What's new at Sarge's Grips

[Sarge43]

While we're on snake skin grips - this set is Prairie Rattler. The Prairie Rattler skin has a unique pattern to it. Smaller and more defined than the Diamondback Rattler. Both are cool though!
Sarge

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Sarge43]

I love cutting up woods with wild patterns. You just never know what will be in there, and it may be odd, but I get a kick out of knowing that I'm the first person to ever see THAT pattern. ;)
Todays wood is Black and White Ebony. Believe it or not, those panels are bookmatched! You just can't accurately predict exactly what will be in there, but it's always beautiful!
Enjoy,
Sarge

[QKShooter]

That B&W Ebony is really something quite special. In combination with super dense Ebony being such a perfect wood for 1911 grips.

[Sarge43]

Beeswing Narra is a richly colored wood with great figure. Narra, and Amboyna Burl come from the same tree (I know, but they didn't ask me my opinion when they were naming it), so it's got the same color characteristics without the burl.
It's beautiful stuff!
Enjoy!
Sarge

[Sarge43]

What do you do with the old gold coins you've got laying around the house? Well, you put them in grips of course! This set is for a Springfield EMP, done in Thuya Burl.
Enjoy!
Sarge

[Sarge43]

Spalted Tamarin = gorgeous. The fine line spalting and the color variation is just way cool! Some of it actually looks like an old parchment map the pirates may have used. This set hints at the possibilites of this wood. Enjoy!
Sarge

[Nekron]

Spalted Tamarin is definitely cool! I liked the (real?) gold coins in the Thuya Burl too. *thumbs up*

[Sarge43]

Sorry guys, days are long, busy and flying by around here trying to get everything that needs to be done by Christmas actually done. ;)
Here is a VERY cool set that comes with a story that just makes it for me. I was contacted by a gentleman who asked if I could work with a material that he would supply. Long story short, the material was a genuine hippopotamus tooth - a full tooth. He and his son went on a hunting safari to Africa and bagged this big hippo. He told me the story of how the hunt went, and the added adventure of getting this HUGE animal out of the middle of an alligator and other hippo infested pond. :D Again, long story short, he wanted this tooth made into two sets of 1911 grips. One set for his 1911, and one set for his sons. This way, they could physically carry the memories of their hunt together with them for a lifetime. What a cool idea! Turns out the tooth has a VERY hard layer of enamel on the outside of the internal ivory that just defies belief. I tore up two carbide blades in trying to cut it, and sanding it on a disc sander with a brand new 50 grit disc only polished it. I finally got out the stone saw and got it ripped and cut to usable slabs and got the sets done. The ivory is harder than elephant ivory, but workable in the normal manner. It was an honor to be included in this project and stuff like this just "turns my crank" so to speak. To think that these very grips will be carried for their lives, and then handed down along with the story, to their descendents is just very gratifying for me. To have played a small part in that makes my day. The pics go from the tooth cut to lengths (one section was already split in half, and was quite a challenge to make work), through completion with all the scraps generated, showing the completed sets. I saved the "business end" of the tooth, as I just couldn't bring myself to cut it up for a third set. Enjoy!
Sarge

[Sarge43]

continued.....

[Nekron]

Oh, that is just FANTASTIC! What an amazing thing you've made and what a wonderful story to go with it!

Standing - "O", Sarge!

[dV8r]

Oh, that is just FANTASTIC! What an amazing thing you've made and what a wonderful story to go with it!

Standing - "O", Sarge!

Ditto that!

[WoodBarter]

Sarge,

I stumbled across this thread doing an image search for a particular species. I read (and salivated) through page 17 before deciding I had to register. I'm too busy to be doing this but couldn't help it for two reasons:

1. To say thanks for showing these beautiful grips/wood.
2. To subscribe to the thread.

I've had many different species come through my hands, but I'm blown away by the wide range of species you've shown here, and especially the quality. I know grips allow for it since they are so small but still, your eye for museum/exhibition quality wood is uncanny.

So, thanks Sarge. Subscribed.

[Sarge43]

An update on the Hippo grips - the guy loves them so much, he's sending me the other tooth and wants a few more sets made. Very cool!
Sorry for the lack of updates here gent's, I've been putting in a LOT of hours trying to get the Christmas present type orders out. Hopefully, things will even out a little bit after today.
Here's something for you to stare at for today - Pommelle figured Bubinga. The "pommelle" refers to the figure in the wood that is much like a brook flowing over small stones on the bottom. It has great depth and beauty as you can see, and being Bubinga, it's hard and tough enough to put up with life as it happens. Beautiful stuff!
Enjoy,
Sarge

[Sarge43]

One of the few things harder than getting stag horn grips in the right and normal thickness that still have the stag outer texture, is getting stag grips in slim thickness that still have the stag outer texture. ;)
Here's a set of Springfield EMP slim grips which are very close to officer sized panels, but a little smaller.
Enjoy!
Sarge

[Nekron]

Very nice!

Merry Christmas, Sarge!