Luger Grip Grief-Replacements

[Thor]

I have been discussing my dilema with Hugh Clark. When locating Luger grip replacements in the recent months, my sources were three. Nill-Griffe (NG) made in Germany with an outlet in Bandera Texas, CMR made in Europe (I assume) and sold out of England, and Sarco Coco Bollo (CB) Grips. The last pair of NGs I got for Don Leverty's Artillery had multiple problems, I am sending them back. The unstained CMR grips I was buying then staining to match client wishes AFTER Hugh took the back thick edge off and recheckered have dried up and they didnt fit the best close to the safety. Now Hugh reports to me that the last CB didnt fit that well either. This is a real problem. I have contacted Hogue to see if they would make a quality grip and they tell me there is not enough demand for them to start making them. Anyway, it appears one of the best solution is to find a pair that fits (probably originals) and have them recheckered and refurbed by Mr Hugh, the grip GURU! When the NG came along I thought I had found a panacea (fix all)but the quality control has dropped. Hugh has told me some of his NG's he ordered were bad too. I also thought the CBs were a good fix but they seem to have slipped too! Just to let you guys know! The pair that Hugh refurbed for Rick Kimmel came out so nice, I think more and more originals that have flattened checkered diamonds can be dressed up to look almost like new is a good solution. ~Thor~

[Don]

for some of the guys on the forum who are good woodworkers! (I'm not>) Anybody up for making the blanks & then sending them to Hugh to checker?

[Thor]

GT is the best I know of and he has been making wood bottoms for years and he will be the first to tell you the same thing Hogue Grips told me! LOTS of curves, cuts, lots of operations to make a proper one! I guess if you had a programable Computer Controlled Machine it is possible. It never ceases to amaze me how so many attempts do not fit the P.08 pistol! They get close, none but the Nills ever fit really properly! Now their quality control is slipping!

I do think this is a LOT harder to do than it sounds at first glance. Some body on this forum could find a definet NICHE joining the club of artisans including Hugh, GT, Jerry, Dok, Tom Heller and others that provide great work on Lugers and their accessories and parts. There certainly is a market for a quality grip! GT talked about making them at one time, but I think that Idea was put in file 13. This man is incredible and has quite a work load to keep up with the demand for mag bottoms (and other Luger accesories) I think GT more than anyone could vocalize better what is involved in making a PROPER grip! ~Thor~

[G.T.]

Hi Ted, & other forum members! It's been a while since I have posted on the forum, but this subject is, and has been, on my mind for the last couple of years! Ted is quite correct, the difficulty in accurately reproducing a set of grip panels for the Luger is many fold, but these three problems are probably the most difficult to overcome. The first is accuracy....as Ted has discovered, kinda close, might just as well have never been made! The last 5% of the Lugers manufacturing operations, take 95% of the time! As anyone in any kind of production will tell you, anytime you reduce the number of tooling and fixture changes, quantity goes up. Unfortunatly with Luger parts, reducing or deleating any of the machine or hand operations, will have a drastic affect on quality....it will go down. The second is equipment, tooling and fixtures! I have studied Luger grips for a long time, and I believe the grips were originally made in a large quantity on many dedicated and varied machines and fixtures, I estimate aprox. 20 seperate operations per panel, and perhaps 5 shared. and that leads us to the third problem....cost effectivness....and this one is tough...To go through and address all the above, and still attempt to be competative with other manufactures...is just about impossible! I know that there is a dedicated bunch of Luger fans that will appreciate and pay for quality work, and I would like to produce a quality set of grips at an affordable price to fill this niche, but unless something changes in my present situation, I have neither the time or resources to undertake this quest! So, it is not really in file 13, but it is on the back burner for at least the time being......I appreciate all of the fine friends and customers I have met through producing mag. bottoms....hopefully I will have more to offer in the future! Thanks to all....till...later...G.T.

[Hugh]

I have been buying the Nill uncheckered grips for border checkering, and haven't had a problem with them. But by the time you spend $55 for them and $35 for me to do standard checkering, they become very expensive!

[Rick K]

Speaking of Hugh's refurbishment of my grips, I finally have a decent picture of the MB to post thanks to a friend who is a great photographer. This picture shows off Ted's wonderful refinish job. I think you can see the great color of the rust blue, the great straw color and I hope you can see the color of the fire blued parts. Hugh's work on the grips is quite evident as he worked a miracle on them! Last but not least is Dok's beautiful case!(No.2). I apologize to you three guys for taking so long, but I wanted a picture that would do justice to your work! Thanks to all of you!






http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/MB...EUPRESIZED.jpg

See if you can locate some SILE luger walnut replacement grips. They have unfinished thick edges at back and lower front but this is easily sanded and checkered to make a good replacement. The hard parts are done on the SILE grips and you can touch them up to fit and finish standards.

[John D.]

thanks for posting that Rick - your Luger is unreal... The work of the craftsman ("craftsmen"??) on the Board is incredible...


The Photo was worth the wait..!!! Thanks for posting it..!!!

[Hugh]

Rick's grips were the prettiest pair of original grips that I have had the pleasure to rework.

[Rick K]

Thanks John D. I was beginning to think no one would comment. I'm glad I posted this photo. My photographer friend took the picture with a Canon digital camera that he said cost "several thousand dollars". The colors were what I thought were important. They certainly are vivid in person and I think he captured them pretty well.

[HÃ?Â¥kan Spuhr]

Of course it would be the best to have a CNC machine to make grips.

BUT: It would be no problems to make grips in an old copymilling machine.

They used to come in different variations both 2 dimensional as well as 3 dimensional.

If i were up to gripmaking i would use one of those machines as they are outfashioned and almost can be had for free secondhanded.


Regards HÃ?Â¥kan



http://www.vapensmedjan.com

[Dok]

and it was a pleasure to provide the case. Just like nothing improves the taste of water like fine whiskey, nothing improves the look of a case like a fine Luger in it.

[Thor]

Nice picture Rick, it was worth waiting for! Thor

[Rick K]

Thanks Thor. That means a lot. I really didn't do what I had meant to do concerning your job on my "Magnificent Bastard" and I apologise for that. I just have to echo everything that Wombat said after he got his back from you. I truly believe that the three red dots will only add value to any Luger! In the future, as years go by, and more and more Lugers, by necessity have to be refinished in order to preserve them, it will be your loving touch and your mark that will become more and more highly prized! I am thankful that I have one that you devoted your attention to and I intend to preserve it, as is, mismatched numbers and everything, the "Magnificent Bastard" will pass on to my son, and I will make sure that he values and understands the significance of the three red dots!

Your friend, Rick K

[Rick K]

Amen Dok! You're the best!

Rick K

[Thor]

Man, that is just great Rick! Thanks so much and glad I could be a small part in your Luger's history! Every time I tear one down I am amazed in the design and engineering that went into these marvels. I look at the Germans and Georg Luger as the creators of this marvel and myself as kinda like a make over person. When they get very very tired and abused looking or if they come from different homes (mis matched) I am only too glad to give them a make over! I love what I do and I will be doing it for a long time to come God willing! After all.....all things are really up to Him!! ~Thor~