How to darken Morini grip ?

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » Thu May 20, 2010 3:09 pm

I recently purchased a medium size grip for my Steyr air pistol instead of the original small size grip. This new grip is a Morini grip which has a very light color instead of the dark brown Steyr grip.
I now want to darken the color of the Morini grip. I was thinking of using the Schaftol dark or extra dark oil (see http://www.schaftol.de/English/english.html). Anyone having experience in darkening the grip or can recommend a proper way to darken the grip ?
Kind regards,
Gerard

Richard H · Post by **Richard H** » Thu May 20, 2010 3:12 pm

Haven't used that brand but have used oils with stains on many grips. It worked fine.

madmull · Post by **madmull** » Thu May 20, 2010 3:55 pm

you can use this schaftol, but if you don't do anything it will become darker from it's self

watch out with this oil in yhe loading area. keep this area oilfree

i use the light variant of schaftol on my morini .22lr grip.

The thing i like most this oil is the wonderfull smell

Shooting Kiwi · Post by **Shooting Kiwi** » Fri May 21, 2010 1:07 am

The classic way of darkening wood for furniture making is to expose it to ammonia. Called 'fuming', and used extensively by the arts and crafts movement (Stickley &co in USA) on oak. Variable effect, depending on type of timber.

All you need is to make a fume-tight 'tent' out of polythene sheet, and put a small dish of strong household 'ammonia solution' in the tent with the timber. Resulting darkness depends on time of exposure. Not a quick process, so no need to panic! Of course, this won't work if the grip has been varnished, or is oil-soaked.

Otherwise, use a wood dye or a stain. Stains, by definition, contain suspended pigment, dyes are coloured solutions, and may penetrate deeper.

guest2 · Post by **guest2** » Fri May 21, 2010 9:05 am

If your wood grips already have finish on them, and I am assuming they do, this will affect how stain is absorbed. The stain might absorb better in some areas than others causing the color to be uneven.

Seamaster · Post by **Seamaster** » Fri May 21, 2010 1:01 pm

An excellent way to darken the walnut wood is the carpenter's way of tenting.

Put your grip in a closed bottle or box, drop a ammonium smelling salt stick (from any pharmacy), let it sit for 6 hours, the wood grain would show up beautifully and dark.

It is called ammonia tenting in carpentry. Beautiful dark wood grain.

Google ammonia tenting for more information.