Sweat under 1911 grips

Status
Not open for further replies.

Texas10mm

member
Joined
Jul 3, 2018
Messages
3,546
Location
Not DFW
I sweat like a waterfall. Here in north Texas I sweat 9-10 months a year.

I like to shoot 1911 pistols. I'm trying to find a solution I can put under the G-10 grips to keep from having to remove the grips after every range trip.

My sweat is very acidic, it's corroded aluminum framed 1911 pistols under the grips.

Thanks.
 
It's either move to North Dakota or spray the grip frame down with some sort of sealer or wax it down as
blue68f100 mentioned.
 
Even stainless guns can rust under the grips, especially with rubber grips.
That's because unlike most wood grips rubber won't absorb moisture and it attacks the metal.

What I do and recommend is to get a large yellow can of Johnson's Paste Wax at a hardware store or many Walmart's.

Remove the grips and apply a medium-heavy coat of wax to the areas covered by the grips.
DON'T wipe it off, just let it dry 20 minutes or so, then remount the grips and wipe off any wax not covered by the grips.

This will seal the metal from moisture or sweat and prevent rusting.
 
I sweat like a waterfall. Here in north Texas I sweat 9-10 months a year.

I like to shoot 1911 pistols. I'm trying to find a solution I can put under the G-10 grips to keep from having to remove the grips after every range trip.

My sweat is very acidic, it's corroded aluminum framed 1911 pistols under the grips.

Thanks.
anti seize
 
anti seize
I can't agree with that. Antiseize has grit in it intended to grind out small particles of rust when a bolt is turned through threads, not for any other use at all. You can get the same grease without the abrasive and that might work but only use antiseize for threads (doesn't work great for that either, just catches on fire when you have to take it apart for real).
Sorry i ranted on that (nothing personal and not directed at you), i'm a big antiseize hater. Worked with a guy who used it on everything from brake rotors to tune up parts - his work was sloppy and when i had to correct it i would be covered in the silver nightmare goo.
 
I can't agree with that. Antiseize has grit in it intended to grind out small particles of rust when a bolt is turned through threads, not for any other use at all. You can get the same grease without the abrasive and that might work but only use antiseize for threads (doesn't work great for that either, just catches on fire when you have to take it apart for real).
Sorry i ranted on that (nothing personal and not directed at you), i'm a big antiseize hater. Worked with a guy who used it on everything from brake rotors to tune up parts - his work was sloppy and when i had to correct it i would be covered in the silver nightmare goo.

Everyone has an opinion. You are the first antiseize hate I've met. Had to happen someday.

We all knew there was SOMEONE not putting it on, just no one would own up to it before.

I wouldn't guarantee it for THIS application but if it was a real problem for me I might try it. Worst thing I can see is it can be messy, but it isn't gonna rust any where you put it on.

The rest of those complaints about it in a shop... 30 years in powerhouses and assembly plants, you are the first complaint.
 
Everyone has an opinion. You are the first antiseize hate I've met. Had to happen someday.

We all knew there was SOMEONE not putting it on, just no one would own up to it before.

I wouldn't guarantee it for THIS application but if it was a real problem for me I might try it. Worst thing I can see is it can be messy, but it isn't gonna rust any where you put it on.

The rest of those complaints about it in a shop... 30 years in powerhouses and assembly plants, you are the first complaint.
Funny, i know i'm a bit odd. I used to work on mainly rust buckets here in illinois- it's bad. So almost nothing works on our special brand of cheetoh rust (not only salt but calcium chloride i believe) on the roads 6 months out of the year really rots them out. Basically any suspension work would need to be torched apart if the car is 10 years old or so. Never found that penetrating oil or grease ever helped, sometimes use oil for easier reassembly. I've since moved on to mainly working on cars that don't drive in the snow so it is much better. Just hate the mess of the silver terror, maybe i have some minor ptsd from getting covered in it like the tin man from wizard of oz.
 
I sweat a lot and my sweat is acidic. I have tried several things to prevent rusting under the grips and finally resigned myself to the fact that the grips have to come off frequently while cleaning. Not only due to sweat but also due to cleaners/oils seeping under my wood grips. Purchased some Challis grip bushings/o-rings. It's so easy to remove the grips with these the problem went away.
 
I use RIG Grease for under the grips. I smear a heavy coat on the frame. It particularly works well on revolvers as the machining is left rougher. I brought a S&W Model 64 last weekend and when I took the grips off to clean the gun there was some light rust under the grips. Being stainless steel it cleaned off easily and a heavy coat of RIG Grease blocks moisture from creeping under the grips again.
 
Funny, i know i'm a bit odd. I used to work on mainly rust buckets here in illinois- it's bad. So almost nothing works on our special brand of cheetoh rust (not only salt but calcium chloride i believe) on the roads 6 months out of the year really rots them out. Basically any suspension work would need to be torched apart if the car is 10 years old or so. Never found that penetrating oil or grease ever helped, sometimes use oil for easier reassembly. I've since moved on to mainly working on cars that don't drive in the snow so it is much better. Just hate the mess of the silver terror, maybe i have some minor ptsd from getting covered in it like the tin man from wizard of oz.
None of that would be a proper application for Anti seize. Now putting it on BEFORE they put those together would have been good but they didn't care, they were never going to have to take it apart.
 
None of that would be a proper application for Anti seize. Now putting it on BEFORE they put those together would have been good but they didn't care, they were never going to have to take it apart.
I understand that, parts assembled with it applied to threads only is proper use.
 
Valve stems on rising stem valves, OUTSIDE, now there anti seize is a thing of beauty. I've taken apart, repacked, and reassembled those many time that are 60 - 70 and more years old. And they still work like new, just repack 'em ever 25 or 30 years, even less if they don't get used much. Coat that threaded stem in anti seize and you can come back ten years later and that will spin like it is brand new. When the power house has to open or close a valve, that thing has to work, work right and work RIGHT NOW! No time for dinking and diddling around trying to get a frozen valve stem moving.
 
My sweat will eat through just about anything. Any watch I've had that wasn't plastic or stainless will be pitted inside of 6 months of use...right through the chrome or whatever they use in cheap watches. So, I knew my blued 1911 wouldn't hold up, even with religious care. I ended up Ceracoating it, no problems now
20191020_223755.jpg
Was never going to be a heirloom item, so wasn't too worried about not keeping the original finish, and I think it turned out pretty decent looking
 
Last edited:
Assuming that the grips are not "soft" (like neoprene, synthetic rubber, etc.) a thin bead of RTV (as in pressed on with a fingertip) could help sweat migration.
Might.
Maybe.
Another option would be going to Hogue or Pachmyr synthetic grips, which might "snuggle down" a bit tighter.
I might use one of the silicone cloths to rub in a moisture resistant barrier (as in once a day for a week or so).
But, your mileage might vary.

Now, as an extreme sort of solution, you might try Cerrocoat, but all finishes will react--some amount--with acidic sweat.
 
I've found that rubber grips like (Pachmayr and Hogue) are worse about promoting rust than wood, Micarta, or G-10 grips. Don't know why. Just what I've observed. Stainless guns will rust. Even hard chrome plated guns will rust. Paste wax is the cleanest. Oil less so. Cerakote, Duracoat, Teflon S, etc work well, but are more expensive solutions.
 
Gloves won't help, they will look like I've stored them in a bucket of water. Also they don't help when carrying the pistol.

I'll give the RIG a try.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top