In a pawn shop a while back I saw a used Taurus semi-automatic pistol with an unusual grip. The grip appeard to be wood, with a wide grain running top to bottom. Each “ring” of the grain was dyed a different, vivid color (not just shades of brown, but green, yellow, etc). The rest of the pistol was chrome, it made for a pretty handsome piece.
I have not seen another and have a couple of questions:
Strips of wood are stained individually, laminated, and then carved.
Those ‘wide grains’ of wood are laminates. Thin layers of wood glued and pressed together. The natural colors of the wood are alternated to achieve the look.
Or what he said.
yep; it’s quite popular for grips and rifle stocks because the bonding/laminating process seals the wood and makes it very moisture resistant. plus it can be done in a dizzying range of colors and patterns.
You can find the laminate blocks at any knifemaker supplier. As jz said, the range of colors and patterns are dizzying… from very attractive black/metallic to wild clown-barf and everything in between. The laminate blocks are available in various sizes and easy to work as long as you don’t overheat any one spot. (If it were wood, and would be hot enough to smoke, it’s too hot for the laminate.)
Laminate, that makes sense! They looked more like the camo laminate on the “Hammer” style grips shown here. Amazing what you can find when you know what to Google!
All of it (PakkaWood, DymondWood, StaminaWood, ColorWood, Stratabond) made primarily by Rutland Plywood Corp. (and they’re notoriously unfriendly to small purchasers, knifemaker suppliers should be able to get you pieces up to rifle stock sized).
CMC fnord!