I modded my Kahr PM9, can you tell?

HighValleyRanch · June 11, 2019, 05:45 PM

I like it a whole ton better now!

laytonj1 · June 11, 2019, 07:51 PM

You removed the grip dimples. Looks good.

Jim

HighValleyRanch · June 11, 2019, 08:27 PM

Yeah, those awful skin biting grenades. Almost as bad as the XD grip zone baloney!
Now it feels like silk in the hand. I also straightened out the back hump.

Interesting that I searched all day on the internet and could not find anyone who had ever done this before, other than grinding and restippling. But no other smoothies.

Charlie98 · June 12, 2019, 09:20 AM

I actually like the vicious teeth on my Kahr 9's, but you ain't seen nothing until you've handled a Kahr .45... Having said that, you certainly did a nice job!

105kw · June 12, 2019, 12:40 PM

Field expedient mod to my P45, electricians tape over the cheese grater grips.
Worked great.

Fishbed77 · June 13, 2019, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Yeah, those awful skin biting grenades. Almost as bad as the XD grip zone baloney!

Now lets avoid the crazy talk! Nothing compares to GRIP ZONEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

That said, I appreciate the texturing on the PM9/CM9. It isn't comfortable, but it really does lock that little pistol in place, and doesn't cause an issue when carrying (like aggressive textures on the sides of the grip will do).

If I want to shoot long range sessions, I just pick a more comfortable pistol to shoot. My CM9 is for defensive carry and periodic practice.

dyl · June 13, 2019, 06:04 PM

I actually added a Hogue Handall Junior to mine because like you I didn't like the sharp texture and wanted more to grip.

How did you mimic the final matte finish? Bead blast? Sandpaper?

HighValleyRanch · June 13, 2019, 06:11 PM

Quote:

How did you mimic the final matte finish? Bead blast? Sandpaper?

I worked my way on the sandpaper from 40, 150, 220, 400, 600 grit paper. I tried 1000, but it got too shiney. The trick was to use Fiebings black leather dye to color the polymer back to the original color and get rid of the whitish sanding finish. Applied the dye with q tip and wiped off to desired color. It's permanent and doesn't come off.

dyl · June 13, 2019, 06:21 PM

Neat idea. I always wondered what it would take to restore a factory finish on plastic (oh excuse me... polymer). I am curious what a bead blast would do but I suspect it would still benefit from your idea of black dye. I've got an "old" police trade in Gen 3 Glock and after sanding it... let's just say it looks perpetually dusty.

smee78 · June 13, 2019, 06:47 PM

Very nice job, the color matches excellently. I never thought about using leather dye to color polymer?

HighValleyRanch · June 13, 2019, 07:26 PM

Quote:

and after sanding it... let's just say it looks perpetually dusty.

Exactly what happens since you are disturbing the polymer fibers. So by sanding it finer, you get finer "fibers" or tips. Then by applying the dye, it colors the ends of the sanded fibers back to the original color.

I've done a few mods where I filled in with devcon black plastic over the polymer, and that worked out pretty good. But the Devcon black is no longer avaiable, so I use another plastic weld material that was clear, but added the black leather dye to it in the wet stage and it came out very black in the overlay. But again it was hard to match the polymer color exactly. But in this case, I was fine stippling, so it came out pretty good and I use a flat black spray over the stippling aread to match.

You might want to check out this old thread about my plastic mods:
https://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...ighlight=glock

Charlie98 · June 14, 2019, 08:04 AM

Quote:

I actually added a Hogue Handall Junior to mine because like you I didn't like the sharp texture and wanted more to grip.

That's what I have on my CW45, it works very well.

I don't have any sort of rubber grip on my 9's, mostly because I don't think the factory grip texture is a problem, and because rubber/tacky grips seem to get hung up on my shirt when I'm trying to do drills.

Ricklin · June 14, 2019, 08:09 AM

I like old Colt's, the hard rubber grips are often chipped or cracked.

Clear Epoxy and add lamp Black, does not take much. I don't know where to purchase the lamp black.

Armybrat · June 14, 2019, 01:42 PM

Nice work!
I like Kahrs too....

HighValleyRanch · June 14, 2019, 02:25 PM

I just added a third one today, a P45 with three magazines, original box for 450.00!

Carl the Floor Walker · June 16, 2019, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armybrat

Nice work!
I like Kahrs too....

I hear ya Brother. My Kahr and Nano and no longer interested in anything else.

Siggy-06 · June 16, 2019, 06:50 PM

An alternative to leather dye for polymer refinishing, is Mother’s Back to Black. It can usually be found at Walmart.

HighValleyRanch · June 16, 2019, 06:54 PM

Is that in the auto section for auto plastics?
Will give that a try.
Thanks!

arquebus357 · June 17, 2019, 11:27 PM

I hope you realize that you destroyed the collector value for that gun ! ! !

HighValleyRanch · June 17, 2019, 11:47 PM

Gosh, dumb me! I hadn't thought about that at all!

If I do sell it, I will advertise it as a "Prototype" model that they sold before they decided to put the dumb grenade checkering on. A "one of a kind" model!

bbqncigars · June 19, 2019, 09:12 PM

@Ricklin
Try Inletting Black. I swear that the little jar could turn an entire house black if you aren't careful.

ThomasT · June 20, 2019, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Clear Epoxy and add lamp Black, does not take much. I don't know where to purchase the lamp black.

I bought a box of it eons ago at a place that sold cement products like Fiberwall which is a Stucco like mortar finish applied over wire lathe. Probably any brick supply should have it for coloring mortar. Be be warned. DO NOT open it in the house. Go in the garage and not in front of a fan. You will understand why not soon enough.

I used to install vinyl siding and vinyl skirting and when bent around a corner the vinyl would get a white colored line from the stress. But we found you could heat the crease with a heat gun and the color would return. Maybe try that on the grip next time you sand it to a white color. Hit it with a little heat.

https://www.naturalpigments.com/lamp-black-pigment.html

June 11, 2019, 08:27 PM	#3
HighValleyRanch Senior Member Join Date: July 15, 2005 Posts: 4,066	Yeah, those awful skin biting grenades. Almost as bad as the XD grip zone baloney! Now it feels like silk in the hand. I also straightened out the back hump. Interesting that I searched all day on the internet and could not find anyone who had ever done this before, other than grinding and restippling. But no other smoothies. __________________ From the sweet grass to the slaughter house; From birth until death; We travel between these two eternities........from 'Broken Trail"

June 12, 2019, 09:20 AM	#4
Charlie98 Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2006 Location: Great state of Texas Posts: 1,077	I actually like the vicious teeth on my Kahr 9's, but you ain't seen nothing until you've handled a Kahr .45... Having said that, you certainly did a nice job! __________________ _______________ "I have this pistol pointed at your heart!" "That is my least vulnerable spot."

June 13, 2019, 06:47 PM	#10
smee78 Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2008 Location: South Carolina Posts: 2,918	Very nice job, the color matches excellently. I never thought about using leather dye to color polymer? __________________ We know exactly where one cow with Mad-cow-disease is located, among the millions and millions of cows in America, but we haven't got a clue where thousands of illegal immigrants and terrorists are

June 14, 2019, 08:09 AM	#13
Ricklin Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2008 Location: SW Washington state Posts: 2,011	Lamp black I like old Colt's, the hard rubber grips are often chipped or cracked. Clear Epoxy and add lamp Black, does not take much. I don't know where to purchase the lamp black. __________________ ricklin Freedom is not free

June 14, 2019, 02:25 PM	#15
HighValleyRanch Senior Member Join Date: July 15, 2005 Posts: 4,066	I just added a third one today, a P45 with three magazines, original box for 450.00! __________________ From the sweet grass to the slaughter house; From birth until death; We travel between these two eternities........from 'Broken Trail"

June 11, 2019, 07:51 PM	#2
laytonj1 Senior Member Join Date: June 1, 2005 Posts: 4,443	You removed the grip dimples. Looks good. Jim

June 12, 2019, 12:40 PM	#5
105kw Senior Member Join Date: June 30, 2017 Location: Columbia Basin Washington Posts: 414	Field expedient mod to my P45, electricians tape over the cheese grater grips. Worked great.

June 13, 2019, 06:04 PM	#7
dyl Senior Member Join Date: October 31, 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,310	I actually added a Hogue Handall Junior to mine because like you I didn't like the sharp texture and wanted more to grip. How did you mimic the final matte finish? Bead blast? Sandpaper?

June 13, 2019, 06:21 PM	#9
dyl Senior Member Join Date: October 31, 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,310	Neat idea. I always wondered what it would take to restore a factory finish on plastic (oh excuse me... polymer). I am curious what a bead blast would do but I suspect it would still benefit from your idea of black dye. I've got an "old" police trade in Gen 3 Glock and after sanding it... let's just say it looks perpetually dusty.

June 14, 2019, 01:42 PM	#14
Armybrat Senior Member Join Date: May 10, 2009 Location: Round Rock, Texas Posts: 976	Nice work! I like Kahrs too....

June 16, 2019, 06:50 PM	#17
Siggy-06 Senior Member Join Date: September 2, 2014 Location: Florida Posts: 1,148	An alternative to leather dye for polymer refinishing, is Mother’s Back to Black. It can usually be found at Walmart. __________________ Flicks just like a lighter, just a different kind of fire.

June 16, 2019, 06:54 PM	#18
HighValleyRanch Senior Member Join Date: July 15, 2005 Posts: 4,066	Is that in the auto section for auto plastics? Will give that a try. Thanks! __________________ From the sweet grass to the slaughter house; From birth until death; We travel between these two eternities........from 'Broken Trail"

June 17, 2019, 11:27 PM	#19
arquebus357 Senior Member Join Date: December 19, 2016 Location: Atlanta, Georgia area Posts: 455	I hope you realize that you destroyed the collector value for that gun ! ! !

June 17, 2019, 11:47 PM	#20
HighValleyRanch Senior Member Join Date: July 15, 2005 Posts: 4,066	Gosh, dumb me! I hadn't thought about that at all! If I do sell it, I will advertise it as a "Prototype" model that they sold before they decided to put the dumb grenade checkering on. A "one of a kind" model! __________________ From the sweet grass to the slaughter house; From birth until death; We travel between these two eternities........from 'Broken Trail"

June 19, 2019, 09:12 PM	#21
bbqncigars Senior Member Join Date: February 1, 2009 Location: Iowa Posts: 525	@Ricklin Try Inletting Black. I swear that the little jar could turn an entire house black if you aren't careful. __________________ "Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most." A. Brilliant