Re-doing Uberti grips

[Marshal Deadwood]

For thoses inclined to share,,,whats ya 'secret tenique' when ya refinish The Uberti Redwoods ?'

Thanks,

Marshal Deadwood 

[Pettifogger]

I usually slightly reshape the sides of my Uberti grips.  Then I spray on paint stripper and use some steel wool to get the rest of the finish off.  9 times out of ten the wood is actually not bad looking so I just rub in some Birchwood Casey stock finsih.  Three or four coats and they look pretty good.  If the wood looks a little light, just rub in some walnut stain.

[Fox Creek Kid]

Ironically, the "red" color that many despise in the Italian clones is actually very close in color to real Colt varnished grips of the 18th century. Civilian guns were finished in varnish & military guns were oiled. Just a heads up. 

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[Doc O]

As far as the color. If you need or want to keep the red color, Fiebing's British Tan dye come pretty close.
Make sure you test it first.

[Thai Fighter]

Ironically, the "red" color that many despise in the Italian clones is actually very close in color to real Colt varnished grips of the 18th century.

FCK, that IS the irony of our hobby.  I've noticed this too, we mostly strive to be "authentic" from our clothing, rigs and gear we carry.  Yet we talk at great lengths on weathering and anitqueing leather and irons.  In reality, in my west of the early 1870s, people were packing guns that looked blued and shiny (nickled if you prefer), and leather that was stiff and new just like we have out of our mail order boxes today.  That includes the "red" grips the Italians have purposely researched and reproduced for us.

We only see the old irons today as there are after a century of wear, storgage, use, and passing down.  So what are we trying to do?  Reproduce a sidearm that looks 100 years old, or a sidearm that looks like it did 100 years ago?

[Paladin UK]

TF says.......

So what are we trying to do?  Reproduce a sidearm that looks 100 years old, or a sidearm that looks like it did 100 years ago?

Ya gotcha self a reeeel good point there pard!!

Paladin (What likes ta tinker too ) UK

[Angel_Eyes]

All I have done to my new pair is to slightly rub down either side of the backstrap and the same on the underside of the grips.
I will let my corrosive sweat do the rest, naturally!

AE

[Thai Fighter]

For the record, I'm NOT judging.  I'm going to strip my own 1851 "rebel" brass framed C&B later to "tone down the shiny" and see if I like it as well.

As an aside, can you believe when I first got that brass framed ASM 1851 I used to polish that thing with Brasso every other cleaning?!?  What was I thinking?!?

  It looks much better tarnished and patina'd now.

[Deadeye Don]

I have redone a few of my Uberti made grips.  I really much prefer taking the varnish off, seeing what is underneath and then deciding what to do.   One of the grips  (75 Remington)  looked so good after only taking the varnish off that I left it alone as the stain was not at all hurt in the process of taking the varnish off.   The grips have fantastic grain that you can now see clearly.  Other grips I have sanded a bit and refinished.  I put some Tung oil on one set.   I still prefer the unvarnished look like FCK correctly stated was the way the military ordered their guns.  For me it does depend on what the wood looks like what I end up doing.  Some guns,  I wont monkey around with as they look just fine the way they were shipped to me. 

[Fox Creek Kid]

Here's what give the best duplication of 19th century varnished civilian grips IMO.

1. Strip the grips and let dry for a day. Use alcohol to remove any last traces.

2.  Stain with Behlen Solar-Lux "Blood Red" stain. Use nitrile gloves. Let dry for one day.

3.  Apply Truoil coat. Let dry one day.

4.  Lightly steel wool with #0000. Apply 2nd coat of Truoil. Let dry one day.

5.  Repeat step #4 for total of  4 - 5 days until you have a built up finish.





I guarantee you a finish that will stand out + look 100% authentic.

[Marshall John Joseph]

I am not saying that I am an expert in stock refinishing, but I have had some success in redoing several longrifle stocks and Ruger grips.  I do not like the shiny varnished stain and seal process, authentic or not. I like the oil finished look - flat, not shiny.

I first strip the stock with a commerical stripper, like Strip-EZ.  Follow the directions, and final rub with 0000 steel wool and let dry.  Lightly sand with 200 grit paper.  Stain the color you like.  If a curly maple stock or if you want to bring out curl, use a product called Wahkon Bay Aqua Fortis before staining.  It will turn the wood an ugly green until you apply heat.  Heat over a stove and it will turn the green to a reddish brown and highlight the curl or grain.   Lightly sand.  I like to stain over the red to my desired shade, usually a darker brown/walnut.  I have had some nice results Minwax Red Chestnut stain.  Let it dry for 6 hours. 

Then apply one coat of Minwax Helmsman® Spar Urethane.  It is a specially formulated protective clear finish for exterior or interior wood that is exposed to sunlight, water, or temperature changes. It contains UV blockers to reduce the sun's graying and fading effects. Helmsman® Spar Urethane forms a protective barrier against rain and moisture and its special oils allow the finish to expand and contract with the wood as seasons and temperatures change.  This will fill the pores and seal the wood.  Sand with 200 grit sandpaper.  You can add a second coat of Helmsman, depending on the depth of the wood's pores.  Sand as before.

Now coat with Wahkon Bay Tru Coat.  Follow directions.  It is (to me) better than Tru-Oil, because it does not dry hard and shiny.  You just continually coat until you get the sheen you want.  It gives a real hand rubbed oil finish.

Not an advertisement, but you can get the stuff here:

WAHKON BAY AQUAFORTIS—2 oz. $8.95. Tru-Coat, Tru-Brown, Tru-Blue or Insta-Blue—2oz. bottles $6.95. The original, ready-to-use formulas. Shipping and handling $12.50 up to six bottles. Continental U.S. ground shipping only. Gunbuilder and dealer quantities available. MICHAEL LEA AND DAUGHTER, 2109 Summit Street, Columbus OH 43201. Telephone 614-291-4757. Email: <oldguns2109@sbcglobal.net

I do not know these people, but I have used the Wahkon Bay products in the past, and it is the best stuff around.  Easy to use and the oil finish is tops.

Marshall John Joseph

[Coyote Hunter]

Slightly off the topic, but have you niticed that if a Pietta grip is made just a couple of years apart from the other, THEY WON'T INTERCHANGE! 


And the same for uberti SAA.

[Flinch Morningwood]

Something I use when stripping grips and stocks is Citri-Strip...it's and orange smelling stripper that has few noxious odors.

The trick is to paint the stuff on fairly thick and then cover the peice with aluminium foil, sealing it but not too tight to the peice...come back the next day and the varnish comes of easily with a plastic brush.  I always scrup with some mineral oil and a bruch after wards to make sure I get the stripper off...

[Marshal Deadwood]

Do chemicals strippers need neturalized with baking soda afterwards ?  I always feared that if I didnt do this,,that the 'new' coat would be affected by any residue left in the pours of the wood by the stripper ?  I admit,,I don't know if this is necessary, and thought I'd ask to see what ya'll think about it.

MD

[Pettifogger]

Slightly off the topic, but have you niticed that if a Pietta grip is made just a couple of years apart from the other, THEY WON'T INTERCHANGE! 


And the same for uberti SAA.

Colt's made a couple of hours apart won't interchange.  Most grips won't be a perfect fit when moved from one gun to another because they are final sanded on the frame.

[Thai Fighter]

Old timey production methods, it's both a curse and a pleasure.

[Marshall John Joseph]

Do chemicals strippers need neturalized with baking soda afterwards ?  I always feared that if I didnt do this,,that the 'new' coat would be affected by any residue left in the pours of the wood by the stripper ?  I admit,,I don't know if this is necessary, and thought I'd ask to see what ya'll think about it.

MD

I would guess it depends on the stripper you use.  The reason I use Strypeeze (spelling correct this time) is that it is water-rinsable for easy cleanup.  Wood just has to be clean and dry before applying stain or finishing coats.

I know using water on bare unprotected wood sounds wierd, but if you want to get a baby smooth finish, after the wood is dry, apply a light coat of water.  Don't submerge or drench the wood.  Just a light passing with a wet cloth.  Then place the stock over a heat source, moving it back and forth so the wood doesn't burn or scorch.  You are just trying to dry the wetness out of the wood.  This will cause microscopic wood splinters to rise and stand up on the surface of the wood, like day old whiskers on your face.  Then use the finest sandpaper you can find to "shave" (sand) the wiskers off.  This is NOT the time to be aggressive with the sandpaper.  LIGHTLY sand.  Rewet, dry, and LIGHTLY sand again, sanding in one direction and easy, till the you can not raise the grain anymore.  Then proceed to finish as described in my other post.

I don't think this step is critical in finishing handgun grips, but if you are rinsing the stripper with water, why not whisker once or twice?   It cleans the surface nicely and prepares the surface to consistantly take the stain.  On a quality gunstock finish, it is a must.  Some refinishers use a gunstock filler to "fill in the pores" of the wood to get a level finish.  By using the Helmsman product and sanding, this acts as the filler and is chemically stronger when filling the pores.

Again, I am not an expert, but I have finished many stocks on my muzzleloaders as well as modern guns.  You are, as a hobbyist, able to get a nice finish with a little elbow grease and patience.  I personally do not like the shiny "plastic" look on a gunstock.  I like a hand rubbed oil finish with an oil "glow".  By using the oil process I described, you simply periodically add a coat of Tru-Coat to refresh the finish.  (Even though it is an "oil finish", the Tru-Coat dries and is NOT oily to the touch).  No resanding, stripping, and refinishing needed.  Every time you clean your guns, put a few drops - that's all it takes - on the gunstock and rub it in till your hand and the oil gets warm.  Let it dry.  You are building up a nice oil finish like the old timers did.

Marshall John Joseph

[Montanian]

Thanks for the pictures, those are not only authentic looking, they're great-looking!!!! and look like you'd still have a good grip.  Your process must have taken a long time to work out!