the internet, but haven't found anything that is helpful except a site about 1911 grips. Flat no swells not useful there. link below if you're curious.
http://1911pistolgrips.com/process.php

 

[Dienekes]

Not much info that I am aware of on the net. However I have made some over the years for 1911, DA revolvers, SA revolvers, and have one of the better known "name" custom gripmakers as a friend. He does in 20 minutes what takes me all day to do...

You will probably do ok as it is a common sense matter in the end. "Less is more" so be subtle about wild contours. Go slowly, take some material off, try it. If your hand size is at all compatable with the gun itself then a well shaped grip for you ought to feel like a good handshake, or like the gun grew there. Obviously semiauto grips are simpler than revolver grips; but your creativity is limited, too.

Consider learning how to checker; it's cheap to get into and you can get practice by "freshing out" old checkering until you get the feel of it.

As for a finish, I just use Tru-Oil sealer and finish. Easy to do, looks good, wears like iron and restores just as easily.

Wood: anything you like as long as it's hard and you like the grain.

 

[Doc_rab]

Thanks for the info guys. I bought a chunk of wenge(?) at woodcrafters today and some tung oil to finish it with. The guy that helped me had made some grips for his 1911 so he gave me a few pointers too. I'll post some pics maybe even do a writeup when i'm finished. That's if they turn out...

 

[isp2605]

Here's a set of oversize target grips with thumb rest that I made almost 30 yrs ago for my Mark I when I was shooting bullseye comp.
Just get a block of wood and whittle and sand away everything that isn't a grip.

 

[Thefabulousfink]

Making grips is more of an art than a science, the contours can be simple or complex based on your skill and desire.

Start with two blocks of wood (if you want the grain to be simmilar, cut one block in half). Measure the thickest part of the grip and cut the blocks so that they ar slightly oversizes. Trace the outside edge of the grip onto the block and cut it out using a scroll saw (again, slightly oversized). Now drill your screw holes, make sure that these are straight and in the proper place. The screw holes will index the grip onto the gun so that it will allways be in the same place as you adjust the fit.

If the underside of your grips have to be recessed to fit the frame, now is the time to fit it. Inletting black, magic marker, or pencil shavings can be used to transfer the high metal parts of the frame to the grip. Cover the frame with the transfer media, gently press the grip to the frame, then carfully remove it; the media that was on the higher parts of the frame should have marked the wood grips. Using a chisle or dremel carfully remove the marked areas of the grip (only about 1/8" or 1/16" depth at a time). Repeat this process until the grips fit flush with the frame.

Now you should have two square blocks of wood that fit flush on the frame, time for the fun part! Sandpaper can be used to shape the entire block, but it will take a long time. Dremel tools are faster, but easier to make mistakes with. Carving knives are the fastest way to remove wood, but require the most skill. My advice is to use a carving knife to knock the corners off the block and form the rough shape. Then use a dremel to round and smooth the grip. Use sandpaper to reach the final shape and form any finger and thumb grooves.

Keep the edges of the grip slightly larger than the frame until you get to the final sanding steps, then sand them down until they are flush. Remember to go slow and take off small amounts of wood at a time, checking constantly. Allways cut oversized and sand down to fit (its a lot easier to sand wood off than grow it back ).

It may sound complicated, but it really just takes patience.

 

[Beatnik]

I've never done pistol grips but I've done a fair amount of detailed carving.

The interesting thing about this is that as soon as I started to think about it my mind started on the task of how to hold the piece.

In my experience, carving is best done with chisels, gouges, and knives which are at least sharp enough to easily shave your arm hairs off. I've never done anything with a dremel because there is an inherent lack of control for me - although a proper shaft extension might make a difference.

Since the knives & gouges are so sharp and the grips are bigger than I'm used to working with (I usually only do small waxes for casting) I'd prefer not to hold it with my hand. That means specialty vises.

 

[Thefabulousfink]

Once you get the screw holes drilled you can put screws through them to attach a scrap piece of wood. Use the scrap wood to clamp into a vise.

 

[NORTEXED]

Several years ago I came across a real decent Webley MKVI that I liked, but it did not have the grips. I couldn't even find a [pic of originals at the time, so I made my own out of a walnut drawer face from a local cabinet shop. The most valuable tool in the workshop, was a 1" belt sander. I outlined the frame, cut out slabs on a jig saw and used the belt sander very carefuly to shape them to my liking. There are aftermarkets available now, but I still like my "home-mades" and it took about 4-5 hours Sat. and the same Sun. to make them. With a die grinder, I'm sure you could add finger grooves or whatever, the trick is just to go slow.

 

[Doc_rab]

I have a dremel tool with an extension tool thing-a-majig that makes control easy. I used it for an art class in college then gave/left it with my folks.
Now I've just got to find the friggin thing in thier garage. My in-laws shop has belt sander, drill press, and other gadgets he never uses. So I should be ok there. Thanks for the info. The longer I think about it the more it is just a matter of feel and sand, feel and sand.

I picked up some Wege wood at the local shop that i'm going to use with the grain running perpendicular to the frame.

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=3867

Mine's a little finer grained than this pic, but should look good.

 

[ka]

Doc, I've made a few sets of grips. The CZ grip is similar to a Browning P-35. That means that there are 3 levels on the back, 4 if you do finger grooves. There is also a bevel that needs to be cut. Due to the nature of the back I'd make the screw hole my last cut when doing the back.

For doing the back, if you don't have access to a panagraph then my next choice would be a vertical mill. After you finish the back the front will be a piece of cake.

One other suggestion would be to get some different wood before you start. Wenge has huge differences in the texture of the wood. Where the wood is dark it is very hard and where it is light it is very soft. When you get into thin cuts it can be somewhat fragile.

Good Luck. Post some pictures when you are done. You can check out some of my grips at www.ahrendsgripsusa.com

 

[Doc_rab]

Thanks for the advice, I'll probably wind up buying some but I just have to try my hand at it. It's just who I am... hardheaded lol:banghead: Anyway with the wenge wood it has very very tight grain and it looks really good, but if you think I should try something else then I'll just hit up the shop tomorrow and see if I can exchange it for something else. Thanks for the headsup.