More about "antiquing" white grips ...

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Howdy!

Pardon me if this borders on repetition - 'specially since there's already a current post about staining grips.

My question is pretty specific: is the white material that Hogue uses for their Birdhead grips (see: Qualite' brass frames with Hogue supplied white or black grips) AND is it the same as Ruger uses for their "ivory" grips and are they both the same material that other white grips are made of?  I am leery of trying them for fear of messing them up.  (I have both - a set of the Hogues AND a set of white Vaquero grips.)

Although no one mentioned it this time on the other post I've heard about soaking the grips in tea and some other methods.  The reason I'm not sure about these grips is that they DON'T seem to be porous and 6-8 years of use and oil and such hasn't changed my grip color whatsoever.  They're still pure white - and rather plastic looking in their color.

Thanks

Jeff "Steel Horse Bailey"

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Howdy Steelhorse

            The grips they were talking about ,are the porous type, like the kind that Buffalo Bros. carries, the real shinny materials are usualy a harder plastic, I don't think I would mess with this kind of material , it probably wouldn't take anyway or you could in up ruining a good pair of grips..The porous materials are great for staining , and finisfing with True Oil , and then softly rubbing with 0000 steel wool, if you want a more satin type, natural wear looking finish, or you can rub them out with Rotten Stone and Rubbing Oil, for a shinny to gloss like finish. Then for either type finish, you can put a couple of coats of Beachwood Caseys gun stock wax, or you can also use Minwax Wood Floor Wax, buff them up and your done. This is a fun project, and a rewarding one, if you should decide to give it a try... Hope this helped

                                      Shoot Straight And Have Fuuuuun

                           TEN WOLVES FIVE SHOOTER 

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Thanks, Ten Wolves!

           The grips they were talking about are the porous type, like the kind that Buffalo Bros. carries; the real shinny materials are usually a harder plastic. I don't think I would mess with this kind of material, it probably wouldn't take anyway or you could end up ruining a good pair of grips..

                            TEN WOLVES FIVE SHOOTER 

Yeah - that's whut I was 'fraid of ... that my shiny white grips are more like plastic and really won't take a stain.  And - I don't wanna try "painting" them.  Whut I MAY do is sorta tone down the "glossy shine" and then they might be a candidate for a scrimshaw treatment.  (I'd only do the the Hogue ones on my Birdhead Vaquero w/ brass gripframe - the stock white full size Ruger grips - that came on the gun - are a Ruger special version with the Ruger emblem scrimshawed on them;  I would ONLY have tried to turn them a creamy color.)  I've been toying with this idea for some time and I guess now I have to look seriously for a pattern that I like and is meaningful - like the Indian cups and also powder horns.  Kinda like a pictograph.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Howdy Steel Horse

             It sounds like you have this pretty much figured out, your question about swrimshaw, I'm not sure just how deep some of the swrimshaw is on some of these grip's, but I do know that I've seen it worn off on different things like knife handles and gun grips, pens, so their might be better processes around for swrimshaw that will stay on and last longer , I guess it just gets worn off with time. And your right , you can tone down the glossey shin if you want, just use 000 steel wool to take the gloss off, and then use 0000 steel wool to finish, this will give them a rich natural bone look, I've done this before on white plastic ivory grips and they came out great, they will even grip better, at least it feels that way. Changeing the color is hard to do, when the materal is not porous, and painting I wouldn't do either, it will just rub off with time, with none porous hard shinny plastic's the color is thru and thru, it is what it is Pard, I think you will be happy if you just make these small changes. I hope this all comes out to your likeing , and that this was a little help to you....

                                      Shoot Straight  and have fuuuuuuun

                                        TEN WOLVES FIVE SHOOTER

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Whered ya go Steel Horse, I've been talken at ya...... it's like  the lights are on, but nobodys home

                                    10w5s

[Steel Horse Bailey]

UH, I dunno 

If you've PM'ed me, I haven't got it.  Otherwise, I'm right here.

Oh - sometimes I'm on this site, but away from the confuser.  Could that be it?

     Ten Wolves, you wrote: "it's like the lights are on, but nobodys home "


I've been accused of that a lot! 

Thanks for the tips 'bout the grips.  I'm a poet but don't know it ... but my feet show it - they're Longfellows. 

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Howdy Steel Horse

           Will I'm sure glad you turned the cotton picken light's back on , I just didn't want that reply to go unread, sometimes these replys go unread and unnoticed, Will thats good you got to read it, and I hope it helped in someway, Thats the first time I've seen that combination of brass and ss or nickel on a birds head, looks real nise...

                           Will Take Care Steel Horse

                              TEN WOLVES FIVE SHOOTER

                 

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Thankee kindly, 10 Wolves Fiveshooter.

I am something of an authenticity nut (or just a nut) which is why I concentrate on NCOWS, BUT I am a proud SASS Lifer and still shoot my Vaquero there.  It's just such a sweet shooter!  It was originally a factory "custom" limited edition polished stainless and called a Sheriff's gun, even 'tho it does still have the ejector rod on that shorty barrel.  The factory grips are the full-size white ones with the large Ruger emblem "scrimshawed" on them.  I found out about the Qualite' Birdhead grips and fitted a brass one with the white grips.  This was all done about 1 1/2 years before Ruger's Birdhead gripped guns were available, so it was somewhat unique at the time.  All in all, it's a great sized package that I've carried for serious defense numerous times!  45 Colt is nuthin' ta sneeze at, defense-wise!  It's also managed to lose the "menu" on the barrel  and came from the factory smoothed out with the lightest factory springs they had. 

It's a keeper.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Back at-ya Steel Horse
         
        That gun is definitely a keeper for shure, I have never shot the Ruger Birdshead before, but I have handled, one , and thought they felt real nice in the hand, I have no doughts about it being a good defence gun in 45 long colt, I too tend to carry single action revolvers, for self defence, I have more faith in them , I've been out on hunting trips with friends in the last 40 years or so, and my single action was the only gun that didn't fail... I like DA and autos but I put my thrust in my Single Actions.... How does that Ruger Birdshead print, I know it it pretty much a close range gun, but to what distence is it accurate, I know it is just for close range , but I've seen some guys do real well with one, just curious how the Ruger does. 
                               Thanks for getting back Steel Horse, and have a Great Day


                                   TEN WOLVES FIVE SHOOTER