How they do it? Stippled pistol grips?

[keithwwalker]

How do grip manufacturer's achieve that fine stippling on their grips. I have seen some aftermarket grips that can't achieve that effect.

Is there a standard tool that does this?

[Tzed250]

I did this, with this;

[keithwwalker]

Very nice, but I have to think that the grip companies have a reciprocating machine that does that.

[gn303]

I don’t know how grip companies do it, nor how Rink operates but I have seen Hoffman at work. He did all the finishing by hand. The tool he used looked like a brush of nails that were fixed on a hammer to increase the impact. And that was it, the rest was craftsmanship. Btw, Tzed250 you did a nice job. It proofs that ‘the knack and how to do it’ is important.
Guy

[ciscovt]

Another method that I have seen described, but have not tried was the use of a dremel tool with a small round burr bit. The author said practice on a scap piece of wood, to determine best speed and bit size, was adviseable.

ciscovt

[David Levene]

The tool he used looked like a brush of nails that were fixed on a hammer to increase the impact.

I have seen a similar tool, but mounted on a short-stroke pneumatic hammer.

A line was first carved around the area to stippled. The stippling process then took about a minute.

I agree, nice job Tzed250. It would be interesting to see the top surface of the palm shelf. I presume it's flat but, for some reason, get the impression it might be dished.

[zoned]

A #35 inverted-cone bur in a belt or cable driven handpiece, tapped over the grip surface, comes close to duplicating some factory stipples. This technique cuts the stipple instead of crushing wood like the impact processes do.

[keithwwalker]

Foredom and Proxxon make reciprocating hammer type devices. Either called chisel, or hammer. I wonder how they would work or which one would be best:
http://www.proxxon.com/us/html/38644.html
http://www.foredom.net/specialuse.aspx
http://www.foredom.net/anvil-hammertips.aspx

I think the more expensive units have adjustable speed and stroke.

Brownells sells some tools but they look more like a shallow checkering tool:
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=396/ ... NG_PUNCHES

From my net searches, even some custom rifle stock makers are hand stippling with nails, gravers, or for some stocks they machine out the stipple with a small dremel burr

http://www.shootingtimes.com/gunsmithing/0107/
http://www.hamcontact.com/airgun/Stippling.htm
even cheap engravers:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1260 ... ockType=G1

The machined stippling seems more common on rifle stocks than competition pistols:
http://www.pellethead.net/forums/showth ... 815&page=2

[zuckerman]

Howdy,
Have you got a picture of a #35 inverted cone bur? and a picture of either one of the handpieces you mention? and manufacturer/distributor?
and as long as we are on the subject, what finish is used on a stippled grip?
thanks.

[left360]

Randall Fung wrote a bit on the Bullseye-L list on how he recommends doing it. Do a search there for his posting.

[zoned]

> Have you got a picture of a #35 inverted cone bur?

http://tinyurl.com/2bagpbm


> a picture of either one of the handpieces you mention?

I prefer a Wells belt drive with 3/32" collet, but this cable driven Foredom will work:
http://www.foredom.net/h8handpiecegeneraluse.aspx


> what finish is used on a stippled grip?

Tung oil will seal the grain and help keep sweat and gun oil from discoloring the grip:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tung_oil

If you are refinishing the whole grip, the Tung oil can be tinted:
http://tinyurl.com/ydsc4xp

[zuckerman]

Hey, Thanks zoned...