# question on stippling...



## rvl8 (Jun 4, 2008)

if you go on youtube and type in "heat stippling" there is a video. If you fast forward to about 3:30 or so you will see what looks like a typical soldering iron with some type of tip that makes a waffle type design, I am wondering if anyone can figure out how to make this tool or can make me one, I'll pay you. I'm guessing its a filed screw head or knurled or something, thanks guys


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

It may be a standard wood-burning-art shading tool. Look in an art-supply store first, or Google "wood burning art tools."


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## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

At about 3:52 in the vid, he references making the stippling head, so I'm guessing his is handmade.

Steve's point is still valid, though; you might well find something that will work as well or better in the wood-burning or leather-stamping areas of a hobby shop.


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## rvl8 (Jun 4, 2008)

I'll check that out thanks!


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## Concealed45_1911 (Jul 4, 2008)

How bout a leather stamp ?

http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/products.asp?number=6889-00


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## rvl8 (Jun 4, 2008)

thats a nice looking design. it has to be something metal i can heat up though


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## Concealed45_1911 (Jul 4, 2008)

The stamps are chrome plated cast steel, if you have a Tandy leather or any leather supply around you can go look at the hundreds of different sizes/designs


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Leather stamps are based upon a shank that is about 1/4" in diameter (and more than 3" long). Getting one hot enough to impress gun-grip polymer will be difficult, not to mention the problem of holding on to it when it's hot. You might need to "bathe" the stamp part in the flame of a torch, every so often, being careful not to melt it.
The reason I suggested wood-burning tools is because they attach to an insulated, heat-protected handle that keeps the tool hot using electrical energy from the nearest wall socket. Much more convenient!
Nylon-strap-cutting tools are much like wood-burning ones, but with thicker, tougher points. I have modified such tools to do Nylon-cutting tasks other than those for which they were designed. It's easy, requiring merely the use of files or a grinding wheel. Modifying a Nylon-cutting point to make a multi-point texturing tool should be a pretty simple filing job.


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## rvl8 (Jun 4, 2008)

well, i called up a local hobby shop, guy said he had something he thinks would work. so i go down there, that guy went to lunch or something, the other guy had NO IDEA what he could have possibly been talking about...

i tried everything in my garage i could think of, even some knurled part of a exacto knife, but the design wasnt "high enough" so it didnt work out that well. i am just practicing on my plastic gun case right now. want to get it perfect before moving onto the gun grip


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## Concealed45_1911 (Jul 4, 2008)

My thought was to take the leather stamp cut it off to about an inch long then grind the diameter down so it will fit in the soldering iron as a new soldering tip. it will take a powerful soldering iron to keep it hot though, could use a propane torch to help get it hot.


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## Glockamania® (Dec 21, 2006)

Good luck with it! A stippled Glock grip feels great!


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## prcabr4christ (Jul 6, 2008)

if you go to a high end tool shop, you can find metal stamps for imprinting things into metal (hammer method of course), they're meant to last at least half of forever, the set i have is about 7/16" square stock hardened steel, with a grinder (using cutting blades as well could be another option) and a knurler, maybe some patience with a file and they could be a long lasting stippler


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## rvl8 (Jun 4, 2008)

ill send you some money to make me one. i have a real lack of serious hardware stores around here.


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## prcabr4christ (Jul 6, 2008)

I used to be a welder/ironworker, but to be honest, I'm not really good with small applications such as this, I used to build bridges and handrails like heck, but as far as grinding, I'm not great when it gets real small...I would suggest using a dremel to work on the stamp as well....if you have access to a torch, you could heat the stamp up until its almost melted (cherry red), and then pound it onto a course file, that should knurl it for pretty cheap, thats what I would think about doing


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## Old Padawan (Mar 16, 2007)

Perhaps you could apply an epoxy in a stipple like pattern. That’s what is in my Glock


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

I want to add something to this thread that comes from my experience shooting the good old 1911...

I have found that control of a semi-auto pistol has very little (read: "nothing") to do with the texture of the panels on the _sides_ of the pistol's grip. Control comes from the hand's adhesion to the front- and back-strap areas only. The side panels could be glassy smooth, and it wouldn't matter a bit.
This is not to say that a Glock's silly little finger grooves make any difference. They don't. The only thing that really makes a difference is texture, and (up to a point) the rougher the texture, the better.
Indeed, the side panels might better be polished dead smooth in order to make easier the hand-shift required by those who use the thumb to press the pistol's magazine catch.
Think about it. You may end up agreeing with me.


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## Concealed45_1911 (Jul 4, 2008)

I agree Steve, My full size 1911 has smooth black pearl gips on it and its never slipped out of my hand. used to have the hogue rubber wrap arounds on it but can shoot better with smooth and checkered front strap.


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## Mike Barham (Mar 30, 2006)

I completely agree with *Steve*.


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## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

I have to differ on the effectiveness of the finger-grooves. For a while, I owned a Gen 2 and a Gen 3 Glock 19 at the same time, and when shooting them in a so-called side-by-side test (actually, one after the other), the finger-groove model stayed put in my sweaty hand much better than the non-finger-groove gun. I had full control of both, but the non-grooved gun would eventually slip upward in my grip ever so slightly, especially during high-speed runs of more than 5 shots.

If the grooves don't fit a person, then they probably are more of a hindrance than a help, but especially when it's hot, and the 'ol hands get slick, they definitely help me.

Maybe some stippling on the front panels, on the groove ridges, would help even more.


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## prcabr4christ (Jul 6, 2008)

I would say if you felt you needed texture on any part, the area you would need it most would be on the front strap....the reason for this is simple, the back-strap is basically a fulcrum (that may be mis-spelled), you generally have a grip on the back-strap, and the front pivots....so from that I would concoct that if texture was applied to the front, even if only for sweaty situations could be worth it, but for glocks I've never run into a prob with it slipping anywhere....maybe they just fit me well


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Finger grooves get in the way of quickly achieving a firm firing grip on the pistol, before you begin your presentation. Even if the grooves fit your hand well, if your fingers attach themselves to the gun just a little "off" the grooves, you have to readjust your grip, and that takes meaningful time in a save-your-life situation.
If the grooves aren't there, a slight misalignment of your firing grip is all but unnoticeable, and you just carry on with the presentation.
In my experience, an ungrooved grip with either checkering or stippling on front- and back-straps works best, especially in a sweaty hand. And, yes, you do need some sort of texturing on the back-strap too. (Depending upon the shape of the grip, vertical grooving can be enough.)
A far next-best after checkering or stippling would be rough tape that attaches permanently. There's a skateboard-deck tape that seems to work pretty well.


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## JeffWard (Aug 24, 2007)

I use black grip tape on the front straps of both of my carry guns (XD45C and XD9SC). I had grip tape all the way around, and it snagged on clothes. One strip down the front strap works 99% as well, and is non-permanant, as stippling is. My Tactical has a full tape job for sweaty range fun, but I don't carry it.

+1 forgrip tape on the front strap.

JW


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## Glockamania® (Dec 21, 2006)

I forgot to add, that most stippled Glocks will thin out the reciever. Just don't get to reach that point...or else you'll end up with a subcompact.


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