I am mad at Art Buchanan

I attempted to restore my grips exactly as described by Mr. Buchanan in grip restoration article in general information. I followed it to a "tee" and now my grips will not go back on to my Luger, they somehow expanded. I let them sit out for 4 days to dry to no avail. My poor Luger is naked. I am not really mad at Mr. Buchanan, I just wanted to get his attention and anyone else's attention who could possibly help me. Should I let them sit out longer, should I put them in the oven at a VERY low setting, or should I hire a voodoo witch doctor to shrink them down for me? Somebody PLEASE help before I book a flight to Haiti. Phil

mine expanded also, but that was good because they were slightly loose to begin with. but the did go back after a while. my advice is send them to hugh clark.

[Thor]

DONT put them in the oven, they will warp and you will be even more not happy! I think they will dry out NATURALLY over a few days and will fit okay! Have some patience, they may return to a smaller size. Thor

[BILL]

[Luke]

Phil,

I have used Art's method on three sets of grips with really excellent results. I didn't attempt to put them back on the gun right away, as I was in no hurry. Instead, I waited about a week in each case and allowed them to thoroughly dry. I had no problems at all.

Good luck.

Phil---from tone of your post it would seem that patience is not one of your virtues. I assure you that I have used the cleaning method for about 15 years and this is the first complaint. Anything will swell if you soak it long enough[even your head]. 4 days soak for grips should certainly make them swell. Have patience--let them dry. Frankly I have never had to soak them 4 days. I have soaked grips for as much as 2 days. Then let dry. If still full of oil--then soak again. I have encountered a very few grips that were so impregnated with some unknown oil that they never came out to color of natural wood. After cleaning grips I prefer to let them set for several day or even weeks. Some remaining natural[or originally applied] oils eventually leach out and qrips look original. Some require an application of the red/brown rubbing oil. Let you grips air dry for several days---I suspect they will fit. OVEN---NO! I haven't reviewed my posted procedure--but I believe that I did mention that I experminted with 20/30 seconds in microwave with some success for really bad oil soaked grips. This was prior to cleaning with the paint and varnish remover. Sorry things didn't seem to work for you. What do you prefer---Lugers at 50 paces? Or wet noodles at 2 feet? But then I am not mad at you---Just disappointed in your childish behavior.

[Thor]

Art, I think your method has merit and I will try it on the next pair of grips I have to clean up. Even the old MURPHY's Oil Soap (MOS)method that I was using will cause the grips to swell some, most people are very pleased as the grips fit more like they did when they were new. I do think the MOS will fuzz the checkering up a tad so your method has my interest. I am lucky, here in NM the air is so dry it sucks out liquids pretty fast. I appreciate new ideas even if they dont jive with ones I had at one time. I am open to suggestions on how to improve stuff. SeveraL people tried your method and reported back to me they liked it. ~Thor~

[Luke]

Ted, you are, indeed, correct in your comment that the Murphy's Oil method will sometimes cause the checkering to "fuzz" up a little. Art's method does not seem to have this problem.

[Daniel]

Yep ....Art's method works, used myself on perhaps half a dozen luger grips and at least a couple of revolver wooden grips. Have to use the gel or paste type paint & varnish remover. Let them dry for a couple days indoors and give them a thin coat of diluted boiled linseed oil, let dry again and you shouldn't have any trouble getting them to fit on the same pistol. The method is fool proof. ( or so I thought);>)

Thanks Art. As I said in my first post I am not really mad, I just wanted to get peoples attention, I am sorry if you took it the wrong way. I thought after letting them dry for 4 days they would be ready to go back on. I NOW know I have to wait longer. It's not that I have little patience, I just didn't know how long I should wait. Now that I know, I will let them sit out longer. Thanks for all the help everyone!

Thanks for the kind words Daniel. Maybe we can create our own show and brag posts to go along with the other good ole boys here. The way one learns that they are a great artist is when they have critics. For what it is worth---I didn't get the idea from a magazine or a book---and palm it off as my idea. Many years ago I did some furniture restore work. I guy brought me a piece made of walnut with a missing part. He also brought a piece of walnut for me to make the part. He apologised for fact that his Dad had set his old oil can of the walnut for some time. He wanted to use that piece of walnut for sentimental reasons. I spent days getting the oil out of that piece of walnut using the paste paint and varnish remover. Have been useing same method on Luger grips and military gunstocks since. Phil--hope you grips come out OK.

My grips appear to be going back to normal, maybe another week or so. Art I appreciate your wood restoration expertise, my grips look a million times better.

Phil

Good news Phil. Now thatI am receiving good publicity this thread will probably come to a close!! But that is the way it goes for struggling old Artists I guess. Thanks Phil.

[John Sabato]

we need you.


Let me add my thanks to you for your work in documenting your procedure for the rest of the Luger world.


regards, John Sabato

[Hugh]

Hey Art! Old gunsmiths never die--they just smell that way! Or was that supposed to be "old fishermen"?