Aging fake ivory grips ??

[Oldbear63]

Howdy again ! I picked up a super nice engraved nickel plated Pietta 1851. Its grips are fake ivory and very bright white. Can these be darkened to look more like aged ivory ?

I have heard you can soak them in tea or coffee, but curious if anyone here has had any success trying this method or have other suggestions.

Thanks in advance
Bill

Has anyone suggested using ozone or UV light to artificially age these grips? Admittedly, this might age them into uselessness, but it also might be a tactic that could be gradually applied.
Simply placing the grips near a UV light source might produce an effect that could be adjusted to a proper color. UV light will generate its own ozone.

 

[Surfinator58]

I've done artificial Ivory grips in the past but I just use a spar varnish as a final finish and there's some yellow in that I'll have to see if I can get a pic for you

 

[user 52142]

Has anyone suggested using ozone or UV light to artificially age these grips? Admittedly, this might age them into uselessness, but it also might be a tactic that could be gradually applied.
Simply placing the grips near a UV light source might produce an effect that could be adjusted to a proper color. UV light will generate its own ozone.

I had not considered UV light. But that might be an option. Thank you

 

[Eutycus]

I had not considered UV light. But that might be an option. Thank you

Actually it kind of was suggested way back on post #34. DOUBLEDUECE 1 mentioned sunlight. That's a form of UV isn't it?

 

[user 52142]

Actually it kind of was suggested way back on post #34. DOUBLEDUECE 1 mentioned sunlight. That's a form of UV isn't it?

Yes, you are correct Eutycus, but he was talking about sunlight from playing outside as a kid.

I took oldbear63 post as asking about using sunlamps or artificial UV light, which might work faster than natural sunlight.

But I could be wrong.

 

[Snake Pleskin]

They do but the U S was never a major market for poached ivory. The 1990 import ban was very effective. The problem with this subject is that many people believe whatever they hear on the news or other common sources, which is usually sourced from animal rights' groups. To say that it is biased would be a gross understatement. Even though shooters and hunters should be doing their due diligence on a subject related to their favorite pastimes, many do not. Africa has a lot of problems and anyone who thinks that something so simple as Americans halting their consumption of +30yr old ivory for sixgun grips will change any of that, is seriously deluded.

And last I checked, ego had nothing to do with my purchase of custom grips. Most guns come with crappy grips and that is why most of mine are custom.

Yes, i understand why people might want to change a set of grips. However, when you are willing to pay several $$ hundreds of dollars for a set, that is ego , plain and simple. You just want them.(IMHO

 

[DixieTexian]

The "protections" are a double edged sword. Because they are absolute and broad sweeping, fueled by animal rights' arguments in the west, they do as much harm as good. By placing a total ban on sport hunting, the animals have no value to land owners. There is no motivation to keep them. So forest is turned into farmland and elephants are treated as pests. Whereas with rigorously controlled sport hunting, which takes 1% less than but yields a massive income boost for the landowners, they have the incentive to preserve their habitat. It also finances a lot of conservation and anti-poaching efforts. Instead of working together with a common goal, the animal rights lunatics lump the sport hunters in with the poachers. In the end, the elephants pay the ultimate price, extinction. They can't make the whole continent of Africa into a park.

This is a very good point, but you also have to consider that those same corrupt governments would be running the sport hunting business, and it might actually make illicit ivory trade easier for those corrupt officials. I still believe properly regulated hunting is the best approach (adds value to elephant populations), but there would have to be a good program with strict international oversight in order to make it work as intended.

 

[Snake Pleskin]

This is a very good point, but you also have to consider that those same corrupt governments would be running the sport hunting business, and it might actually make illicit ivory trade easier for those corrupt officials. I still believe properly regulated hunting is the best approach (adds value to elephant populations), but there would have to be a good program with strict international oversight in order to make it work as intended.

I do not think there is a govt in all of Africa that is not corrupt. The reason poachers have gotten away with it for so long is, its a large area to patrol with few 'rangers" to cover it. The poachers have no qualms about killing the 'ranger" etc. It isn't hard to bribe, threaten or both the officials that are suppose to protect the Elephants. If you were a "ranger" would yu die to protect an Elephant? IMHO

 

[Tom A Hawk]

Yes, i understand why people might want to change a set of grips. However, when you are willing to pay several $$ hundreds of dollars for a set, that is ego , plain and simple. You just want them.(IMHO

Yes, I wanted them. Perhaps the result of watching to many episodes of Poncho and Cisco and the Lone Ranger in my youth. However, I made my own. Guess that qualifies as double ego.

 

[Snake Pleskin]

Yes, I wanted them. Perhaps the result of watching to many episodes of Poncho and Cisco and the Lone Ranger in my youth. However, I made my own. Guess that qualifies as double ego.

It is not a crime to want to have nice grips. We just need to be honest with ourselves about why we want them. : ). I always wanted a nice set of Stag grips for one of my SA's, but could never justify the cost. That's on me. Someone else may decide that the price is fine. It's their choice. IMHO

 

[Eutycus]

Fake Ivory will fool the vast majority. They haven't a clue it's not the real Ivory. My first attempt some years ago was just the old wooden ones sanded down and then a coat of JB Weld. I then then painted them white with either white appliance enamel or finger nail polish, I forget which.They need repainting from time to time but so what? The crowd thinks they were real.

 

[springfield art]

Yes, I use Ivory Micarta frequently for knives. These are aged for over 20 years as well. Polecat

Some of the new Replica Ivory resin grips have "tree rings" or yearly growth pattern rings in them. Check out NC Ordnance for good replica grips for many types of guns.

 

[springfield art]

It is not a crime to want to have nice grips. We just need to be honest with ourselves about why we want them. : ). I always wanted a nice set of Stag grips for one of my SA's, but could never justify the cost. That's on me. Someone else may decide that the price is fine. It's their choice. IMHO

Lemme tell you about Stags! There was a time when Indian Stag was easily available, as it was harvested from dropped, shed antlers over in India. No animals were harmed! Then, a few years ago, somebody in Indian gov't., I guess, banned export of them. Now Indian Stag is very costly. Luckily, I had bought a nice stag set for my Ruger Security Six for like 30 bucks at Target World in Montgomery County, PA. They're now worth a couple hundred.

 

[GYJ]

Yes, i understand why people might want to change a set of grips. However, when you are willing to pay several $$ hundreds of dollars for a set, that is ego , plain and simple. You just want them.(IMHO

That's not ego.

ego

noun

1. a person's sense of self-esteem or self-importance.
   "a boost to my ego"

My preference for custom grips that cost more than you are comfortable with paying has nothing to do with my self worth, self esteem or sense of self importance. I am a shooter, primarily revolvers. Others play golf or fish, I shoot. Others collect baseball cards or stamps, I accumulate guns. Because I also enjoy shooting them, I want the experience to be as comfortable as possible. Custom grips become a necessity. It also happens to be an area of aesthetic improvement. I always say, the grip design and shape is chosen for function, the material for beauty. What's the difference between spending $400 on another gun or on grips for one you already have? Nothing. No offense but your take on this is very strange.

Lemme tell you about Stags! There was a time when Indian Stag was easily available, as it was harvested from dropped, shed antlers over in India. No animals were harmed! Then, a few years ago, somebody in Indian gov't., I guess, banned export of them. Now Indian Stag is very costly. Luckily, I had bought a nice stag set for my Ruger Security Six for like 30 bucks at Target World in Montgomery County, PA. They're now worth a couple hundred.

They stopped exporting because people stopped waiting for the Sambar deer to drop them.

 

[Snake Pleskin]

That's not ego.

ego

noun

1. a person's sense of self-esteem or self-importance.
   "a boost to my ego"

My preference for custom grips that cost more than you are comfortable with paying has nothing to do with my self worth, self esteem or sense of self importance. I am a shooter, primarily revolvers. Others play golf or fish, I shoot. Others collect baseball cards or stamps, I accumulate guns. Because I also enjoy shooting them, I want the experience to be as comfortable as possible. Custom grips become a necessity. It also happens to be an area of aesthetic improvement. I always say, the grip design and shape is chosen for function, the material for beauty. What's the difference between spending $400 on another gun or on grips for one you already have? Nothing. No offense but your take on this is very strange.




They stopped exporting because people stopped waiting for the Sambar deer to drop them.

What ever works for you is what matters, not what works for me. : )If you are happy with the grips than that is what matters. I am not a person that see's enhanced value in certain things ie, I think the grips are a great idea, but not at $400 dollars. It's a value I do not like. I would not pay an exorbitant sum for a firearm either. Just personal preference. A Glock 19 will do everything I need it to do.(sights perhaps) I would never spend money on a "custom" firearm that offers nothing but possible aesthetics. I realize a set of grips can enhance performance, but that can be accomplished for a lot less than $400. As far as multiple firearms that is a whole other can of worms. I am wondering why i have firearms that are safe queens or have never been fired? I obviously thought i needed it then. Now I realize i never needed it, I just wanted it. I'm changing that aspect of my shooting and my life as we speak. If it does not get shot regularly , it goes. That means 90% will probably go.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

I have no need or use for Ivory. whether it was here in the USA for years or not, too may people particularly in Asia and other countries covet it, and YES< poachers and others do Kill Elephants to get it.

With all due respect, what does old ivory that has been here for a long time have to do with what Asians are doing now? Or do you think that that ivory should be wasted?

 

[SOLANCO]

I have several knives with bone handles and I do like them.

 

[Tom A Hawk]

Lemme tell you about Stags! There was a time when Indian Stag was easily available, as it was harvested from dropped, shed antlers over in India. No animals were harmed! Then, a few years ago, somebody in Indian gov't., I guess, banned export of them. Now Indian Stag is very costly. Luckily, I had bought a nice stag set for my Ruger Security Six for like 30 bucks at Target World in Montgomery County, PA. They're now worth a couple hundred.

Tea stained Sambar. These were a bit too bright for my taste and the tea staining has held up very well for several years and much use.

 

[nkbj]

There has to be a solvent that will carry pigment into a white Pietta grip.

 

[L Rupp]

I have never used it but I knew a lady that said nothing ( leather dyes, Ritt dyes, teas, coffee ) compares to "Turmeric" for getting that aged ivory look on man made materials. She bought it as a dietary supplement in capsule form but it is also sold as a seasoning. I have used it in cooking and the stuff stains anything that gets near it. It wouldn't cost much to give it a try.