What are your DIY stippling tips/tricks?

[Sasage]

I have used on Talon Grips but thinking of DIY stipple due to cost of pro stippling.

Any tips or tricks that I should be aware off?
So far..
Take my time, practice on anything plastic.

Please share your pics if you have done your work too.

[vcdgrips]

Clink the link for an illustration between the 2nd gun I even did and the 42nd gun I textured.

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?4977-Calling-All-Stippling-Gurus&highlight=stippling

In my experience, the best way is the hardest way, one pore at a time with a narrow tipped soldering iron or wood burning kit. I have recently started using a more agressive, linear "treebark" style of texture as well. I view the linear as an advanced technique because the downforce to make it more effective the the "pinprick/orangepeel" texture is such that you could go too deep and damage your frame given the force and/or heat.

Be advised that the polymer of P-Mags, Glock Mags and the Glock pistol themselves all behave differently when given the heat. While practice on a non pistol item is helpful, there is no substitute for a gentle and patient touch. The first stick is the hardest.

Surface prep with a dremel (or other mechanized sanding device) is needed to go to the next level visually. Know that a dremel (or other mechanized device) can also take off too much material too qucikly both abrasively and via heat. In a worse case scenerio, you will "dremel" right thru (or nearly so) the grip and ruin the frame.

I am posting this because Ben at Boresight Solutions and another gentlman whose name I have forgotten, graciously gave me a tip or two ( re both texturing and safety) so I though it only right to pay it forward so to speak.

As someone who has been essentially a DIY glock stippling guy since about 2006, I have a decent frame of reference on this issue. Ben reset what was "professional" looking and established the new standard re defined edge lines, triggerguard thinning and an essentially seemless appearance despite doing full reductions etc. In Ben's case, function definitely follows form as well. IMHO, Ben's excellent work has given rise to a number of other fine craftsmens making it a win/win for all those wanting a better Glock etc.

[Sasage]

Clink the link for an illustration between the 2nd gun I even did and the 42nd gun I textured.

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?4977-Calling-All-Stippling-Gurus&highlight=stippling

In my experience, the best way is the hardest way, one pore at a time with a narrow tipped soldering iron or wood burning kit. I have recently started using a more agressive, linear "treebark" style of texture as well. I view the linear as an advanced technique because the downforce to make it more effective the the "pinprick/orangepeel" texture is such that you could go too deep and damage your frame given the force and/or heat.

Be advised that the polymer of P-Mags, Glock Mags and the Glock pistol themselves all behave differently when given the heat. While practice on a non pistol item is helpful, there is no substitute for a gentle and patient touch. The first stick is the hardest.

Surface prep with a dremel (or other mechanized sanding device) is needed to go to the next level visually. Know that a dremel (or other mechanized device) can also take off too much material too qucikly both abrasively and via heat. In a worse case scenerio, you will "dremel" right thru (or nearly so) the grip and ruin the frame.

I am posting this because Ben at Boresight Solutions and another gentlman whose name I have forgotten, graciously gave me a tip or two ( re both texturing and safety) so I though it only right to pay it forward so to speak.

As someone who has been essentially a DIY glock stippling guy since about 2006, I have a decent frame of reference on this issue. Ben reset what was "professional" looking and established the new standard re defined edge lines, triggerguard thinning and an essentially seemless appearance despite doing full reductions etc. In Ben's case, function definitely follows form as well. IMHO, Ben's excellent work has given rise to a number of other fine craftsmens making it a win/win for all those wanting a better Glock etc.
Thank you! I was even thinking of using a block and sanding by hand even tho it will take more time but less risk.

Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk

[Al T.]

you could go too deep and damage your frame

I did that on the bottom of one (G17). It was my first and I figured that starting from the bottom made more sense (nothing to kitten up if I burned through). It shoots just fine and will be the first on the list if I decide to cut a 17 in order to use G19 magazines.


Surface prep with a dremel

Fine wood rasp works well and seems quick enough...

[Clobbersaurus]

About a year ago I did a picture tutorial of how I go about stippling on another forum. I will try to repost here when I get some time later tonight.

[orionz06]

http://www.otdefense.com/waffle-stippling-tips--kits.html

[Clobbersaurus]

Here's a post I made on another forum about a year ago. I hope it helps.



I've always been mystified by those that pay big bucks to have their guns stippled. If you have a reasonably steady hand and can spare $15 for tools, you'll have all you need for a lifetime of stippling. I've given a pictorial below of the method I use to stipple my guns, hope it helps.

The Girsan grips in their all their stock grossness.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r151/clobbersauras/DSC03879_zpsltkeo8g8.jpg (http://s143.photobucket.com/user/clobbersauras/media/DSC03879_zpsltkeo8g8.jpg.html)

Here's my trusty "stippler". I picked this sweet baby up from Princess Auto for $10. It's a soldering iron and came with a bunch of little nubs. I wasn't happy with those and after some trial and error, decided that a larger melt makes for a better grip. I filed down the pinpoint tip to the dimension you see here.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r151/clobbersauras/DSC03884_zps71wzo8wi.jpg (http://s143.photobucket.com/user/clobbersauras/media/DSC03884_zps71wzo8wi.jpg.html)

Everything you need to stipple your gat is pictured below; sandpaper and soldering iron (the shoe polish isn't needed, I just couldn't find the holder for the soldering iron and didn't want to burn my workbench) - that's it! I use a very coarse sandpaper to remove the high points and lines from my grips. If you don't, you'll likely still see a faint outline of them after you stipple. It's purely an aesthetics thing, but it only ads about three minutes to the whole process.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r151/clobbersauras/DSC03883_zpsyv2wa83d.jpg (http://s143.photobucket.com/user/clobbersauras/media/DSC03883_zpsyv2wa83d.jpg.html)

I like to start slow and work my way around the edges of the grips (or frame). Make sure you have your soldering iron good and hot before you start stipplin'. You only need to press it lightly to the plastic for a fraction of a second. Go slow and light at first and you'll get the hang of it.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r151/clobbersauras/DSC03885_zpsrkeqslan.jpg (http://s143.photobucket.com/user/clobbersauras/media/DSC03885_zpsrkeqslan.jpg.html)

After I make my initial row of stipples around the edge of my grip I like to random stipple the middle and around any faint outlines I didn't take off with the sandpaper. If I don't do that I have a tendency to stipple around the lines and designs and it doesn't look as random as it should.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r151/clobbersauras/DSC03888_zpszenjouyg.jpg (http://s143.photobucket.com/user/clobbersauras/media/DSC03888_zpszenjouyg.jpg.html)

Then I just fill in the non stippled parts. You can get as OCD with this as you like. I prefer a more random look. I'm sure the fumes of melting plastic are probably pretty toxic, so if you can, work in an open space with a fan pointed at your work to blow the fumes away from you. Mask up if it's important to ya.

One down and one to go.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r151/clobbersauras/DSC03887_zps37zhhwlz.jpg (http://s143.photobucket.com/user/clobbersauras/media/DSC03887_zps37zhhwlz.jpg.html)

Finished product! It only took about 30 minutes to do both grips. The gun sticks like glue now. The Wilson parts are the HEAT by the way. They dropped in just fine, and work as advertised.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r151/clobbersauras/DSC03890_zpszdjagz3c.jpg (http://s143.photobucket.com/user/clobbersauras/media/DSC03890_zpszdjagz3c.jpg.html)
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r151/clobbersauras/DSC03891_zpsptsn5gs9.jpg (http://s143.photobucket.com/user/clobbersauras/media/DSC03891_zpsptsn5gs9.jpg.html)

[taadski]

http://www.otdefense.com/waffle-stippling-tips--kits.html

This.

I've spent A LOT of time doing my own fine point stippling work. And this does a very similar job using the same iron with about 1/10 of the invested time. Really. Best $8 I've ever spent.

[vcdgrips]

Fully acknowledging that reasonable minds can differ, I am not a fan of the multi tip head. If you press too lightly, it still does not have the 1 stick coverage the the single pore meethod has wsuch that you still have to do extensive touch up with a single point element despite dropping the multi tip multiple times in the same general area. If you press firmly, the edge of the head makes contact with the frame such that you can see the circumference of the head in the polymer making it appear less seamless imho.

I have come to believe that a more tree bark like texture provide better traction but can be much harder on the hands and cover garments. Such a texture is also less pleasing to many eyes.

[JCS]

I really wish I was brave enough to do this to my 19. Mostly the trigger guard undercut. I use the medium blackstrap so I'm not sure how I could stipple all of it and make it look good.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Clusterfrack]

I've had good results with the OTD waffle tip, especially for less-aggressive patterns for CCW.


https://pistol-forum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=7371&d=1461185997
https://pistol-forum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=7372&d=1461186145
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160424/d740efd68fab904943e678e6a3ab7c43.jpg

[BobLoblaw]

I use the medium blackstrap...

Many a latex-clad folk share your passion. ;)

[23JAZ]

Anyone know what tip and/or technique makes this type of pattern.
https://pistol-forum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=8575&stc=1

[orionz06]

If you isolate a segment of it the best guess is a plus cut into a round shape.

[23JAZ]

If you isolate a segment of it the best guess is a plus cut into a round shape.
I see it now, think I'm going to give that style a try. The tip on the top left looks like it might work with a little modification . Thanks Tom.
https://pistol-forum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=8576&stc=1https://pistol-forum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=8577&stc=1

[Luke]

Which one of you master DIY'ers wants to do a P2000?

[Clusterfrack]

Anyone know what tip and/or technique makes this type of pattern.
https://pistol-forum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=8575&stc=1

You can take a 10x24 brass flathead bolt and use a dremel cutoff wheel to make an asymmetric checkerboard pattern on it.

[Clobbersaurus]

Which one of you master DIY'ers wants to do a P2000?

I'd do it for free no problem, if I lived near ya!

One thing I have found about stippling; A finer stipple looks better, like some of the pics above, but it is not nearly as grippy as a courser stipple as in the pics I posted. I've done a fine tip stipple job on a Glock, and it worked fine for casual use, but man when my hands got sweaty or when it rained on a course, it was not nearly as good as the stipple I do now.

I suggest using an old AR grip or a toy gun to practice on and see what you like before you stipple a plastic framed gat. A fine stipple is easy to fix, and course stipple is fixable, but you have to remove a lot more material to fix it.

Edit: One thing I forgot to mention is that if you want to make a straight line, you can use painters tape as a guide and stipple along the edge of it. A pencil helps mark out borders as well.

[BES]

I used the 6 dollar wood burner kit from Walmart. The first stipple job I did was on a G17 that I've now sold, I didn't sand it down prior. It came out okay but kind of amateur looking. I would definitely recommend sanding it down with a dremel first. If you do that, no matter what tip it will probably come out pretty decent..assuming you have decent fine motor skills lol.

Here's a pic of my go to G19 that I did. Minimal effort, minimal cost....I think it came out okay.

8578

[Luke]

I'd do it for free no problem, if I lived near ya!

One thing I have found about stippling; A finer stipple looks better, like some of the pics above, but it is not nearly as grippy as a courser stipple as in the pics I posted. I've done a fine tip stipple job on a Glock, and it worked fine for casual use, but man when my hands got sweaty or when it rained on a course, it was not nearly as good as the stipple I do now.

I suggest using an old AR grip or a toy gun to practice on and see what you like before you stipple a plastic framed gat. A fine stipple is easy to fix, and course stipple is fixable, but you have to remove a lot more material to fix it.

Edit: One thing I forgot to mention is that if you want to make a straight line, you can use painters tape as a guide and stipple along the edge of it. A pencil helps mark out borders as well.

I've done a little stippling on a few guns. No way I'm touching th P2000 lol. I'm not sure if it's the equipment or me, but man it comes out horrible.

[Sasage]

Practiced sanding on two back straps, just waiting to pick up a soldering iron/wood burn

Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk

[Luke]

How much of a difference does sanding the grip make? I've never sanded.

[vcdgrips]

Luke,

IMHO, surface prep by sanding makes a world of difference in terms of appearance, but very little in terms of function, particularly when using a finer texture. I would refer you back to the link in my prior post for fairly stark visual confirmation of that point.

There is also no question in my mind that the coarser the texture, the better the grip/traction. (At least to the point just before it is too coarse and begins to cause pain, abrade the web of the hand etc.). That is why my range G35 and G34 have a more tree bark like texture. My carry set is still "pinprick/orange peel" on the sides which contact me and my clothes, but the forestrap and backstrap have been retuxtured to "treebark" as well.

[Sasage]

VCD what grit do you recommend? I ordered some 120 dremel bits and I tested the back straps with 60 grit.

Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk

[23JAZ]

You can take a 10x24 brass flathead bolt and use a dremel cutoff wheel to make an asymmetric checkerboard pattern on it.

After reading this ^ It does look like a Philips head.

[Luke]

After reading this ^ It does look like a Philips head.

Mind blown. That's awesome

[Irelander]

I've done a couple of Glocks. I can definitely agree that surface prep is key. I removed the finger grooves on my carry G19 and smoothed out all the factory "checkering" before I did a 360 grip stipple. I neglected to smooth out the light textured factory pads on the sides of the grip. Even though I gave a fairly aggressive tree bark type stipple, you can still see the edges of those pads. The places that I smoothed things out look very nice.

[Luke]

What would you do on something like a P2000 that had a rubber back strap?

[Sasage]

Been experimenting with my new wood burner and sanding drums.

So far I prefer the 120 grit over the 60 (takes longer but more forgiving) and a random chaos pattern to dots.

More trials to follow

Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk

[Irelander]

What would you do on something like a P2000 that had a rubber back strap?

Hmmm...I didn't know the P2000 had a rubber backstrap. I'd probably leave it alone. Just stipple the plastic around it, however I'm not familiar with the P2000 grip so maybe I am missing something.

[23JAZ]

I stippled the 43. Not bad for a 10 dollar investment in the OTD waffle tip. I undercut the trigger guard also.
8767

[orionz06]

Looks decent. I think, looking at it in use now, that if I used mine I would wanna fillet the face slightly to lessen the border on the tip.

[23JAZ]

Looks decent. I think, looking at it in use now, that if I used mine I would wanna fillet the face slightly to lessen the border on the tip.
That would probably be a good idea. You do see a of of the border. I think he makes them that way to reduce the chance of overpenetration. It's definitely not a Cold Bore or a Jarvis job but I'm happy with it, and 10 bucks instead of 200 makes me really happy with it.

[orionz06]

Yeah... Saving $190, shipping, and hassle for 100% of the function is pretty solid.

Makes me wanna grab a 17 to fucks with, or if I wind up with a 320 like I think will happen I can fiddle with that.


Sent from my Nokia 3310 using an owl

[23JAZ]

Yeah... Saving $190, shipping, and hassle for 100% of the function is pretty solid.

Makes me wanna grab a 17 to fucks with, or if I wind up with a 320 like I think will happen I can fiddle with that.


Sent from my Nokia 3310 using an owl
I would definitely feel way more at ease knowing if I screwed up on a 320 I could just get another grip module. But I'm too heavily invested in Glocks to consider a platform change.

[Tyman1876]

Does anyone carry a stipples gun against their bare skin? I've held them and loved the feel but always wondered if it would rub you raw after a day of carrying it around.

[23JAZ]

Does anyone carry a stipples gun against their bare skin? I've held them and loved the feel but always wondered if it would rub you raw after a day of carrying it around.

I do and don't mind it at all. Part of the reason I stippled it is because I carry against the skin and its freakin hot in AZ so chances are if I have to draw there is going to be sweat on the grip. With the factory grip the gun was slippery as shit.

[Tyman1876]

I do and don't mind it at all. Part of the reason I stippled it is because I carry against the skin and its freakin hot in AZ so chances are if I have to draw there is going to be sweat on the grip. With the factory grip the gun was slippery as shit.

Just the answer I was looking for, thanks Jay.

I've ran rubber Talon grips for a little while now and they're great when your hands are dry but if they get any moister on them it's like trying to grip a wet fish. I've been leaning towards stippling for a while now and you're pushing me even closer. Thanks!

[Clusterfrack]

Does anyone carry a stipples gun against their bare skin? I've held them and loved the feel but always wondered if it would rub you raw after a day of carrying it around.

Yes, I've got my 320c on right now. The trick is to go light on the stippling and gently sand sharp spots with fine grit polishing paper.

[vcdgrips]

And/or wear a wicking t shirt.

[Holmes375]

I carry this Shield against bare skin - AIWB. I did buff the stippling lightly with 600 grit wet paper. Stippling is still aggressive in hand but no trouble against the skin.

Note: Stippling is not my work but that of Chris Damato.

[JCS]

Does anyone have any tips for removing the finger grooves?

[vcdgrips]

Glock, I presume. Apprentice Way- Put frame in a vise between two paperback books. Get some strips of 60, 100, 200 and 400 grit sandpaper and "shoeshine" stroke the finger groves away going low and slow.
It might take you 20-30 minutes but it will be down well and without damage to the frame.

Journeyman way-knock 80% of the grooves down with a dremel and last 20% as above.

Master way-knock 98% of the grooves down with a dremel and the last 2% as above.

YMMV GREATLY. IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBT RE YOUR ABILITY TO CONTROL THE DREMEL, DO NOT USE IT AND GO MANUAL ONLY.

[LOKNLOD]

Does anyone have any tips for removing the finger grooves?

I prefer a Dremel with a flapper wheel. A sanding drum works, but is a bit more aggressive and therefore a lot less forgiving. You can always go slow with just sandpaper, too.

Getting them off is the easy part - retexturing the flat spots decently is what I found tricky.

[OnionsAndDragons]

Does anyone have any tips for removing the finger grooves?

The above 2 posts are both very good advice.

If you have a belt sander, you can very easily knock down the finger grooves 50% or so while keeping a very stable hold on the frame. Then sand it down by hand from there.

I also really like the flap wheels for polymer work.

[ubervic]

Anyone know what tip and/or technique makes this type of pattern.
https://pistol-forum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=8575&stc=1

Just discovered your image. I'd say it's the 'Rail Road' tip offered by OT Defense.

[HCountyGuy]

Bit of a thread necro, but wanted to pick the brains of others on this topic.

I recently stippled the grip panels of my P30 in an effort to get better traction on it. For the first few days it seemed great but alas the stippling seems to have already worn down some (primarily on the left side as it rides against my undershirts.)

31886
31887
31890

This was my first attempt at stippling really anything. No prep work of sanding, just went straight at it.

Seeing as how it’s not quite as functional as I’d like already after a relatively short time, what insights or suggestions do others here have for a future attempts? Is it better to stipple deeper in to the material? Any preferences on patterning? (I’m leaning towards more aggressive styles that will get me a real solid hold on the gun).