Making Your Grips Look Aged

[Frizzen]

How do you all make your fake ivory grips look aged?  I tried soaking overnight in tea, and that turned them a little
but they need more. Got them soaking in yellow food coloring right now, but don't think this is going to work. Thinking
about liquid smoke?   Any ideas?

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

  Why not just buy a pair that is already antiqued, Buffalo Brothers does a great job on grips, and they aren't that much, IMHO

[St. George]

Depending upon who made them and what material they're made of - 'some' will yellow naturally.

Real Ivory stays 'white' a long time, under all manner of conditions - just look at original revolvers and knife hilts.

Just ensure that they fit the frame and backstrap and triggerguard properly and polish away any sanding marks - then use them.

Artificially aging your grips makes them look faked - like Italian 'casehardening'...

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Professor Marvel]

Some have had better luck with very strong coffee or stain made from ground up walnut shells rather than tea. Some have been able to accelerate aging with careful low application of low heat, but this could cause damage.

Obviously a permanent stain that penetrates is required or it will simply rub off.

The issue of course, as pointed out by our esteemed St George is "what is it made of" ?

To my uncertain knowledge delrin will not stain well. Almost any sort of "solid" or non-porous plastic material will prove difficult to color after the fact. I myself have had reasonably good results staining some "ivory micarta" I obtained years ago, but that is in fact paper bonded together using epoxy under pressure - Thus it would seem that the paper was still able to absorb some color e'en tho it was ostensibly coated with epoxy.

Perhaps you can contact the original vendor for further details and/or advice?

yhs
prof (less grumpy) marvel