Wooden grips for carry

OhioGuy · July 23, 2020, 01:16 PM

I'm new to wooden grips -- the Kimber revolver I just bought has some nicely textured walnut grips. The question I have is whether wood grips will suffer a lot if they're carried regularly, especially if they're in contact with skin and sweat. Is it inevitable they'll end up stained and discolored? If I end up carrying this regularly, should I swap them out for rubberized grips, or maybe put some sort of grip sleeve over them?

jimku · July 23, 2020, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OhioGuy

I'm new to wooden grips -- the Kimber revolver I just bought has some nicely textured walnut grips. The question I have is whether wood grips will suffer a lot if they're carried regularly, especially if they're in contact with skin and sweat. Is it inevitable they'll end up stained and discolored? If I end up carrying this regularly, should I swap them out for rubberized grips, or maybe put some sort of grip sleeve over them?

If you like the look of your wood grips and want to protect them, just give them a few light coats of wipe-on polyurethane. The stuff is about as durable of a finish as you could possibly use ... it is designed for wood floors. Give them enough coats to seal the wood. Easy peasy, just wipe it on with a soft cotton cloth, let it dry, repeat as often as you want. If you want a really gloss finish, just wet-sand LIGHTLY with 1000-grit wet/dry sandpaper between every other coat.

OhioGuy · July 23, 2020, 02:57 PM

Would this make them more slippery, especially with a sweaty hand?

jimku · July 23, 2020, 03:41 PM

Well, I don't have a problem with sweaty hands, and all of my revolvers have grips with finger grooves for a good grip. I like slick grips because they slide in and out of pockets easily. But I prefer ultra-smooth grips even on my big-bore handguns because on those, no matter what kind of grips you have on them, the recoil is going to require you to regain your best grip every shot, and it is faster/easier for me to do that with smooth grips.

This one has 10 coats of poly, wet-sanded between coats, for a finish that is smooth as glass ... and I love shooting this thing.
It does not hurt my hand, even a little bit, even after a range session, because the grips FIT MY HAND.
My grip is precise, not like trying to sight a sponge, so I shoot more accurately.

Dfariswheel · July 23, 2020, 06:07 PM

Most grips already have some sort of finish that will prevent sweat from staining the wood.

A simple prevention is to apply a coat or two of Johnson's Paste Wax every now and then to protect the wood.

My feeling is that the purpose of a pistol grip is to give a good grip.... even when your hands are sweaty and slippery.
For that reason any carry gun I have will be fitted with rubber grips.
Many people don't like "ugly" rubber grips. To which I reply "Gun fights are also pretty ugly" and I'd rather survive with an ugly gun then not survive but lookin' good.

HighValleyRanch · July 23, 2020, 06:14 PM

As much as you might carry or shoot that Kimber, I would not sweat it about the wood grips (pardon the pun). Wood is pretty darn forgiving and any discoloration would only add to the patina. That is the beauty of natural finish wood. Any poly coat over it makes it more plastic looking.
I use a Tru-oil on all my grips I make, and the finish is glossy, but more natural looking. You can control the amount of gloss by the number of coats you put on.

jimku · July 23, 2020, 06:17 PM

I pocket carry. My smooth wood grips on my carry revolver are not to look good! They are to make getting the gun out of my pocket smooth and easy. I don't want to end up in gun fight struggling to get my stupid rubber grips out of my pocket.

HighValleyRanch · July 23, 2020, 06:21 PM

Here's some grips I made for my Kimber K6 out of walnut with a natural finish

Kreyzhorse · July 23, 2020, 06:48 PM

Sure... you may eventually beat the wood grips to death or discolor them. But, if they fit your hand and you are comfortable with them, it's not like they can't be replaced in 10 or 20 years.

I certainly worry about covering them up either. Not being a jerk, but it isn't like your Kimber is going to be a highly sought after handgun that you can retire from the proceeds if you ever sell it.

ms6852 · July 23, 2020, 07:33 PM

I wood not worry about that. (See what I did?). This is what I carry , I love wooden handles.

OhioGuy · July 23, 2020, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ms6852

I wood not worry about that. (See what I did?). This is what I carry , I love wooden handles.

nice! She's purrrrrrty

Forte S+W · July 23, 2020, 09:57 PM

I spent a good 2 years carrying a Walther PPK/S with rosewood grips. The grips most certainly show some wear, but only so far as whatever glossy lacquer or varnish was applied to them wearing off, and I honestly like the way that they look better now.

That being said, if you're that worried about grip wear, (which you shouldn't be, but I digress) then you could always carry it in a pancake holster with a flap that covers the grips. However, with a good IWB Holster and a proper cover garment to keep them concealed, the grips should be protected well enough by your shirt or jacket.

bamaranger · July 24, 2020, 12:36 AM

I always thought rubber grips "drug" on a cover garment and one lost a bit of the concealment factor when said happened. Another vote for wood.

Pahoo · July 24, 2020, 01:08 PM

Quote:

should I swap them out for rubberized grips, or maybe put some sort of grip sleeve over them?

Many factors come into play and it really comes down to a matter of personal choice. As for me, I choose to protect any attractive wood grips/furniture, I might have. ....

Be Safe !!!

**44 AMP** · July 24, 2020, 01:27 PM

Here's something to consider, beyond the difference in feel.

If you carry a gun enough, over time it will get surface wear. And at some point it will get struck by something hard. Of course it will be accidental, but its likely to happen. The steel parts rarely take more than surface damage, if that, but wood is softer. And not "springy" like rubber.

An impact that leaves no trace on a soft rubber grip can leave a nearly permanent dent in wood. And there is also an attitude thing, for many a rubber grip just gets "worn" while wood one gets "beat up"!

Totally up to you, but if you want wood to stay pretty like new, take them off the gun and keep them in a box. Put rubber, or some other wood grips on for day in day out carry, and save the pretty ones for when you're just "showin off"

Cheapshooter · July 24, 2020, 02:10 PM

Is your Kimber a carry piece, or a safequeen?
If you like the way the wood grips feel, keep them. Apply more "stuff" on them if you like, but remember they can always be replaced if looks are more important than use.

gwpercle · July 24, 2020, 02:36 PM

All of my handguns usually end up with wood grips/stocks ...don't care for the looks of rubber... rubber is functional but like car tires kinda ugly .
I had an AMT Hardballer that wore the factory wrap around rubber grips for almost 3 decades ... last year a set of Kim Ahrends Madagascar Ebony smooth finished grips replaced the rubber and they look so drop dead gorgeous it isn't funny .
When wood get's worn looking ...a coat of Tung Oil and it's good as new !
Gary

HighValleyRanch · July 24, 2020, 02:50 PM

Other considerations.
The Hogue rubber grips wrap around the back strap, most wooden ones don't. I don't know of any wood production grips for the Kimber K6 series that do. Even though the ones I made do, the recoil on such a light gun is still stout with heavy .357 mag loads. The rubber ones tame it down so the stout recoil is fun.
You can thin woods grips down to very thin for carry, but although you can thin the rubber ones down, they all have a plastic inside so you have limits on how thin the rubber ones can go.

Since you posted "wood grips for carry" (not range work although you plan on using this for mostly that),
I do not find the rubber ones to cause any drag on cover garments, but that depends on how you carry. Since while you are carrying, you are shooting a whole bunch, comfort might not be as critical as looks because adrenaline will take over any pain from really hot loads.

What helped me to decide was to shoot the hottest load that I was going to carry and shot this load with wood and rubber to compare the tolerance level. As mine is my woods gun, I went with rubber and since it is mostly my carry gun, I don't stare at the grips too much anyways.

HighValleyRanch · July 24, 2020, 02:58 PM

double post again! darn tablet

Hal · July 25, 2020, 06:44 AM

Quote:

I'm new to wooden grips -

I normally shoot nothing but wood.
I have been - in revolvers- since my first one back in 197- something.

Currently, I pack a S&W M69 snub .44 magnum in a shoulder holster & it has stupid rubber grips on it. I despise them - but - it is a snub nose & it is a medium frame - and it is a .44 magnum - so - I make some allowance for that.

Anyhow - wood grips have been around forever & well, yeah they may suffer some wear - but - unlike most everything else, a little bit of clear finish rubbed on them makes a lot of that go away.

Wood is super easy to maintain.

**44 AMP** · July 25, 2020, 01:46 PM

I have a S&W M29 6.5" .44 magnum & it had stupid wooden grips on it. I despise them - but - it is a 6" & it is an N frame - and it is a .44 magnum - so - I replaced the awful factory wood with Pachmayr rubber.

Turned the gun from something that hurt when I shot it into something that didn't. For me, that matters a LOT and way more than what they look like.

I'm not down on wood grips because they're wood. Some wood grips are outstanding. But, for me there is a balance point of factors where I choose rubber over wood (and when I say rubber, I mean the soft rubber, not the hard stuff or plastic).

Shape/Design of the grip, fit to the gun, and fit in MY hand, size of the gun, and especially recoil of the round MATTER to me.

What they look like..not so much.

Hal · July 26, 2020, 04:35 AM

OTOH - my 4" S&W M29 - still wears it's original oversized target grips. I tried rubber grips on it & quickly found out what a mistake they were.
That grippy- tacky - surface raised some serious blisters within a few shots.

I tossed them as soon as I got home.

I also had a S&W M66 snub with rubber grips & a S&W M617 with them also.
Hated them.
Hated them with a passion.
They feel so nasty in my hand it affects how I shoot.
Having a "hole" at 7 yards with wood grips turn into a "group" with rubber grips is something I don't care for.

Looks have nothing to do with it. Although I do admit a real fondness for wood & I do look down my nose at Ikea

. Why drag something into this that I never mentioned?

Then there's also the "grippy grabby" factor to contemplate. Will the rubber tend to hang up when I draw & wood not do that? W/the M69, I'm willing to chance it - for now. I do have my eye on a compromise. I have to dig around in our spare room for a set of Pachmayr American Legend grips I bought for the M66. Those are wood & a rubber finger grip. They are the older style that isn't a chunky as the newer ones appear to be.

Anyhow - the OP asked about wear and tear to wood grips. Unless you use you gun for a hammer - wooden grips don't really wear all that much - espcially concealed carry.
If you open carry - that could be a different story - but - if wear and tear is a concern, use a flap holster.

**Aguila Blanca** · July 26, 2020, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 44 AMP

Here's something to consider, beyond the difference in feel.

If you carry a gun enough, over time it will get surface wear. And at some point it will get struck by something hard. Of course it will be accidental, but its likely to happen. The steel parts rarely take more than surface damage, if that, but wood is softer. And not "springy" like rubber.

An impact that leaves no trace on a soft rubber grip can leave a nearly permanent dent in wood. And there is also an attitude thing, for many a rubber grip just gets "worn" while wood one gets "beat up"!

Totally up to you, but if you want wood to stay pretty like new, take them off the gun and keep them in a box. Put rubber, or some other wood grips on for day in day out carry, and save the pretty ones for when you're just "showin off"

That's my view. I carry 1911s, almost exclusively. I like the looks of wood, double diamond checkered grips but I carry OWB and I know that, over time, wood grips are going to get worn and dinged. So, for any 1911 that I carry (or might carry), I remove the factory (or fancy aftermarket) wood grips and install Pearce rubber grips. They replicate the double diamond checkering pattern, they're not so soft and sticky that they cause drag, and they're virtually impervious to normal wear and damage. And, if a set should get damaged, they're not expensive.

jimku · July 26, 2020, 05:54 PM

If you are really concerned about your beautiful wood grips getting dinged ... and want beautiful wood grips, have a set of grips made from ironwood. The stuff is so hard that sparks fly when you hit it with a chain saw.

July 23, 2020, 01:16 PM	#1
OhioGuy Senior Member Join Date: August 11, 2016 Posts: 1,089	Wooden grips for carry I'm new to wooden grips -- the Kimber revolver I just bought has some nicely textured walnut grips. The question I have is whether wood grips will suffer a lot if they're carried regularly, especially if they're in contact with skin and sweat. Is it inevitable they'll end up stained and discolored? If I end up carrying this regularly, should I swap them out for rubberized grips, or maybe put some sort of grip sleeve over them?

July 23, 2020, 03:41 PM	#4
jimku Junior member Join Date: January 2, 2017 Posts: 291	Well, I don't have a problem with sweaty hands, and all of my revolvers have grips with finger grooves for a good grip. I like slick grips because they slide in and out of pockets easily. But I prefer ultra-smooth grips even on my big-bore handguns because on those, no matter what kind of grips you have on them, the recoil is going to require you to regain your best grip every shot, and it is faster/easier for me to do that with smooth grips. This one has 10 coats of poly, wet-sanded between coats, for a finish that is smooth as glass ... and I love shooting this thing. It does not hurt my hand, even a little bit, even after a range session, because the grips FIT MY HAND. My grip is precise, not like trying to sight a sponge, so I shoot more accurately. Last edited by jimku; July 25, 2020 at 02:46 PM.

July 23, 2020, 06:14 PM	#6
HighValleyRanch Senior Member Join Date: July 15, 2005 Posts: 4,066	As much as you might carry or shoot that Kimber, I would not sweat it about the wood grips (pardon the pun). Wood is pretty darn forgiving and any discoloration would only add to the patina. That is the beauty of natural finish wood. Any poly coat over it makes it more plastic looking. I use a Tru-oil on all my grips I make, and the finish is glossy, but more natural looking. You can control the amount of gloss by the number of coats you put on. __________________ From the sweet grass to the slaughter house; From birth until death; We travel between these two eternities........from 'Broken Trail"

July 23, 2020, 06:21 PM	#8
HighValleyRanch Senior Member Join Date: July 15, 2005 Posts: 4,066	Here's some grips I made for my Kimber K6 out of walnut with a natural finish __________________ From the sweet grass to the slaughter house; From birth until death; We travel between these two eternities........from 'Broken Trail"

July 23, 2020, 06:48 PM	#9
Kreyzhorse Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2006 Location: NKY Posts: 12,463	Sure... you may eventually beat the wood grips to death or discolor them. But, if they fit your hand and you are comfortable with them, it's not like they can't be replaced in 10 or 20 years. I certainly worry about covering them up either. Not being a jerk, but it isn't like your Kimber is going to be a highly sought after handgun that you can retire from the proceeds if you ever sell it. __________________ "He who laughs last, laughs dead." Homer Simpson

July 23, 2020, 02:57 PM	#3
OhioGuy Senior Member Join Date: August 11, 2016 Posts: 1,089	Would this make them more slippery, especially with a sweaty hand?

July 23, 2020, 06:07 PM	#5
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	Most grips already have some sort of finish that will prevent sweat from staining the wood. A simple prevention is to apply a coat or two of Johnson's Paste Wax every now and then to protect the wood. My feeling is that the purpose of a pistol grip is to give a good grip.... even when your hands are sweaty and slippery. For that reason any carry gun I have will be fitted with rubber grips. Many people don't like "ugly" rubber grips. To which I reply "Gun fights are also pretty ugly" and I'd rather survive with an ugly gun then not survive but lookin' good.

July 23, 2020, 06:17 PM	#7
jimku Junior member Join Date: January 2, 2017 Posts: 291	I pocket carry. My smooth wood grips on my carry revolver are not to look good! They are to make getting the gun out of my pocket smooth and easy. I don't want to end up in gun fight struggling to get my stupid rubber grips out of my pocket.

July 23, 2020, 07:33 PM	#10
ms6852 Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2010 Location: Texas Posts: 1,394	I wood not worry about that. (See what I did?). This is what I carry , I love wooden handles. __________________ ONLY TWO DEFINING FORCES HAVE GIVEN UP THEIR LIVES FOR YOU. ONE IS JESUS CHRIST FOR YOUR SOUL AND THE OTHER IS THE AMERICAN SOLDIER FOR YOUR FREEDOM.

July 23, 2020, 09:57 PM	#12
Forte S+W Senior Member Join Date: October 12, 2019 Posts: 819	I spent a good 2 years carrying a Walther PPK/S with rosewood grips. The grips most certainly show some wear, but only so far as whatever glossy lacquer or varnish was applied to them wearing off, and I honestly like the way that they look better now. That being said, if you're that worried about grip wear, (which you shouldn't be, but I digress) then you could always carry it in a pancake holster with a flap that covers the grips. However, with a good IWB Holster and a proper cover garment to keep them concealed, the grips should be protected well enough by your shirt or jacket. __________________ Conspiracy theorists are the greatest political spin-doctors of all time. Only they can make the absolute worst political blunders sound like spectacular feats of ingenuity.

July 24, 2020, 12:36 AM	#13
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,308	drag I always thought rubber grips "drug" on a cover garment and one lost a bit of the concealment factor when said happened. Another vote for wood.

July 24, 2020, 01:27 PM	#15
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,833	Here's something to consider, beyond the difference in feel. If you carry a gun enough, over time it will get surface wear. And at some point it will get struck by something hard. Of course it will be accidental, but its likely to happen. The steel parts rarely take more than surface damage, if that, but wood is softer. And not "springy" like rubber. An impact that leaves no trace on a soft rubber grip can leave a nearly permanent dent in wood. And there is also an attitude thing, for many a rubber grip just gets "worn" while wood one gets "beat up"! Totally up to you, but if you want wood to stay pretty like new, take them off the gun and keep them in a box. Put rubber, or some other wood grips on for day in day out carry, and save the pretty ones for when you're just "showin off" __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

July 24, 2020, 02:10 PM	#16
Cheapshooter Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 2007 Location: Missouri Posts: 8,306	Is your Kimber a carry piece, or a safequeen? If you like the way the wood grips feel, keep them. Apply more "stuff" on them if you like, but remember they can always be replaced if looks are more important than use. __________________ Cheapshooter's rules of gun ownership #1: NEVER SELL OR TRADE ANYTHING!

July 24, 2020, 02:36 PM	#17
gwpercle Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2012 Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana Posts: 1,752	All of my handguns usually end up with wood grips/stocks ...don't care for the looks of rubber... rubber is functional but like car tires kinda ugly . I had an AMT Hardballer that wore the factory wrap around rubber grips for almost 3 decades ... last year a set of Kim Ahrends Madagascar Ebony smooth finished grips replaced the rubber and they look so drop dead gorgeous it isn't funny . When wood get's worn looking ...a coat of Tung Oil and it's good as new ! Gary

July 24, 2020, 02:50 PM	#18
HighValleyRanch Senior Member Join Date: July 15, 2005 Posts: 4,066	Other considerations. The Hogue rubber grips wrap around the back strap, most wooden ones don't. I don't know of any wood production grips for the Kimber K6 series that do. Even though the ones I made do, the recoil on such a light gun is still stout with heavy .357 mag loads. The rubber ones tame it down so the stout recoil is fun. You can thin woods grips down to very thin for carry, but although you can thin the rubber ones down, they all have a plastic inside so you have limits on how thin the rubber ones can go. Since you posted "wood grips for carry" (not range work although you plan on using this for mostly that), I do not find the rubber ones to cause any drag on cover garments, but that depends on how you carry. Since while you are carrying, you are shooting a whole bunch, comfort might not be as critical as looks because adrenaline will take over any pain from really hot loads. What helped me to decide was to shoot the hottest load that I was going to carry and shot this load with wood and rubber to compare the tolerance level. As mine is my woods gun, I went with rubber and since it is mostly my carry gun, I don't stare at the grips too much anyways. __________________ From the sweet grass to the slaughter house; From birth until death; We travel between these two eternities........from 'Broken Trail"

July 24, 2020, 02:58 PM	#19
HighValleyRanch Senior Member Join Date: July 15, 2005 Posts: 4,066	double post again! darn tablet __________________ From the sweet grass to the slaughter house; From birth until death; We travel between these two eternities........from 'Broken Trail"

July 25, 2020, 01:46 PM	#21
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,833	I have a S&W M29 6.5" .44 magnum & it had stupid wooden grips on it. I despise them - but - it is a 6" & it is an N frame - and it is a .44 magnum - so - I replaced the awful factory wood with Pachmayr rubber. Turned the gun from something that hurt when I shot it into something that didn't. For me, that matters a LOT and way more than what they look like. I'm not down on wood grips because they're wood. Some wood grips are outstanding. But, for me there is a balance point of factors where I choose rubber over wood (and when I say rubber, I mean the soft rubber, not the hard stuff or plastic). Shape/Design of the grip, fit to the gun, and fit in MY hand, size of the gun, and especially recoil of the round MATTER to me. What they look like..not so much. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

July 26, 2020, 04:35 AM	#22
Hal Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 1998 Location: Ohio USA Posts: 8,563	OTOH - my 4" S&W M29 - still wears it's original oversized target grips. I tried rubber grips on it & quickly found out what a mistake they were. That grippy- tacky - surface raised some serious blisters within a few shots. I tossed them as soon as I got home. I also had a S&W M66 snub with rubber grips & a S&W M617 with them also. Hated them. Hated them with a passion. They feel so nasty in my hand it affects how I shoot. Having a "hole" at 7 yards with wood grips turn into a "group" with rubber grips is something I don't care for. Looks have nothing to do with it. Although I do admit a real fondness for wood & I do look down my nose at Ikea . Why drag something into this that I never mentioned? Then there's also the "grippy grabby" factor to contemplate. Will the rubber tend to hang up when I draw & wood not do that? W/the M69, I'm willing to chance it - for now. I do have my eye on a compromise. I have to dig around in our spare room for a set of Pachmayr American Legend grips I bought for the M66. Those are wood & a rubber finger grip. They are the older style that isn't a chunky as the newer ones appear to be. Anyhow - the OP asked about wear and tear to wood grips. Unless you use you gun for a hammer - wooden grips don't really wear all that much - espcially concealed carry. If you open carry - that could be a different story - but - if wear and tear is a concern, use a flap holster.

July 26, 2020, 05:54 PM	#24
jimku Junior member Join Date: January 2, 2017 Posts: 291	If you are really concerned about your beautiful wood grips getting dinged ... and want beautiful wood grips, have a set of grips made from ironwood. The stuff is so hard that sparks fly when you hit it with a chain saw.