What kind of wood was used for wooden grips?

[rawbutter]

I want to make a custom wooden pump handle to match the wooden grips I've got. I want them both to match, obviously, so it would help if I knew what kind of wood the grips were made from. Does anyone happen to know?

[luke]

No one really knows how many different species of threes there on the planet. It is estimated anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 varieties, yours will be one of those. We could all wager a guess but it may be easier to identify you you posted a picture. :)

[mobsterboy]

No one really knows how many different species of threes there on the planet. It is estimated anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 varieties, yours will be one of those. We could all wager a guess but it may be easier to identify you you posted a picture. :)
If Luke's comment was too long:
Show us what you got! (And details on who made them would help too)

[luke]

Am I swimming in the millennial pool or something? LOL omg :D

[luke]

Wood grain and natural color will help figure out what wood it is...

[rawbutter]

yeah....noob mistake not posting pictures first. Silly me. And then when I pulled out the grips a few minutes ago to snap a picture, I realized something else. Not all wooden grips are made from the same wood. :tard: I don't know how I never noticed that before. They are shaped exactly the same, but the ones on the left are more...brown? They even weigh more. I can tell just from holding them.

95959

So this idea just got a lot more complicated. *sigh*

[luke]

Are the inside of the grips "finished"?
Can you tell if their laminated?

[luke]

I'm guessing, but they do look like they're laminated...

[Justus]

Those grips have been stained. Smart Parts wooden wraps came in a variety of colors, all stained. Just find something with a large enough grain to somewhat match, and then take the grips and a sample piece of wood to somewhere that they mix and sell custom stain shades. That's how my contractors got my solid pine doors, poplar trim and walnut cabinets to all match in my house.

After you stain to match, you can use some tung oil or boiled linseed oil on the new part to penetrate and protect the wood, matching the shine of the original grip.

[rawbutter]

Are the inside of the grips "finished"?
Can you tell if their laminated?

I don't think the inside is finished. It's certainly not glossy. I also tried scratching a little bit to see if the color is only skin deep, but it seems to go throughout the wood.


Those grips have been stained. Smart Parts wooden wraps came in a variety of colors, all stained. Just find something with a large enough grain to somewhat match, and then take the grips and a sample piece of wood to somewhere that they mix and sell custom stain shades.... After you stain to match, you can use some tung oil or boiled linseed oil on the new part to penetrate and protect the wood, matching the shine of the original grip.

Won't staining the wood eliminate the different colors and make it all look like the same color?

I actually swung by a local lumber yard yesterday with these, and one of the clerks said I should consider bocote (https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/JZMAAOSw~xlazPOe/s-l400.jpg)for the pump handle. It has some yellowish grains that should match the grips on the right. They don't carry it in stock, but I can get a blank on eBay (https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bocote-1-5-x-1-5-x-6/253553149925?hash=item3b08f207e5:g:uNAAAOSwFHNazPO n)for relatively cheap.

[luke]

Post a picture of the unfinished grain on the inside, I'm guessing it will be one color. Also a straight on picture of the finger grip area would help. The striations of the different colors lead me to me believe it's a laminate of two different wood types.

[luke]

Won't staining the wood eliminate the different colors and make it all look like the same color?

No, stain does not work like paint.

[Dawg047]

I don't think the inside is finished. It's certainly not glossy. I also tried scratching a little bit to see if the color is only skin deep, but it seems to go throughout the wood.



Won't staining the wood eliminate the different colors and make it all look like the same color?

I actually swung by a local lumber yard yesterday with these, and one of the clerks said I should consider bocote (https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/JZMAAOSw~xlazPOe/s-l400.jpg)for the pump handle. It has some yellowish grains that should match the grips on the right. They don't carry it in stock, but I can get a blank on eBay (https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bocote-1-5-x-1-5-x-6/253553149925?hash=item3b08f207e5:g:uNAAAOSwFHNazPO n)for relatively cheap.

Are you sure those grips aren't laminated wood? I have a ton of real steel laminated grips and stocks and the SP grips look just like these rest of them. Unless SP sourced specific wood with that funky grain, I would certainly say that is laminated wood. If that isn't laminated wood, I would be shocked, but it could be something off the wall.

[boddah]

Wanna sell the brown grips and frame?


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[Spider-TW]

Are you sure those grips aren't laminated wood? I have a ton of real steel laminated grips and stocks and the SP grips look just like these rest of them. Unless SP sourced specific wood with that funky grain, I would certainly say that is laminated wood. If that isn't laminated wood, I would be shocked, but it could be something off the wall.

Seconded on the laminate. You can buy laminates in various colors. It is like a plywood phenolic. Wear a dust mask for sure.

[luke]

So what kind of wood did they use?

This brown looks like black walnut, I cant even wager a guess on the darker black wood..

95973

If you can figure out the types of wood used you could easily lay up the laminates to make your part.

[rawbutter]

Okay....more pictures, as requested.

95974

95975

You're definitely right about the wood being laminated. It's pretty obvious from the front.

That makes this whole project much more complicated, though. I only wanted to know the kind of wood so I could match it, but if I have to laminate stuff....that sounds like more trouble than it's worth.

I'm also thinking about the blocks of rosewood that I've got sitting around leftover from a box I made last year. There's enough there for a set of matching grips and pump handle. That honestly might be easier. Or at least within my comfort zone.

[rawbutter]

Wanna sell the brown grips and frame?


Currently I have plans for both these frames. One is going on a pump mag. The other is for a pneumag frame. If that changes, though, I'll let you know.

[smilestyler]

There are companies that sell laminate gun stock blanks. I would suggest that you contact one of these guys and show them what you are doing and have them sell you a piece that is already laminated and of the correct wood for you to shape. They would probably be able to give you the best advice on finishing it as well.

[Dawg047]

Laminate wood can be bought, it is just like any other wood. Check around for like laminate blanks. You should be able to find some pretty easily on eBay. Like stated, Boyds sells laminate blanks as well so you might be able to get a piece in a similar pattern you want from them. Make sure you check with someone on how to finish them. I have some Birch Laminate handguards on my AK and boy, I messed the first set up trying to stain them. The laminated wood ate the stain right up and the result looked terrible. I have found if you are trying to color laminate, that using a tinted shellac works the best. Otherwise, get a colored laminate and clear it with poly or clear shellac.

[luke]

Laying up the laminated sheets is no big deal, it's just a matter of gluing and clamping the sheets together. I saw a variety of 1/16" sheets on ebay, I would contact one of these companies to see if they can identify the wood used in your grips.

[Laku]

Like Luke said, it’s pretty easy.

Here are few pictures of stained grips I made.

http://www.automags.org/forums/showthread.php?266092-Some-of-my-mags&p=2845886#post2845886

[boddah]

[emoji106]


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[rawbutter]

Like Luke said, it’s pretty easy.

Here are few pictures of stained grips I made.

http://www.automags.org/forums/showthread.php?266092-Some-of-my-mags&p=2845886#post2845886

Thanks for those pictures. That's very helpful. I would have never thought of making a wooden frame to use as a spacer between the grips.

I really think this is the road I'm going to take. I've never had good luck, so I doubt that I'll be able to find something that will match either set of grips perfectly. I think it's safer to make the grips and the pump handle from the same wood. That will take more time, but at least that way I'll know they will match at the end.

(I love that Karta, by the way.)

[luke]

I wonder if this is a match?

95978

95979

http://ocoochhardwoods.com/scroll_saw_lumber.php

[Pyrate Jim]

Late to the party, I know.
But as a career wood worker I might be able to add some things.

First off, those look like Smart Parts grips. Made from laminated wood using a polycarbonate resin much like the brand Diamondwood, not just "glued" together.
Secondly, the layers are dyed, not stained ~ (there is a difference) ~ and the dye process is before the lamination. Often layering two or more different colors to achieve a specific look.
Most laminates like that use domestic closed-pore woods like beech, walnut or one of the maple varieties.

[luke]

Thanks for the info Jim, I've always wondered how they got the colors and look of those grips.

[knownothingmags]

Late to the party, I know.
But as a career wood worker I might be able to add some things.

First off, those look like Smart Parts grips. Made from laminated wood using a polycarbonate resin much like the brand Diamondwood, not just "glued" together.
Secondly, the layers are dyed, not stained ~ (there is a difference) ~ and the dye process is before the lamination. Often layering two or more different colors to achieve a specific look.
Most laminates like that use domestic closed-pore woods like beech, walnut or one of the maple varieties.

this is great info

[rawbutter]

That is helpful, and all the more reason not to try and match the wood. Sounds way too complicated for my current skill set.

[luke]

Like Luke said, it’s pretty easy.

Here are few pictures of stained grips I made.

http://www.automags.org/forums/showthread.php?266092-Some-of-my-mags&p=2845886#post2845886

Laku, I'm curious if it would be possible to steam each piece of wood a layer at a time and wrap it around the frame instead of stacking each layer one on top of another making a two piece grip?

[Laku]

Should be possible on frames that have fairly straight front edge to bend it around. And if you can get thin enough veneer, and laminate it yourself as you go, you wouldn't probably even need to steam it that much.