handle for my dads fire place cleaver.

[spareparts]

pretty cool, I've been playing with making grips for my 1911, I've made two sets out of maple, then I put it in the holster and discovered they didn't match, so its off to find another wood, I've got some sun bleached mahogany and some teak to try, we'll see what it looks like

[Kracker Jack]

Originally Posted by spareparts

pretty cool, I've been playing with making grips for my 1911, I've made two sets out of maple, then I put it in the holster and discovered they didn't match, so its off to find another wood, I've got some sun bleached mahogany and some teak to try, we'll see what it looks like

I have a beautiful piece of mahogany.I havent figured out what im gonna do with it yet. and I have a butt load of teak also. I should make a grip for my .357 mag!!!

[Destroyer]

I have 2 nice pieces of rose wood and a nice length of black iron wood. But I'm pretty helpless in the carving dept. I'd love to make a set of grips for my combat commander, but I'm afraid of ruining the wood. <sigh> Maybe some day.... (It's funny, cause I can use a milling machine and a lathe and make damn near any part I want out of metal... but wood scares the crap outta me)

[spareparts]

cut out pieces of wood 7 inches by 2 inches by 1/4. Draw the outline of the grip panel on the wood, using one side as the final straight edge


Drill the pilot holes for the grip screws. Leave the extra on length so you can put it in a vise to shape it. I used a band saw to cut the outline of the panel, leaving it attached at teh top. The cheese grater file is your friend on this. Once you have it shaped like you want, smooth it out with a soft sanding block and sandpaper(240 works well). I still haven't figured out a good way to make brass inserts for the screws. I've done three sets out of the maple so far. teh biggest problem I found is once I get them looking good, I keep screwing with them till i mess one panel up, then have to start again. I'm going to try some checkering once I get the files from brownells

[Kracker Jack]

Originally Posted by spareparts

cut out pieces of wood 7 inches by 2 inches by 1/4. Draw the outline of the grip panel on the wood, using one side as the final straight edge


Drill the pilot holes for the grip screws. Leave the extra on length so you can put it in a vise to shape it. I used a band saw to cut the outline of the panel, leaving it attached at teh top. The cheese grater file is your friend on this. Once you have it shaped like you want, smooth it out with a soft sanding block and sandpaper(240 works well). I still haven't figured out a good way to make brass inserts for the screws. I've done three sets out of the maple so far. teh biggest problem I found is once I get them looking good, I keep screwing with them till i mess one panel up, then have to start again. I'm going to try some checkering once I get the files from brownells

Awesome work!!!!! Are you gonna leave em natural?

[spareparts]

that's about 6 coats of semi gloss over the maple. I've moved on and the next set will be teak. I got started on this idea when i saw a kimber with bone grips, i researched it a bunch, found a place that had bone and figured i needed to practice before I tried the bone, somewhere along the way, I got reasonable and thought about me having to hold something white, it would stay that color for about 10 seconds, then it would have big dirty paw prints on it, so I started playing with different wood. My sister runs a millwright shop near Raleigh, she gave me some nice scraps to start with

[Blue_Runner]

Kracker - a vintage cleaver of that quality needs to be swinging a butt atop a maple butcher block .. . . . . or to spatchcock a bird.

They don't make em like that anymore.