removing bondo from grip

[spacestout]

I have a nice Steyr grip that has been slathered in bondo and filed to fit an early youth hand. It isn't adjustable as the bondo fills the gap between hand rest and grip.

Are there known methods to remove cured bondo without hurting the wood or needing to grind?

[jsealc21]

probably not

[Mark Briggs]

I've recently struggled with the same situation after acquiring a used pistol. I thought acetone would work to soften the bondo, but this is definitely not the case. Perhaps toluene or methyl-ethyl-ketone would work?

Frankly, it's just a lot easier to don a dust mask and goggles, remove the grip from the gun, and grind away at the bondo with a dremel. This is what I did and within 20 minutes had the grip down to bare wood. Oh yes, I should mention I also had quite a layer of bondo dust on the shop floor!

[Richard H]

Depends if they did a lot of prep work first. I've always had better success with mechanical force, flat blade screwdriver and a mallet. It usually just cracks off after a couple of whacks (don't go crazy on the force). try near edges first.

[spacestout]

so it may crack and fragment.

Thanks guys.

[RobStubbs]

Just grind it all off.

It then gives you a perfect starting place from which to get the grip to suit your own hand.

Rob.

[Richard H]

Just grind it all off.

It then gives you a perfect starting place from which to get the grip to suit your own hand.

Rob.

Yes hit straight down on it, don't try to get the blade between the grip an the bondo to try and pry it off.

[Rover]

Try putting it in the freezer for an hour then give it a sharp rap with a small hammer or some such.

Heard it worked from a guy who bought a gun from me and did it. I haven't tried it.

[Richard H]

I'm in Canada so I left that step out because we don't need the freezer ;)

[spacestout]

OK. Perhaps I take it to the physics lab and try a little liquid nitrogen (or maybe CO2 let out of a cylinder). It would no doubt make the bondo very brittle. Question is could it be applied without hurting the wood. I might as well grind it down if I'm going to be adding butt paste. But, I'd like to have the original contours with beautiful wood.

While I'm at it, maybe the right frequency and amplitude of ultrasonic. Wood and bondo present different frequency responses (they'll vibrate differently in response to the sonic energy) creating a boundary condition favorable to separation.

Otherwise, I'll have to mail it to Canada, eh?

[RobStubbs]

OK. Perhaps I take it to the physics lab and try a little liquid nitrogen (or maybe CO2 let out of a cylinder). It would no doubt make the bondo very brittle. Question is could it be applied without hurting the wood. I might as well grind it down if I'm going to be adding butt paste. But, I'd like to have the original contours with beautiful wood.

Why ? You want a grip that fits you not one that looks pretty. Well unless of course you're not too bothered about getting the best out of your shooting.

While I'm at it, maybe the right frequency and amplitude of ultrasonic. Wood and bondo present different frequency responses (they'll vibrate differently in response to the sonic energy) creating a boundary condition favorable to separation.

Otherwise, I'll have to mail it to Canada, eh?

Ultrasonics may work, but it'd probably be a slow process and you may well damage the grip in the process - soaking it in water and subjecting it to ultrasonic vibrations may well cause the wood to split at any weak spots.

Rob.