Come Into Bawanna's Famous Grip Emporium

[jeepster09]

Well it was a cloudy day so after wrapping the Officer grips and spending a good amount of time on the kitchen floor in a fatal position, thumb in mouth, I decided to complete a set of K grips. My last piece of Coco Bolo large enough for a Kahr grip.

I decided to checker the backstrap as somebody requested some time back and liked it. They turned out good with one minor mystery. The little ears on the back at the top of the grip seem to have moved away from the frame a bit. They fit perfectly when I first put them on. They are solid, and not a function issue just a little thing that bugs me. Not sure what I can do to fix it, but I'll ponder it some.

These like most I post pictures of are up for grabs, trades, swap's , charitable donations. All good.

WOW.....Those are awesome!

[Bawanna]

Got a mountain of checkering cutters today from a shop I used to visit nearly every day, many years ago. Like many around here, after 40 plus years in business he's closing end of this month. Due to state requirements.......
Anyhow I asked him if he happened to have any Dem Bart cutters and sho nuff he did. He sent a picture. Said he needed to get shed of all of them. He said for a 100 clams he's send all he had. There's only half a dozen of so that I actually use now but I might try some of the finer checkering cutters. And the cutters with handles are a huge plus since they have cutters I use as well. Still on the hunt but we're back in the game for quite a spell now.

[dao]

Hey that's great news Colonel ! I'd love to have you do some standard thickness grips for me like you made for your Bul, only with a full magwell cut. Blue or Red stones would work, though black hematite would be very special!

[BirdsThaWord]

I don't know what they would normaly cost Colonel, but it looks like you scored!
As evident by dao's request, I think you are on to something with the bejeweled grips. I've never seen anything like them. Now we just need to make an Ai Bawanna and an automated cnc process feeding scales in one end and grips out the other. We will rule the world!

[Bawanna]

He's obviously had these a long time. Most packages are marked 1.99. And he was usually high priced on stuff. Now when you can find these cutters they are over 20.00. I think I got a super deal. He said just sell the stuff I don't use for profit but I"m not a war profiteer. Don't know how many folk cut with the finer checkering. Might post something up. Never much for selling stuff online.

I'm not sure whats required of a full magwell cut. Just leave them square on the bottom and flush with the bottom of the frame? No idea what black hematite is but if it's round or not too oddly shaped we can probably do it.

[dao]

Yep, flat across the bottom, no notch for the MSH pin. Black hematite is the stuff that looks like shiny coal. It can be had in about any shape. If you want to make a set of those grips for me I can find some that would work. What is the size of the ones you used Colonel?

These are just a couple of examples

[BirdsThaWord]

He's obviously had these a long time. Most packages are marked 1.99. And he was usually high priced on stuff. Now when you can find these cutters they are over 20.00. I think I got a super deal. He said just sell the stuff I don't use for profit but I"m not a war profiteer. Don't know how many folk cut with the finer checkering. Might post something up. Never much for selling stuff online.

I'm not sure whats required of a full magwell cut. Just leave them square on the bottom and flush with the bottom of the frame? No idea what black hematite is but if it's round or not too oddly shaped we can probably do it.

Correct on your assumption of the magwell cut. “Just leave them square on the bottom and flush with the bottom of the frame” (See my posts where I was using clay to form “magwell” grips). The only elusive, or rare “magwell cut” grips I’ve seen are the one’s that have the backsides clearanced for the type of magwell that has tangs that wrap around the grip bushings.
Hematite is widely available (Ebay& Amazon) Finding them the size of what you need though, that may be a different story. There are substitutes for hematite though. Various “tite’s, as well as straight up black glass.
dao, sorry to answer his questions that are directed at you, but I’m up this late and, I know you and I are one and the same on these things (or so I think). : )

[BirdsThaWord]

Ooops, doa, ya beat me to it!

[BirdsThaWord]

By the way, there are black and black pearl “bobby” pins that can have the heads snipped, and might meet the size requirements for those grip inserts if hematite can not be sourced.

[dao]

All good info Bird, no issues! Now get some sleep