Refinishing Italian Grips

Indian Outlaw · April 18, 2009, 08:57 AM

Does anyone else do this besides me? I would be interested to hear your methods and/or see pictures.

I don't like the glossy red finish on Uberti grips. This is my latest set, on a Cimarron, redone with Danish Oil (still curing). Obviously, the grain isn't comparable to a set of custom grips, but for stock grips it's not terrible. This gun is being antiqued.

long rider · April 18, 2009, 09:27 AM

My next set of grips i am going to make will be
out of tiger maple.

olmontanaboy · April 18, 2009, 09:38 AM

I used to see grips made out of Ivory dust and epoxy for sale (I know that sounds crappy but they looked great and after time wound turn yellowish)
Anybody gut a line on where to get these?

Riot Earp · April 18, 2009, 10:15 AM

There was a guy named Longshot Logan over on the SASS board who used to refinish Italian grips/stocks. He did nice work. He died in 2007, I think. His website is still up.

http://members.cox.net/longshot_logan/

madcratebuilder · April 18, 2009, 10:18 AM

I dislike the clear coated grips. I prefer a oiled finish. I have done many 'fancy' grips on my cartridge guns, but I'm starting to go with just a plain Walnut. Stag or Ivory looks good on some revolvers.
These are stripped and then three coats of tung oil.

Nice old stags on a Ruger

Indian Outlaw · April 18, 2009, 10:22 AM

The grips on that Walker look great. I haven't tried tung oil. Does it dry slowly?

madcratebuilder · April 18, 2009, 04:34 PM

I rub it on with my fingers. After an hour I well wipe any still on the grip off with a rag. Then I give it 24hrs to dry.
If you keep adding coats, steel wool between every two coats you can fill the grain and get a very nice glass smooth, satin finish.

K.A.T. · April 18, 2009, 11:06 PM

Did I hear someone say Tiger Maple?

Indian Outlaw · April 19, 2009, 11:09 AM

Another crappy picture, but it's coming along. The grips feel incredible.

Indian Outlaw · April 19, 2009, 11:16 AM

K.A.T., I wanna see that tiger maple when it's done.

http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/ind...c,13564.0.html

Walther22lr · April 20, 2009, 12:15 AM

Can one of you describe the process you use from beginning to end in the refinishing process for the factory grips?

The re-done wood ones look really nice!

olyinaz · April 20, 2009, 01:41 AM

Yeah, absolutely I agree and I dislike that weird gloss red as well. It's not easy to see in such a small photo but the 1851 up top has refinished Italian grips. I've yet to do the funky 1858 below.

I strip the grips, evaluate the tone, stain if needed and then buff in some True Oil with steel wool. I hit 'em with another coat a day later, wipe it off, let dry again and that's it.

Cheers,
Oly

Indian Outlaw · April 20, 2009, 07:42 AM

Here's my method:

The Uberti finish is tough but comes off nicely with Citristrip Gel. You brush it on thickly with a soft bristle paint brush, let it work for an hour or two, and then brush off with a medium or stiff bristle toothbrush. I had to apply a second coat, but the finish eventually came off. I removed the remaining gel with a clean cloth. I applied Watco Danish Oil, Medium Walnut, immediately afterwards, to prevent drying and shrinking and to darken the natural color a little. The wood drank greedily of the oil. Starting with the second coat, I let the grips sit for a day or two before applying the next coat. I applied four thick coats before the wood started rejecting it. When the wood had finally had enough, I wiped off the excess and, when dry, buffed ultra lightly with 0000 steel wool, following the grain. Grips done.

Addendum: I just read that Watco Danish Oil requires a topcoat of wax in order to repel water. So I'll add that tonight.

madcratebuilder · April 20, 2009, 09:19 AM

I do mine similar to Indian Outlaw. Stripping is the biggest part of the job. After I strip, I dry the wood over night. Then very lightly sand with 400 grit. If I have any dents I raise them with a steam iron and a wet cloth. I use Tung oil as a finish, no stain. Two or three coats, 24hrs apart, looks good, you can keep adding coats, steel wooling every two or three coats and it well fill the grain. You end up with a glass smooth satin finish that you can buff out to get some shine but not a lot. The tung oil well harden the wood, making it more dent resistant, plus it touches up very easy.

Indian Outlaw · April 20, 2009, 12:00 PM

Another option, after stripping, is Minwax Oil-Based Wipe-On Poly. The guy at Outlaw Grips (www.outlawgrips.com) applies a Minwax finish that feels incredible.

(I am not connected with Outlaw Grips.)

ClemBert · April 21, 2009, 04:47 PM

I wonder why it is that it seems that everyone who gets an Uberti revolver ends up with the glossy orange colored grips but when you look at Uberti's website they show something else?

mykeal · April 21, 2009, 06:51 PM

I have 6 Uberti cap & ball revolvers. None have 'orange' colored grips.

AdmiralB · April 21, 2009, 07:15 PM

None of my Ubertis are orange, either, but they do use a red-tinted finish. You can see in the upper Remington where there's a little overspray on the grip escutcheon.

My Remington is a little 'red', but the rest of mine look (figuring notwithstanding) pretty much like those pictures.

ClemBert · April 21, 2009, 07:51 PM

Some owners describe it as glossy "red", others glossy "orange", still others "orange-red". I've heard that the glossy red-orange was actually typical of original colt BP firearms.

Indian Outlaw · April 21, 2009, 07:55 PM

I used a different stripper once that removed the stock Uberti finish in layers. Below the hard clearcoat exterior was a layer of reddish "paint," for lack of a better word. Below the red paint was the wood.

madcratebuilder · April 21, 2009, 11:00 PM

The clear coat that Uberti uses is pretty tough stuff. Takes two or more coats of stripper to remove. I don't think I have a Uberti with out a run in the clear coat.

April 18, 2009, 08:57 AM	#1
Indian Outlaw Senior Member Join Date: December 16, 2008 Location: Behind a computer Posts: 100	Refinishing Italian Grips Does anyone else do this besides me? I would be interested to hear your methods and/or see pictures. I don't like the glossy red finish on Uberti grips. This is my latest set, on a Cimarron, redone with Danish Oil (still curing). Obviously, the grain isn't comparable to a set of custom grips, but for stock grips it's not terrible. This gun is being antiqued. Last edited by Indian Outlaw; April 18, 2009 at 11:58 AM.

April 18, 2009, 10:22 AM	#6
Indian Outlaw Senior Member Join Date: December 16, 2008 Location: Behind a computer Posts: 100	The grips on that Walker look great. I haven't tried tung oil. Does it dry slowly? Last edited by Indian Outlaw; April 18, 2009 at 11:57 AM.

April 18, 2009, 11:06 PM	#8
K.A.T. Member Join Date: May 31, 2007 Location: Gainesville,Ga. Posts: 80	Grips Did I hear someone say Tiger Maple?

April 19, 2009, 11:09 AM	#9
Indian Outlaw Senior Member Join Date: December 16, 2008 Location: Behind a computer Posts: 100	Another crappy picture, but it's coming along. The grips feel incredible. Last edited by Indian Outlaw; April 20, 2009 at 12:54 PM.

April 20, 2009, 07:42 AM	#13
Indian Outlaw Senior Member Join Date: December 16, 2008 Location: Behind a computer Posts: 100	Here's my method: The Uberti finish is tough but comes off nicely with Citristrip Gel. You brush it on thickly with a soft bristle paint brush, let it work for an hour or two, and then brush off with a medium or stiff bristle toothbrush. I had to apply a second coat, but the finish eventually came off. I removed the remaining gel with a clean cloth. I applied Watco Danish Oil, Medium Walnut, immediately afterwards, to prevent drying and shrinking and to darken the natural color a little. The wood drank greedily of the oil. Starting with the second coat, I let the grips sit for a day or two before applying the next coat. I applied four thick coats before the wood started rejecting it. When the wood had finally had enough, I wiped off the excess and, when dry, buffed ultra lightly with 0000 steel wool, following the grain. Grips done. Addendum: I just read that Watco Danish Oil requires a topcoat of wax in order to repel water. So I'll add that tonight. Last edited by Indian Outlaw; April 20, 2009 at 07:19 PM.

April 18, 2009, 09:27 AM	#2
long rider Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2008 Posts: 669	My next set of grips i am going to make will be out of tiger maple.

April 18, 2009, 09:38 AM	#3
olmontanaboy Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2009 Location: Northeast for now Posts: 266	I used to see grips made out of Ivory dust and epoxy for sale (I know that sounds crappy but they looked great and after time wound turn yellowish) Anybody gut a line on where to get these?

April 18, 2009, 10:15 AM	#4
Riot Earp Member Join Date: September 27, 2008 Posts: 68	There was a guy named Longshot Logan over on the SASS board who used to refinish Italian grips/stocks. He did nice work. He died in 2007, I think. His website is still up. http://members.cox.net/longshot_logan/

April 18, 2009, 10:18 AM	#5
madcratebuilder Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2007 Location: Northern Orygun Posts: 4,923	I dislike the clear coated grips. I prefer a oiled finish. I have done many 'fancy' grips on my cartridge guns, but I'm starting to go with just a plain Walnut. Stag or Ivory looks good on some revolvers. These are stripped and then three coats of tung oil. Nice old stags on a Ruger

April 18, 2009, 04:34 PM	#7
madcratebuilder Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2007 Location: Northern Orygun Posts: 4,923	I rub it on with my fingers. After an hour I well wipe any still on the grip off with a rag. Then I give it 24hrs to dry. If you keep adding coats, steel wool between every two coats you can fill the grain and get a very nice glass smooth, satin finish.

April 19, 2009, 11:16 AM	#10
Indian Outlaw Senior Member Join Date: December 16, 2008 Location: Behind a computer Posts: 100	K.A.T., I wanna see that tiger maple when it's done. http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/ind...c,13564.0.html

April 20, 2009, 12:15 AM	#11
Walther22lr Senior Member Join Date: February 2, 2000 Location: Arizona Territory Posts: 296	Can one of you describe the process you use from beginning to end in the refinishing process for the factory grips? The re-done wood ones look really nice!

April 20, 2009, 01:41 AM	#12
olyinaz Senior Member Join Date: February 25, 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 877	Yeah, absolutely I agree and I dislike that weird gloss red as well. It's not easy to see in such a small photo but the 1851 up top has refinished Italian grips. I've yet to do the funky 1858 below. I strip the grips, evaluate the tone, stain if needed and then buff in some True Oil with steel wool. I hit 'em with another coat a day later, wipe it off, let dry again and that's it. Cheers, Oly

April 20, 2009, 09:19 AM	#14
madcratebuilder Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2007 Location: Northern Orygun Posts: 4,923	I do mine similar to Indian Outlaw. Stripping is the biggest part of the job. After I strip, I dry the wood over night. Then very lightly sand with 400 grit. If I have any dents I raise them with a steam iron and a wet cloth. I use Tung oil as a finish, no stain. Two or three coats, 24hrs apart, looks good, you can keep adding coats, steel wooling every two or three coats and it well fill the grain. You end up with a glass smooth satin finish that you can buff out to get some shine but not a lot. The tung oil well harden the wood, making it more dent resistant, plus it touches up very easy.

April 20, 2009, 12:00 PM	#15
Indian Outlaw Senior Member Join Date: December 16, 2008 Location: Behind a computer Posts: 100	Another option, after stripping, is Minwax Oil-Based Wipe-On Poly. The guy at Outlaw Grips (www.outlawgrips.com) applies a Minwax finish that feels incredible. (I am not connected with Outlaw Grips.) Last edited by Indian Outlaw; April 20, 2009 at 12:32 PM.

April 21, 2009, 04:47 PM	#16
ClemBert Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2009 Location: Orlando Posts: 936	I wonder why it is that it seems that everyone who gets an Uberti revolver ends up with the glossy orange colored grips but when you look at Uberti's website they show something else?

April 21, 2009, 06:51 PM	#17
mykeal Senior Member Join Date: October 8, 2006 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 2,772	I have 6 Uberti cap & ball revolvers. None have 'orange' colored grips.

April 21, 2009, 07:15 PM	#18
AdmiralB Member Join Date: March 27, 2009 Posts: 88	None of my Ubertis are orange, either, but they do use a red-tinted finish. You can see in the upper Remington where there's a little overspray on the grip escutcheon. My Remington is a little 'red', but the rest of mine look (figuring notwithstanding) pretty much like those pictures.

April 21, 2009, 07:51 PM	#19
ClemBert Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2009 Location: Orlando Posts: 936	Some owners describe it as glossy "red", others glossy "orange", still others "orange-red". I've heard that the glossy red-orange was actually typical of original colt BP firearms.

April 21, 2009, 07:55 PM	#20
Indian Outlaw Senior Member Join Date: December 16, 2008 Location: Behind a computer Posts: 100	I used a different stripper once that removed the stock Uberti finish in layers. Below the hard clearcoat exterior was a layer of reddish "paint," for lack of a better word. Below the red paint was the wood.

April 21, 2009, 11:00 PM	#21
madcratebuilder Senior Member Join Date: November 2, 2007 Location: Northern Orygun Posts: 4,923	The clear coat that Uberti uses is pretty tough stuff. Takes two or more coats of stripper to remove. I don't think I have a Uberti with out a run in the clear coat.