Come Into Bawanna's Famous Grip Emporium

[DeaconKC]

That turned out really nice!

[Bawanna]

Many here were gravely concerned after I posted some photo's recently right after a major house cleaning and thus had a pristine work bench.

I have some action photo's of a set of early MK9 grips in progress. I'm happy to report that the bench is completely back in condition normal. This is the first set following that clean bench so you can see there's a hell of a mess involved.

Coco Bolo is toxic like most woods especially those with red in them so hence the respirator, also helps conceal my natural good looks to avoid driving all your wives insane. I usually only get about half way through before I toss the respirator aside, hard to work wearing the fool thing. I pay for it for a few days too.

[yqtszhj]

You have enough sawdust there now to lose the grips in it.

[Bawanna]

I got me a little utility knife a couple weeks ago I been wanting. I was leary of the horn handle and my reservations were warranted. It's pretty but it's just to slick and slippery to hang onto.
Even though it's a tiny little knife I'd hate to lose control so first I just did a little 180 sanding on it which helped immensely but then decided It just didn't look right so I scratched a little checkering on it, not bring the diamonds to full point so there's some traction but no bite.

Never checkered horn before and I have no clue what kind of horn it is. Made in Nepal so not sure what kind of horned critters they have over there.

Photo evidence-

[gb6491]

I got me a little utility knife a couple weeks ago I been wanting. I was leary of the horn handle and my reservations were warranted. It's pretty but it's just to slick and slippery to hang onto.
Even though it's a tiny little knife I'd hate to lose control so first I just did a little 180 sanding on it which helped immensely but then decided It just didn't look right so I scratched a little checkering on it, not bring the diamonds to full point so there's some traction but no bite.

Never checkered horn before and I have no clue what kind of horn it is. Made in Nepal so not sure what kind of horned critters they have over there.

Photo evidence-

Nice work Boss, besides improving the handling, it really does enhance the grip's look. FWIW, I believe that's water buffalo horn.
Regards,
Greg

[MikeyKahr]

Re: Come Into Bawanna's Famous Grip Emporium

No aunt Betsy water buffalo jokes, uncle B, you know she inherited it from grandpa Cletus. Great work btw. I know what knife I'm using for steak at your place.

[Bawanna]

Is Water Buffalo horn hollow like a cow horn or solid. I'm thinking it must be solid since the karda and chakma? handle are made of the same horn and are fairly think. Much thicker than the hollow cow horn I'm accustomed to. Like they make powder horns etc out of.

Anybody know?

[KahrOnTheFly]

Wow Bawanna...

... these grips are a work of art, while being an example of pure function. Nice work!

[gb6491]

Is Water Buffalo horn hollow like a cow horn or solid. I'm thinking it must be solid since the karda and chakma? handle are made of the same horn and are fairly think. Much thicker than the hollow cow horn I'm accustomed to. Like they make powder horns etc out of.

Anybody know?

Solid at/near the tip, the rest is hollow.
Here's a site with some good info;
http://www.chichesterinc.com/WaterBuffaloHorn.htm
They say:
"Generally, the heavier the horn, the more solid it is. We measured some horns at random using a metal wire to see how long the solid part was at the tip. Here's what we came up with:
Length/Solid Tip
24"/6"
24.5"/8.25"
25"/6"
26"/9.25"
26"/11"
27"/8"
28"/11"
28.5"/6" "

Regards,
Greg

[Bawanna]

Greg, I'm dumb, this makes complete sense and is why you see sets of Buffalo Horn grips all the time. My son's Springfield had a set on it when he got it, same thing, slippery but pretty. I just have hollow burned into my head. But 6" of solid at the tip would be plenty to make grips for most anything.

I now know that if he wants I can checker those bad boys. It checkers pretty nice.

I did hear that it's like an onion and mulitple layers that can peel. I didn't encounter that at all on the knife handle but on the one section I can see where that might happen.

On fella suggested sealing them, I need to check into that on how and what to use..

[jeepster09]

Oh Great One Grip Master....

Could you make grips for my Beretta Cougar like these? I have looked everywhere and can not find any finger groove for my 8045 Cougar.
I found this picture of some that look cool on the internet.

[Bawanna]

I'll have to look around and see if I can find a Cougar to borrow. We used to have one here at the dept but it got traded in long ago. It might have been a 9 or a 40 though, don't think it was 45 and don't do me a lick of good now anyhow.

Wonder what the other side looks like. More normal I reckon.

[jeepster09]

" We used to have one here at the dept "......
Did she retire......sorry couldn't resist. The 9s, 40s and 45s are the same as far as grips go. Would an old set of the stock grips help?

[Bawanna]

" We used to have one here at the dept "......
Did she retire......sorry couldn't resist. The 9s, 40s and 45s are the same as far as grips go. Would an old set of the stock grips help?

Actually it was a female detective that I got it for. She's still here, gun isn't.

I really don't want to get into making a grip from a grip. Too frustrating. I need to know they fit. I've thought about a duplicating machine but don't have much faith in the either. Too much chance of error.

Good to know they are all the same, that will help immensely if I can find one.

[itsthelaw]

I think it was a play on the word "cougar", B. It sucks to have to explain your jokes, but it is ok if someone else explains them. I thought it was very clever, but maybe because I'm originally from MN and raised on sarcasm and alcohol.