View Full Version : Glock Stippling Question...Edit: Well I finally did it
Hi guys, I've been reading a lot on the threads and watching a lot of youtube.com videos on stippling to prepare for the day I get enough guts to take the soldering iron to my G17.
I used to use the Hogue Handall sleeve and I like the feel of it, but I think it makes the gun just a bit large for me and causes me to to shoot to the left when under speed/stress or on timed drills (bad excuse for shitty trigger control I know). At a 3 day TigerSwan Pistol/Carbine class, JD suggested that I try shooting without the sleeve to see how things went. His hands were bigger than mine and he didn't like the swell in the grip.
Once I got home I experimented. With the sleeve I can only get just in front of the pad of my index finger on the trigger. Taking the Hogue off, I smoothed out the texture of the backstrap with some 600 grit sandpaper which reduced the grip circumference (didn't change the grip angle), but its now too slick. However, I can now get the center of the pad of my trigger finger on the trigger. I tried using a bike inner tube, but don't like the feel of it, so stippling is going to be it.
I tried stippling a Glock mag loader last night. My wife told me it looked like ass and felt like a pumice stone :laugh:. She also said "Why would anyone want to do that to their guns?!" She didn't even like the look of Ben's Boresight modified guns. So, she's not the best person to ask about stippling. Anyways, give me your honest opinion, if it looks like shit, let me know, I can take it and will try to perfect the pattern a bit more.
https://www.m4carbine.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=6841&stc=1&d=1292184896
https://www.m4carbine.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=6842&stc=1&d=1292184896
https://www.m4carbine.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=6843&stc=1&d=1292184896
https://www.m4carbine.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=6844&stc=1&d=1292186071
It is still a bit shiny because I haven't taken any sandpaper to it yet. Any tips are also welcome.
you might try using a wood burning tool. I'm thinking its all shiny maybe because a soldering iron burns hotter, melting more plastic.
I've been using a wood burning kit I got from Walmart for $12. Works really well, isn't shiny at all.
Using a heat gun...now that got things shiny. I did a grip reduction first on my G19 before applying stippling. It came out fairly well.
you might try using a wood burning tool. I'm thinking its all shiny maybe because a soldering iron burns hotter, melting more plastic.
I've been using a wood burning kit I got from Walmart for $12. Works really well, isn't shiny at all.
Using a heat gun...now that got things shiny. I did a grip reduction first on my G19 before applying stippling. It came out fairly well.
You're probably right about the heat. The soldering iron I got was a medium duty 40 watt one which gets quite hot. The plastic melted rather quickly, but I was very careful not to get it too deep. I alternated with shallow and deep touches, trying not to get any particular pattern to show up.
I think if I hit the whole thing with a light pass of 600 grit sandpaper it will take the shine off. The cool thing about the very hot iron is that no plastic gets stuck on the tip of the iron. The resulting texture isn't as abrasive, but it's still grippy.
Does the pattern look ok?
I think it looks pretty good. I wish I could do it that well with a pointed tip. Luckily, I like the "treebark" look you get from a flat tip a bit better anyway.
glockkid88
12-12-10, 19:29
I have done numerous glock grip reductions and stippling and I agree that a woodburner is the best tool. I like the treebark look and feel better than dimples. But, I still like my Bowie Tactical Concepts glocks a lot better than the ones I did. It takes about 5months and costs around $300 but it is worth it! Trust me!
If that has enough texture for you, drive on with it.
http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww204/synergy303/ftt%20personal/glock2.jpg
I went a little deeper on mine. I first experimented with different patterns, then wrapped my fingers on them and saw what kind of purchase I got at different angles.
http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww204/synergy303/IMG_0204.jpg
http://i720.photobucket.com/albums/ww204/synergy303/IMG_0203.jpg
If you don't care what it looks like afterwards, just do it yourself. The BTC samples I've held/shot were extreemly well done, and look much better than DIY jobs...but often times the DIY jobs do what you need them to do, just fine.
Your initial effort looks good to me.
I'd try a 25W iron however.
I'm considering getting a 19 to play with. However after yrs. of 1911s and SIGs the damned thing feels like a 2x4. What kind of epoxies are used when doing a reduction. I've got the "treebark" pattern down really well by doing some FAL grips and forends.
parishioner
12-16-10, 08:47
I think the shininess may have something to do with the type of plastic. It's just a cheap mag loader.
I'm considering getting a 19 to play with. However after yrs. of 1911s and SIGs the damned thing feels like a 2x4. What kind of epoxies are used when doing a reduction. I've got the "treebark" pattern down really well by doing some FAL grips and forends.
I used "gray" colored Marine Tex epoxy. Its a fairly thick consistency, and the color matches the black Glock frame very well....until it's sanded. Then its a dark gray. Once its hardened up though, forget texturing it. Any texturing would have to be done before its fully cured. I'll try and upload a picture later.
Thank you for the suggestions thus far. I'm thinking that I'm pretty much done, except for cleaning up some rough edges or possibly extending the stippling higher up on the frame and lower down the grip. It isn't as shiny as the magloader and all the extra shine is because of a CPF bulb right over the plastic as I'm trying to photgraph it. It doesn't look as refined as some of the work I've seen, but hey, I'm just a non-handy guy trying to learn to be handy.
I don't have particularly sweaty hands so this amount of texture feels right to me. Now to get out and actually shoot it... I haven't really shot a Glock without the Hogue grip since I bought my Glock over 2 years ago so this is going to take some getting used to.
This was done with the 40 watt soldering iron, with a very narrow tip, and then I hit areas with a few light passes of 600 grit sandpaper where it seemed to chew into my hands. I sanded much of the original Glock texturing down, but not completely, before starting, and I removed the lower finger groove, but not the upper. The trigger guard was also sanded down. Edges were kept as straight as possible using blue painters tape as a border.
https://www.m4carbine.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=6854&stc=1&d=1292515782
https://www.m4carbine.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=6855&stc=1&d=1292515782
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https://www.m4carbine.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=6857&stc=1&d=1292515782
Semizal0311
12-16-10, 10:45
That looks awesome!! Great work. How did you remove the finger groove?
That looks awesome!! Great work. How did you remove the finger groove?
I used a Dremel to take off the bulky majority of it, then placed the Dremel perpendicular to the grip and rotated the grip to maintain the front curvature. After that, I sanded the surface down with 600 grit sandpaper. I also slightly reduced the size of the first groove, but kept it there.
I think it looks pretty good. It's even yet random. Nice work.
Okie John
I been practicing too before I go to work on my Glock. The thing is, they're all different. My Moe and RVG was really easy. My Miad, AFG and pmags not so much. Miad and the pmags were krylon'd already though. Other random plastic laying around the house vary as well.
I got the wood burning kit from HarborFreight and did a similar style of stipple. I ususally hate the stipple jobs as most people go way overboard. But my old g22 was so slippery there was no downside risk.
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/trixiebud/CIMG3521.jpg?t=1292543699
I got the wood burning kit from HarborFreight and did a similar style of stipple. I ususally hate the stipple jobs as most people go way overboard. But my old g22 was so slippery there was no downside risk.
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb201/trixiebud/CIMG3521.jpg?t=1292543699
My first attempt went up as high as yours, but I had also done the finger grooves, finger texture area, and backstrap. After messing around dry-firing for a day, I stippled a little higher because I found that the meat of my left thumb was able to get a bit better friction that way.
I really like what you did though. It's simple, clean, and effective. I believe you've posted that pic before and it was one of the ones I looked at before I started.
LowSpeed_HighDrag
12-16-10, 22:29
On my G19, I only stippled the right side, as it is a carry gun. I also stippled where my thumbs naturally rest and under the trigger guard. No need to stipple where you dont even to come into contact with the pistol. Id highly recommend stippling on the underside of the trigger guard though.
On my G19, I only stippled the right side, as it is a carry gun. I also stippled where my thumbs naturally rest and under the trigger guard. No need to stipple where you dont even to come into contact with the pistol. Id highly recommend stippling on the underside of the trigger guard though.
What benefits do you experience with the underside of the trigger guard stippled? I'm trying not to get carried away.
Good question. I refused to stipple any NON-grip area of my gun. For me.. on the Glock.. that's the four "corners" of the grip area.
What benefits do you experience with the underside of the trigger guard stippled? I'm trying not to get carried away.
I have seen this recommendation as well. Except it was specifically limited to texturizing the fore section of the trigger guard where the support hand made contact, while undercutting the trigger guard and leaving it smooth to get a bit higher grip.
I undercut the trigger guard with a dremel and smoothed it, now I have to grow the balls to begin stippling. I would not want the section of the triggerguard where my middle finger rests to be stippled though. Grip be damned, that would shred my finger.
LowSpeed_HighDrag
12-17-10, 12:03
What benefits do you experience with the underside of the trigger guard stippled? I'm trying not to get carried away.
The stippling under the trigger guard allows for the support hand to roll the pistol into the main hand. By gripping the fore finger under the trigger guard, you are able to keep a more solid purchase on the frame while shooting quickly.
By stippling where my support hand thumbs rest in a thumb forward grip, it not only gives me an index for my thumb placement, but also allows for somewhat of a downward pressure on the frame for stability.
Again, dont go overboard, start small and in places where you feel texture is lacking. Some do it for looks, but to me a gun, especially a Glock, is a utilitarian tool.
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