Fitting & Finishing of Greene's Combat Grips

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STEP ONE You Will Need The Following Tools and Supplies

A container of your favorite finish.

A small block type "pink" rubber eraser

A small round or half round file

Assorted wet/dry sand paper

Two small pieces of Ľ inch diameter x 5/8-inch long wooden dowel. (Sand the diameter of each dowel slightly so each piece fits easily in the pre-sized holes in the grips without enlarging the grip holes.)

A small block of wood to act as a holding fixture for sanding the grips, and two small wood screws with heads small enough to fit into the counter-bored holes in the grips. (Use the screws to attach the grips to the block & use the block in a vise if you like.)

STEP TWO Fitting Instructions Check the fit of the right grip to your frame; mark the magazine release notch for fitting and the butt length for trimming, (especially if you are using a magazine well).
NOTE: Depending on the maker of your pistol it may be necessary to relieve the underside of the grips where the mainspring pin fits through the frame to allow each grip to lay flat on the frame.
Check the fit of the left grip to your frame. Fit the spring tube first by filing the grip so the grip will fit down flat on the frame. Mark the magazine release notch for fitting (optional on the left grip) and the butt length for trimming as on the right grip.

STEP THREE Trimming the profile of the grip set.

Next remove the grips from the frame insert the small pieces of dowel into each hole in the grips to hold them in line with each other.

Using a block of wood or the eraser for a sanding block trim the butt of both grips to length, (especially if you are using a magazine well).

Next, using the eraser again for a small soft sanding block, check & sand the contour and edges to make the grips match.

STEP FOUR Details

Remove the two small dowels from the grips.

Now check and cut the magazine release notch(s).

Check and clean up the spring tube cut out.

If you are using a magazine well check the fit one more time.

STEP FIVE Sanding
Use the small block of wood and the two small screws to hold each of the grips while sanding.

Use the pink eraser for sanding block sand the outside radius (contour) of each grip. Be careful not to destroy the edge contour from step #3.

Carefully sand and contour each grip. (If you are using a magazine well do not sand off too much material or round the edges.)

Use #340 grits to start and progress to #600 or even #1200 if you like.

Depending on the WOOD you may want to wet sand or wet the wood and let it dry then sand again to obtain the best pre-finish result.

STEP SIX Finishing I can not possibly cover every type of finish, so I will cover only two.
I am purposely avoiding any brand names of products.
Plastic varnishes and so-called "Danish Oil Finishes" work well and both can be repaired easily.
They are also very forgiving if you make an error or want to start over.
I cannot stress this enough; every one has their special way of using finishes, so please read the instructions on the container first.
FIRST READ ALL THE FINISH MANUFACTURES CAUTIONS!

STEP SEVEN Sealing the grips

CHECK THE GRIP "FIT" ONE LAST TIME!

Find a small plastic sandwich bag (with no sandwich in it), make sure it is clean and dry and no holes.

Put the grips and about one spoon full of finish in the bag, close the bag and smear the finish around on the grips make sure the finish is all over the grip set. (This is a clean way of working)

Let the bag hang with the grips in the finish 15 or 20 minutes.

Now remove the grips and wipe them dry with a lint free paper towel or cloth. (Do not leave any finish on the surface.)

Close the bag & discard it. Easy?

Hang the grips on a wire and forget them for two or three days.

Check that the grips feel dry to the touch and when they do repeat the above (Step Seven).

CAUTION!!! If the grips are not allowed to dry completely the first time you are wasting your time from now on.
Allow the grips to dry completely!
After the second coat DRIES HARD the grips are normally sealed.

The grips are now sealed.

STEP EIGHT Surfacing, The hard part! This is where we all have trouble, so be patient.
You are now going to put a "SURFACE" on the wood this requires only a little patients.
You will use the #600 wet dry sandpaper and the pink eraser along with your finish to make a fine mud/finish mixture to fill the tiny pores in the wood.
Fine-grained wood may require you to use #1000 or #1200 grit to accomplish this but you should start with #600.
PLEASE READ THIS SECTION COMPLETELY BEFORE YOU CONTINUE!

Mount the grip on the "wooden block" with the two small screws as before.

Cut 3 or 4 small rectangles of #600 paper so they are ready.

Put a drop or two of finish on the wet dry paper you have wrapped around the eraser and wet sand with the finish, adding finish as required. Do only a small area and leave the "MUD" in place and move to different spot on the grip.

Change paper when it "loads up" with finish and mud. As you do this "Finish and Mud" will find its way into the holes and cuts in the grip. Before you set the grips aside to dry be sure to clean the features with a toothpick paper business card edge or similar hard object, do not use a "q-tip", rag or similar type swab.

TRY VERY HARD TO USE AS LITTLE FINISH AS PRACTICAL, AND WORK THE GRIP QUICKLY. THE LONGER YOU ARE MAKING THE MUD THE MORE TIME THE NEW FINISH HAS TO SOFTEN THE PREVIOUS LAYER OF FINISH.

When you have the entire grip covered with a "thin" coat of thick (not runny) mud, set that grip aside and do the other grip.
DON'T FORGET THE EDGES

DO NOT WIPE THE MUD OFF. LET THE MUD DRY IN PLACE.

After the mud is dry and hard, using #600 paper wet sand the grips again (using finish) this time as you cut the mud down to the wood surface wipe off the new and old mud as you work. This will fill most of the grain.

Do both grips and let them dry hard.

Repeat this process of making "mud" letting it harden then removing it each time with finer grit wet dry paper until the surface is filled. Be careful not to go below the previous wood surface or you may need to start again.

STEP NINE The last bit

Last, check the grips to see that the surface is the way you want it.

Using the finest paper you have ie. #1200.

Wet the grips with finish and polish them lightly with the paper,

Next, wipe them almost dry, and set them aside to dry.

Check them again and repeat the above.

Allow the grips to dry again and when the grips have DRIED HARD.

(FIRST READ ANY FINISH MANUFACTURES CAUTIONS)
The last step is to put one drop of finish on the palm of your hand and using your palm, "rub" the grip and try to put the thinnest coat of finish on each grip that you can imagine.

STEP TEN That's it! Let the grips dry one day longer then you think they need, put them on your pistol and go shooting.