Quote:
Originally Posted by lugerholsterrepair
David, WOW! That's fantastic! Great job my friend. There must be some story here..Where you learned to checker..how long it took etc?
|
Thanks all, and Tom [edit:
Sorry for the "Senior Moment" JERRY!!], good to have a maestro's approval! They are on the skimpy side--but just a hair, and fine for a shooter set. They may fit a Luger without the stock lug a little better, as in the "before" pics from the previous owner.
Almost two years ago, I corresponded with Hugh Clark a bit, during his repair of a couple of million dollar chips I'd sent him. He recommended the book by Monty Kennedy about gun stock work, and I devoured the book in the two days after its arrival. After the purchase of a DemBart set of handles, and cutters to do 18 and 20 lpi, I first covered most of the outside of a calabash gourd with a 20 lpi pattern--nothing fancy, just the grid. This gave me at least a feel for how the tools worked, what they could do, or not, and how to overcome screw ups created by getting off track. I next tentatively set into one of the grips I'd had Hugh only repair and shape the wood on. But I stopped before it was altogether too late--this brief foray was enough to inform me that I needed a LOT more practice! I set the repaired original grips aside and set to work on the urethane repro grips for Mauser 29/70. I got along farther with them, one about half done, before I sensed danger once again and quit while I was at least not behind. I spent about a year practicing with Erma grips--much more expendable IMO--by first smoothing the contours by filing and sanding, then freshening the factory machine checkering as I extended the pattern all the way to the edges. This also let me rework the distortions out of the grooves that begin to look whacky as the pattern follows the curves approaching the grip straps. These were there because the machine that was used to apply the pattern does not turn its cutter to keep it perpendicular to the surface, resulting in progressively lop-sided diamonds as the angle of the curve increases.
I performed this for all my P.08 styled Erma pistols, except one ET-22, the carbine styled one, for a total of nine sets. After this, I did four pairs for of the KGP series Ermas. All that I own or have sold, have had their grips restored by me. A dip in paint stripper, a freshening and extension of the checkering, restoration of the material often found to have been hogged out of the backs of the left grips, and a coat of medium walnut stain and another or two of Danish oil, and you have a grip set that looks excellent, with the character of the wood much more evident and bright.
Well, it took two paragraphs to describe, but two
years, almost, to do, worked into my "schedule" when possible. It has been a fun journey so far, and will continue--I have my sights on more original grips in need of help on eBay! And I have long guns with plain stocks which would also be good candidates.