heartbreak...update/pics
got some REAL small real EXPENSIVE wood today, and after the longest time spent on one pair of grips other than maybe my first attempt.
the one grio had cracks in it![:(]
possibly $100 pair of EBONY grips down the drain, or at least one half of the pair.
it was so fine, that it didnt show untill polishing out the wood after sanding
in case it doesnt show in the pic well, look top left corner of right grip
blurry but closer pic...
Spurgemaster, might be able to sell it, but even with the buyer understanding it was a "second" of sorts, others might see it as just some crap that was made by "Olde Magics"...not the kind of thing wanted when trying to build up any kind of rep...
think ill check the board and go to bed to mourn...
well here is the repair, barely noticeable! added half-check as a bonus for whoever buys them...
was priceing them elsewheres...wow!
think these will be o.k. at $75, maybe list them on the auction side with a start of $70 and see what happens if they dont go local in a short time
and another set i made up today. smooth, will check to customers wishes
the one grio had cracks in it![:(]
possibly $100 pair of EBONY grips down the drain, or at least one half of the pair.
it was so fine, that it didnt show untill polishing out the wood after sanding
in case it doesnt show in the pic well, look top left corner of right grip
blurry but closer pic...
Spurgemaster, might be able to sell it, but even with the buyer understanding it was a "second" of sorts, others might see it as just some crap that was made by "Olde Magics"...not the kind of thing wanted when trying to build up any kind of rep...
think ill check the board and go to bed to mourn...
well here is the repair, barely noticeable! added half-check as a bonus for whoever buys them...
was priceing them elsewheres...wow!
think these will be o.k. at $75, maybe list them on the auction side with a start of $70 and see what happens if they dont go local in a short time
and another set i made up today. smooth, will check to customers wishes
0
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They might not be worth what you'd hoped, but I'll bet you still can sell them. 0 -
The crack adds character, they look very good. 0 -
They were/are Beautiful!!! 0 -
well there is some hope after all.
spoke to a fellow to day who worked with ebony for quite a few years, says that the crack is normal with this wood, and that it will in no way affect the grip as far as worry about breakage.
it is just an appearance thing and may be able to work out.
HE OFTEN SOLD CRACKED ONES WITHOUT MENTIONING IT TO THE BUYER IF IT WASNT VISIBLE!!
so back to the shop it will go inthe morning to see if the cosmetics can be worked out...only way it will EVER be sold, and then at quite a bit of a discount WITH THE DEFECT DISCLOSED!! (shame, i have seen some with this nice a grain bring over $140)
you would have to throw the thing against a brick wall to break it, but i just cant bring myself to delude someone about anything i make0 -
Just do your best with them and tell your buyer about the crack, and what you just told us above.....
...they're EBONY GRIPS, and hand-crafted, at that. You'll do well enough without deceiving anybody.
edit: and they look mighty fine, too.0 -
if cracks are "normal" with ebony but you don't want customers who don't know otherwise to think bad of your work, maybe you should stay away from ebony? 0 -
what i need to do is figure out how to locate the fine cracks ahead of time so i can cut around the spot...will take working around the material a bit more till i get it down
i realize that cracks are common in this wood, my big thing is that this one was so obvious and horrible looking when it wasnt even visible at all rough0 -
I have used ebony to make knife handles before. The cracks do seem to be par for the course. I sold one to a guy that stuck it in his glove compartment![:0] He brought it back to me a couple of months later with a crack in it. The crack was not there to start with, but after spending time in the harsh environment, it cracked right in the middle of the handle. After talking to a professional wood carver that I know, I used a very thin superglue to fill the crack. After sanding it down, you really couldn't tell it was there.
Even your nice grips with no cracks may develop some over time. It is the nature of the wood.
Mike0 -
quote:Originally posted by oldemagics
what i need to do is figure out how to locate the fine cracks ahead of time so i can cut around the spot...will take working around the material a bit more till i get it down
how about dunk the wood in talcum powder and wipe it off with a fine cloth. ...probbaly wouldn't work with a rough surface though.0 -
I know a little bit about repairs on guitars, and i know that superglue will work very very well in oily woods. My guitar repair guy told me that it was originally made to repair bone and will bond it together stronger than the surrounding wood. It can be buffed out to where you can't even see it after the repair.
He uses it for repairs in rosewood and works on guitars worth 10's of thousands of dollars. I have a guitar with old brazillian rosewood with what looks to be a small hairline crack in one side and he is going to hit it with some superglue shortly. He uses pieces of bamboo shaped into pen like tips, and gets thin superglue designed for guitar repairs. He humidifies the wood until the crack gets nice and tight, then takes a tiny bit of superglue applied with the bamboo pen and lets it seep into the crack.0 -
I wouldn't worry about finding the cracks beforehand. They are liable to show up later anyway. That is the nature of wood. The superglue is the best way to fix it, even on old handles. It will cure and look like woodgrain when done right.
If you try it, let us know... Then again, maybe that won't work.. How much you want for those cracked grips??[:D]
Mike0 -
oldmagics..
The grips are beautiful..and I said so in another post about grips on ebay....I love the grips Classic makes, the warmth and love, yes love, that is put into making them shows up in the work and in the feel....
What did you use to put the checkering in?...Classic does it by hand...
Again..beautiful grips0 -
BR, thanks!
all my checkering is hand cut, no "power checkering" like most places use now.
i started doing it just for myself, i always enjoyed working with wood and guns so here the two come together. after a day of running around like i am crazy trying to keep up with 6 different places at the same time when they are a round trip of 60 miles, it is like therapy to sit and take care and time to do this.
now it started growing into nearly a part time job, maybe i will even be makeing a slight profit by the time i retire and can spend more time doing it, but for now i am at least breaking even with haveing to locate new wood regularly and im haveing fun doing it!
at least on this job the wife can come to the shop and keep me company...0 -
Oldemagics;
As I said in a previous post your work is superb. Cracks happen when you least expect it. Nice touch to half checker. I have been creating 1911 grips for about 15 years now and enjoy using wood off the property. Where do you come up with the exotic woods?
Have a repeat customer who has demanded palm swells and thumb rests for his grips. Novel approach that worked out fine, however Homeland Security would not allow him to have on his carry gun...not department issue.
Keep up the good work. Drop me a line maybe we can educate each other. Where you at?
Paul
Mountain Magic Gunsmithing0
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