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Grips
Emmett Dunham
Member Posts: 1,418 ✭✭✭✭✭
I have a set of old platic grips and one of them have turnd a little yellow and I would like to know if anyone has devised a way to blacken them rather than replace the grip.
Thank, you
Emmett
Thank, you
Emmett
Comments
rick
Emmett,
I kind of doubt that you will be satisfied with paint to change the color of your grips. Some of the super tough paint in spray cans might work, but if I were you, I'd stay away from the bake-on coatings for obious reasons.
Can you advise additional information about your grips?
---what is the original color.....white?
---how old do you think they are?
---are you sure they are plastic?
---are they for a collectable gun?
You want to be certain the grips are not ivory or bone before you mess with them. These materials will take stain pretty well, but you will be dying a pretty expensive set of grips. It is not really reversible, especially for these organic materials.
If you know the grips are plastic and not rare or important, try this:
===wear rubber gloves
===clean the grips with hot water and soap and dry them well.
===coat them with the appropriate color permanent leather dye, such as Feibings.
===after the dye dries thoroughly, get some shoe polish of the same color and rub into the grips for several minutes. (Do not try to remove the dye first.)
===heat up the grip panels very well with a hair dryer, being careful to not melt or deform them.
===let the shoe polish dry and then take an old t-shirt and rub the grip panels hard and thoroughly, until all the color that you can rub off is.......well, rubbed off. Use a toothbrush if necessary.
This technique should stain the grip panels (no guarantee; I don't know the material you have), but will not completely cover the old color, so this technique may not be for you.
Do remember, however, that gun solvents, alcohols, etc. may remove some or all of the stain the stain.
Of course, you can use a commercial wood stain to see how that works. Remember, however, a great deal of what is sold as "stain" is actually brown paint in one shade or another. If you use stain, make sure that what you use is a "spirit stain". These stains will "soak in" rather than cover the surface. Follow the directions and repeat as necessary. They probably even have "black", but I think you'd have to look hard for it.
Wolf I will hold of on using your proceedure until I see if I get any other replys on the posiblilities of the grips not being plastic.
Thank, you
Emmett
I believe they are made of some kind of hard fiber or possibly a "bakelite" type material. I found some interesting info on your gun at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remington_51[8D]
I've been using DuraCoat firearm finish with a hobby type air brush to paint composite stocks both solid color and camoflage colors. It's very durable and easy to use.[:D] No baking is required.[:D] I'd try the Matte Black color. Check 'em out at: http://www.houtsenterprises.net/dur_patterns.html
There are replacement black grips available, I believe.
Asatone does break down plastic, so assure you wash it when done. If it brings back the color (will not work on all plastics)apply in the same method to the face of the grip. A small "nateral" material brush can be used if the grip is checkered.
Good luck
Yes, As Bill noted above, Bakelite IS an earlier form of a true plastic. It came on the scene somewhere in the early 1900s and was not replaced until after WWII sometime (it had a long run!). The test for Bakelite is to get your nose ready and heat up a needle or pin to red hot and stick it into a hidden place on the test piece. Get your nose down there. The resulting smoke/fumes should smell like burnt hair.
You might consider buying factory replacement grips at Gun Parts Corp, where they are in stock @ $27.15. The only problem is that these are purple/black in color.
Neal
Thank everyone for the very good ideas that help get the job done!
Thanks!
Emmett