Bone Grip Repair Opinions Please

[kywoodwrkr]

Opinions please on potential repair of pair of raw bone grips
Has anybody had real success in repairing the locating hole on the inside of a bone grip?
Have a pair of unfinished grip and they fit very loose, actually unusable as is.
Is there a compatible substance the holes can be filled with and then drilled?
Not familiar with bone and all of it’s differences and or idiosyncrasies.
Directions to finishing information would also be greatly appreciated as well.
Atdhvaannkcse(thanks in advance ) for any assistance or direction on this.

[lefty o]

ive never worked with bone before, but i would think a good epoxy like acraglas gel would do the job.

[KCSO]

Epoxy mixed with flour for colour will do the job I have a set done lie this 10 years into the repair and still a ok.

[country gent]

Epoxy colored to match should hold up good. Bone like Ivory colors with age so what matches now may not in time as age takes it toll. If you have extra material then bone could be sanded and mixed into clear epoxy for a filler that would match up well.

Another route to consider would be a insert turned from ebony, brass, aluminum or best german silver. make them to there is a .010 wall around the head and glue in then finish down. it wont match but the brass or silver ring will show and be even around the head, and it will remain the same as the bone colors with age, remaining a consistant look.

[Love Life]

I use clear epoxy with fine powder mixed in.

[kywoodwrkr]

To clarify.
I'm referring to the locating holes which keep the grips from moving about on outside.
country gent, the idea of an insert on the inside might also apply.
May very well keep any movement from wearing away the adhesive close to bone.
Have a long way to go on this but just trying to get an idea of if I even want to use them.
Plan to try and make some fixtures to hold them while forming next week. Or next week. Or next week.
KCSO thanks for real time testimonial about epoxy.
Thanks to all.

[Nueces]

I would make a brass hole liner and hog out the inside of the grip material to accept the liner. Place it on the frame pin, put epoxy, colored if you want, in the hole and clamp the grip in location so that the liner is glued in proper position.

[kywoodwrkr]

I would make a brass hole liner and hog out the inside of the grip material to accept the liner. Place it on the frame pin, put epoxy, colored if you want, in the hole and clamp the grip in location so that the liner is glued in proper position.

Yes, that was what I was thinking above about the insert.
Have a bunch of small tubing and thought a couple small holes through end at bottom of the hole would allow the epoxy to lock onto it.
Of course plenty of wax around pin.
May just use the fixture I am going to make and make pin removable from back side.
It amazes me how I can take a simple arss task like filling a hole in with epoxy and make it into a month long project.
Good news of that is brain connections are getting stronger by the day right now from inner ear/sinus infection.
Those infections can really screw with the memory and recall functions sometime.
Again, want to thank the help from the hive.
Actually, think I'll try this in some wood grips as well. There goes another month!
Thanks all.

[leebuilder]

Super glue and baking soda. They use it on guitars. Rock hard when set up.
Good luck

[DougGuy]

I have used superglue on numerous occasions setting Ruger medallions, screw escutcheons, get the Hot Stuff medium fill superglue if you want the very best, and get the Zip Kik accelerator that cures it fast. Keep the glue in the fridge and it will last a long time.

I did guitar repair professionally for many years, and the water thin superglue works with baking soda in seconds it sets up like rock. You fill or partially fill a hole with baking soda then use a fine hypodermic syringe to dispense a tiny bit of the glue, repeat as necessary to fill a hole, since if you pack too much baking soda in there, the superglue will harden as far as it can reach but you might have loose powder under the filled part.

When I locate the hole for the pin in a Ruger SA grip frame, I drive the roll pin out, clamp the grip panel on tightly and drill right through the hole with a snug fitting drill bit, works well.

[pietro]

To clarify.
I'm referring to the locating holes which keep the grips from moving about on outside.

I place a seal (tape, paste waxed, as a release compound for epoxying) over the outside/visible end of the screw hole and fill it from the back/hidden side of the grip with a colored epoxy, then drill the epoxy out for the screw after the epoxy's cured.

.

[kywoodwrkr]

The escutcheons I'm not all that concerned about.
The locating pin in the grip panel hole in back of grip is what I'm trying to get the old mind around.
Just layed myself out a fixture to facilitate the 'restructuring' of that hole.
Having tried to clarify that, I am going to cut and paste all these ideas into one document. Which I will likely lose!
I've never worked with bone, antler etc. so was not sure how porosity played into things.
Again, I want to thank one and all for, well, more answers than I thought I needed.
Do have some walnut panels with 'wallowed' out holes so may be able to get some Rugers back in shape.
Again, thanks all.

[mazo kid]

I am definitely NOT an expert, but have made several sets of grips. What I do is tap out the locating pin in the frame and then drill through that hole into the back of the new grip. So, fill your oversized holes with what you choose, then after that has hardened, drill through the hole in the frame into the back of your grip. Replace the locating pin and install your grips.