Owners of a Kimber ultra cdp II

[cmichael22]

Are the double diamond grips that come stock with it real wood? Have you ever tried the black rubber double diamond grips that come with the Kimber ultra carry models on your ultra cdp or are those not as good?

Thanks in advance.

[TucsonMTB]

Yep! The grips are real wood on the CDP II, generally with a pretty nice grain and a durable finish that may make them look less like bare wood. So, your confusion is understandable. I have fired several that are owned by proud friends who just had to share. It's a very nice pistol and the three or four sets of standard grips I've seen have all been very nice.

My Ultra is a plain stainless model. My wife really likes the rubber grips that came on it. But, we also have some wood grips that work well for her and look nice enough to satisfy me, so that's what is currently on mine.

Okay . . . make that "on hers", since she likes that 1911 best of those she has to pick from and used it to shoot the qualification for her CCW permit. ;)

Not shown on this older picture is the small piece of black skateboard tape I put on the forestrap to provide grip similar to the great checkering on the forestrap of the CDP models.

http://home.mindspring.com/~justsomeguy/Inv_Ultra_Left_Sml.jpg

[cmichael22]

Idk if it is true, but someone told me that wood grips are not very good because they can crack, warp, and harbor moisture which will produce rust.

[Bawanna]

Idk if it is true, but someone told me that wood grips are not very good because they can crack, warp, and harbor moisture which will produce rust.

This is all partially true. The grips are very thin so cracking and warping can be an issue. If the grips are oiled or sealed with a finish they shouldn't harbor moisture.
Any grip regardless will produce rust on the frame underneath if they aren't removed periodically and cleaned. Rubber grips are even worse far as I'm concerned.

Stabilized wood pretty much eliminates all these issues. It's impervious to moisture and doesn't crack or warp. It's real wood but acts like fiberglass which it really kind of is. File it and you get white powder.

[cmichael22]

Are the grips stabilized wood that come with the cdp? And how are rubber grips worse wouldn't they eliminate the problem of warping and cracking too?

[Bawanna]

Are the grips stabilized wood that come with the cdp? And how are rubber grips worse wouldn't they eliminate the problem of warping and cracking too?

I doubt they are stabilized but I don't know for sure.

The rubber grips are awesome for not warping and cracking but they do trap moisture like any other grip. Sort of like tupperware, locks in the moisture.

I know that some of the manufacturers use stabilized wood. Guy I get mine from mentioned one big player that ordered a bunch.

[cmichael22]

How do you prevent moisture from trapping under the grip just taking the grips off once in a while and wiping them down?

[Bawanna]

How do you prevent moisture from trapping under the grip just taking the grips off once in a while and wiping them down?

Exactly. Once in a while I take the grips off and clean and oil the inside of the grip and the frame.

I'm amazed at some of the junk I've found under grips, you'd never dream how much stuff gets under there.

I suspect it's more of an issue with like ankle carrying or definitely pocket carrying.
A detective from a neighboring county agency brought me a balky PPK that he carried in an ankle rig. Didn't look like it had ever been cleaned. I found enough fuzz and lint in, around, and under the grips to knit a pair Lederhosen. It was a stainless gun put had near pitted rust under the plastic grips.

[cmichael22]

That sounds like a lot of lint and I cant imagine rust under the grip on the frame of the gun can be good. How often do you usually do it like a couple hundred rounds?

[O'Dell]

My UC II has an aluminum frame - no rust. Mine has the rubber grips, and I like them fine.

[Bawanna]

That sounds like a lot of lint and I cant imagine rust under the grip on the frame of the gun can be good. How often do you usually do it like a couple hundred rounds?

Oh not nearly that frequently, a couple times a year should be enough depending on how the gun is carried and environment.

Sweat, rain, temperature changes all could require more frequency. It's the ones where the grips never come off that can be nasty underneath.

[cmichael22]

When you say the grips that never come off you mean polymer grips?

[Bawanna]

When you say the grips that never come off you mean polymer grips?

No, I mean the ones where the owner just never takes them off ever.
But you bring up an interesting point. Take the hogue or innertube off a polymer grip sometimes and often times there will be tons of debri underneath.

On those it doesn't hurt anything at all, rubber on tupperware, nothing to hurt.