Posted: 6/18/2009 4:30:48 AM EDT
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What do guys use...MarineTex, Devcon, other?
I'm leaning toward MarineTex without the steel filler. I'm concerned Devcon and Marine Tex(steel) might be too difficult to shape. Using a soldering iron, I'd like to stipple the whole grip after I shape it. Will MarineTex or any other epoxy, stipple and blend to the rest of the grip? Or, am I limited to the bediner method? I've seen a couple tutorials online...any other tips or suggestions? |
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Quoted:
Any epoxy is not going to respond well to an attempt to use heat to stipple or form it after the fact. Epoxy is a thermosetting material - high heat is just going to cause it to burn. That's what I was afraid of. Found this about Bowie Tactical... " David is understandably reluctant to disclose the specifics of his 360-degree reduction process, but his technique achieves "full grip reduction with full stippling." It's a comprehensive reduction to the entire grip, not just the removal of the back-strap "hump" material with some filler added in. After reduction, the grip's circumference is at least a 1/2 inch smaller, he states. No chemical spray-on compounds are added, nor is the grip painted. Dave works with the existing grip material and solidifies the entire reduction area. Then he stipples it, aggressively or moderately, as the customer desires." I'm wondering if maybe the process includes cutting out a pie-shaped section, use of a heat gun, or a combination of the two. Maybe I'll just send it off to him. I was wanting to do it myself so it will fit my hand perfectly. I don't care for the bedliner finishes I've seen, either. |
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Im not sure exactly how Bowie does his reductions, I have however come up with my own reduction that I am now starting to do for other people. I do use Acraglass to fill the backstrap, but this is done more to allow for easier mag changes. The Acraglass is not required for the reduction, however you will not be able to use a grip plug if you have one installed. The Acraglass also canot be stippled with a soildering iron as was said before, it will burn not melt. I have handled alot of reduced pistols and I will say Bowie does the best work I have seen. I started playing around with reductions about a year ago and have what I believe to be an excellent system for this. My reduction is not as extreme as most of the ones out there. My reduction does eliminate the hump on the backstrap, thus giving Glocks a flat backstrap. The main complaint I have heard and have myself with Glocks is the hump. By reducting the hump this does reduce the grip circumfrence. I do no color the pistols either, like Bowie I work with the exsisting polymer and the intergrity of the grip stays in tact. The only drawback, is I am not able to do this process to an OD pistol as the heat will discolor the OD. I do and can stipple just about any polymer pistol out there, including OD pistols. I have done several pistols for other officers I work with and for some local business owners here in the Houston area. Here are a few pictures of my G23 next to my 19 for comparison. There is also an OD G19 I just did a stippling job on. I also have about 4 different types of stippling that I can do including one that looks like what I call Tree Bark, which resembles what is on Bowie's pistols. I have only done one of these so far. Im not trying to retire from my job and do this full time, I simply do this because I love working on pistols and have been doing it most of my life. It is more of a hobby, I will say my work reflects a personal issue I have with producing a quality finshed product. I will not send a pistol out that is done done exactly like I would do on my own pistol. One other major advantage to my reduction, it only take two days from start to finish.
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff295/Texaspoff/DSC_0098.jpg http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff295/Texaspoff/DSC_0094.jpg http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff295/Texaspoff/DSC_0097.jpg http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff295/Texaspoff/OD1.jpg http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff295/Texaspoff/OD5.jpg |
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Quoted:
Im not sure exactly how Bowie does his reductions, I have however come up with my own reduction that I am now starting to do for other people. I do use Acraglass to fill the backstrap, but this is done more to allow for easier mag changes. The Acraglass is not required for the reduction, however you will not be able to use a grip plug if you have one installed. The Acraglass also canot be stippled with a soildering iron as was said before, it will burn not melt. I have handled alot of reduced pistols and I will say Bowie does the best work I have seen. I started playing around with reductions about a year ago and have what I believe to be an excellent system for this. My reduction is not as extreme as most of the ones out there. My reduction does eliminate the hump on the backstrap, thus giving Glocks a flat backstrap. The main complaint I have heard and have myself with Glocks is the hump. By reducting the hump this does reduce the grip circumfrence. I do no color the pistols either, like Bowie I work with the exsisting polymer and the intergrity of the grip stays in tact. The only drawback, is I am not able to do this process to an OD pistol as the heat will discolor the OD. I do and can stipple just about any polymer pistol out there, including OD pistols. I have done several pistols for other officers I work with and for some local business owners here in the Houston area. Here are a few pictures of my G23 next to my 19 for comparison. There is also an OD G19 I just did a stippling job on. I also have about 4 different types of stippling that I can do including one that looks like what I call Tree Bark, which resembles what is on Bowie's pistols. I have only done one of these so far. Im not trying to retire from my job and do this full time, I simply do this because I love working on pistols and have been doing it most of my life. It is more of a hobby, I will say my work reflects a personal issue I have with producing a quality finshed product. I will not send a pistol out that is done done exactly like I would do on my own pistol. One other major advantage to my reduction, it only take two days from start to finish. http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff295/Texaspoff/DSC_0098.jpg http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff295/Texaspoff/DSC_0094.jpg http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff295/Texaspoff/DSC_0097.jpg http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff295/Texaspoff/OD1.jpg http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff295/Texaspoff/OD5.jpg Wow! Awesome work. Actually, I prefer how your work looks over the Bowie mod. It looks like yours has a wider/flatter shape? Looks like it does wonders for the "hump pressure-point". I like the texturing too...looks sightly rougher than stock...perfect. Have you done any with a undercut triggerguard, finger grooves removed, and 360 degree stippling? Pics? 
I was also wanting to round the corners frontstrap slightly, to get rid of that flat feel. Do you think there's enough material there? I was thinking, as long as it isn't any thinner than the thinnest part in that area, it should be all right. |
| Yes I have, I don't have any pictures right now. I have a frame on it's way to me right now that is going to recieve a the finger groove removal and 360 stippling. I'll take some pictures when i finish this one and get them posted. Thanks for the compliment...if you have any questions, feel free to email me. |
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Quoted:
Yes I have, I don't have any pictures right now. I have a frame on it's way to me right now that is going to recieve a the finger groove removal and 360 stippling. I'll take some pictures when i finish this one and get them posted. Thanks for the compliment...if you have any questions, feel free to email me.  
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