Why..Custom Grips?? Curley Maple 1858 grips, pics.

[Stacey Lee]

I like custom grips becasue they look pretty and they fit my hand.
I also like them because I shoot better with them.
I like them because I can make them !

These are some I made from " blank " West-Coast Curley Maple . The Eschutsens are from Bownells ( Eschutsens are the grip screw cup, nut and bolt that hols the grips on to the frame on a two peice grip , for the newbee of course ) too, and the Oil finish on these is mine of Pro Custom Oil also from Brownells gun supply .

The gun is the Pietta Old Silver model from Fall Creek Suttlery for around $400. The engraved PB cylinder is installed in the pic, but I also sport the Jewelled conversion cylinder for this beast at around $290 without shipping. Very pretty gun, especially with the new custom grips, and I aint pattin myself on the back there, this is God given talent, not mine, and I am just greatfull to be able to provide people with nice grips and myself too mostly of course . When a gun is nice and grips are nice, they are just nice, period.

Cheers, Sincerely Stacey Lee
Southern Bell,
Southern Reb,
Gunsmith and legend in my own mind only! Ha ha ha 

[Dick Dastardly]

Howdy Stacey Lee,

Yup, those are mighty fine lookin' grips.  What do you finish 'em with?

I have a whole wood pile full of black cherry, walnut and white oak.  Also a good line on some fine birds eye maple.  What size chunks do you need to make grips from?  I  save out some of the crotch cut and burl.  The rest goes into the furnace to heat my ranch.

DD-DLoS

[Old Top]

Stacey Lee,

You do indeed have a talent with grips those are outstanding.

Old Top

[Stacey Lee]

Old Top, and Mr. Dastardly ,

thanks kindly, and I do try hard to produce quality stuff , especially for the customer, but I like doing my own too, probably even more . Pays terrible when making my own , but the satisfaction is better !!! Ha ha ha.....The gifts of talent are from God, the labor is mine, for him. I try to keep that in perspected so I can still get my swelled head through doorways.

Sincerely, Stacey Lee

[SFT]

I've got a Navy Arms NMA made by Uberti back in 1973, in .44 but with the small Navy grip frame, and I'd love to get some more info on how to make some custom grips myself.  Even sambar stag blanks are reasonable compared to finished grips; any advice on picking out the right size block of material would be appreciated. 

[Stacey Lee]

SFT,
there is a thread of posts in SCORRS in the forum listing here at CAS , go to it and you will find two of us describe in detail some of the proceedure to make those grips, fit them, finish them, etc, etc.....

Navy, whether its a Colt style Navy grip or Remington NA Navy grip, it doesn't matter, we go about the same way and it is there in the thread.
As far as wood size, it only needs to be slightly bigger than your grip size ? I try to buy a peice that is long enough and big enough to get two matching panels out of to exact the same grain patterns on both sides of the pistol. I use 3/4"x4" stuff mostly , but also use thick stuff and cut it in half to exactly match the grains. Not that you ever see both sides of the guna t one time, but it is nice to have close matching wood at least.

Need anymore info after this, and looking htere, let me knwo.

Stacye Lee