shortening a pistol grip

[El Chucko]

After hearing for years that a pistol grip should not be too long, etc, etc, I am finally listening to this advice and shortening my grips. I have short fingers, so I need to take probably 3/4" or more off of them to bring my thumb closer to the pad, where it should be. I also figure that this is an opportunity to adjust the angle of the end of the grip so that it seats properly with the cant of my blades.

The question is, should I try to grind them down, or use a hacksaw? How soft can I expect the metal to be? I don't even have a vice in my small apartment, so the hacksaw will be tricky (The grinder belongs to a teammate.) I could use my dremel, I suppose, if you think that would work.

What do you recommend?

[Purple Fencer]

After hearing for years that a pistol grip should not be too long, etc, etc, I am finally listening to this advice and shortening my grips. I have short fingers, so I need to take probably 3/4" or more off of them to bring my thumb closer to the pad, where it should be. I also figure that this is an opportunity to adjust the angle of the end of the grip so that it seats properly with the cant of my blades.

The question is, should I try to grind them down, or use a hacksaw? How soft can I expect the metal to be? I don't even have a vice in my small apartment, so the hacksaw will be tricky (The grinder belongs to a teammate.) I could use my dremel, I suppose, if you think that would work.

What do you recommend?

I've tried the Dremel....takes WAAAAYYY too long and chews up the cutting wheel. The hacksaw is faster (presuming you have a good place to work)

After cuttiing is shorter...2 things.

1) use the bench grinder's deburring wheel or a file to smooth out the rough edges of the nose

2) Don't forget to cut the notch for the wires.

You also MAY have to shorten the tang if it starts projecting out from the back of the grip.

[KD5MDK]

I'd recommend borrowing some time with a vice, it will make things much easier. Also, the hacksaw seems like the appropriate tool to me.

[yeoldearmourer]

Hacksaw and a vice.

[Beowulfman6]

How soft can I expect the metal to be?
What do you recommend?

Cast aluminum is relatively soft. A sharp hacksaw blade will go through it quickly. The vise will make this much easier, and a good round file will come in hadny for cutting a new wire groove.

[needle]

Cast aluminum is relatively soft. A sharp hacksaw blade will go through it quickly. The vise will make this much easier, and a good round file will come in hadny for cutting a new wire groove.

And while you're at it, make the wire grove to be the full width of the tang hole - much less chance of damaging the wire that way.

[Beowulfman6]

And while you're at it, make the wire grove to be the full width of the tang hole - much less chance of damaging the wire that way.

I agree.

[the reluctant fencer]

the aluminium is fairly soft and can easily be cut with a hacksaw...don't use a grinder to smooth it out unless it is a grinder for aluminium. you can contanimate the wheel and when you use steel on the wheel again you will have aluminium in with the steel. Use a file to remove any material that needs to be smoothed. Then after you do that be sure to clean out the file with a wire brush.

[Beowulfman6]

Why is it bad to "contaminate' your grinder with aluminum? I know you can't weld aluminum and steel, but I usualy use the same grinder wheel for grips and tangs and have never seen any adverse effects.

[Morion]

Why is it bad to "contaminate' your grinder with aluminum? I know you can't weld aluminum and steel, but I usualy use the same grinder wheel for grips and tangs and have never seen any adverse effects.

I think it is more a matter of the soft metal "loading" the wheel. It makes it harder to grind with.

[shlepzig]

Why is it bad to "contaminate' your grinder with aluminum? I know you can't weld aluminum and steel, but I usualy use the same grinder wheel for grips and tangs and have never seen any adverse effects.

Reluctant Fencer seems to know his metal craft well. The softer aluminum "gums" up grinder wheels meant for other materials. This is bits of aluminum that become "gooey" (plastic being the technical term) from the heat and pressure the grinding wheel puts it under, and smear themselves into the surface of the wheel, and harden immediately. These clog up the grit of the wheel.

These "goobers" as my old machining instructor called, them present an uneven soft surface on the grinding wheel making it nearly impossible to do much useful work with the thing until you have managed to grind them off again. Redressing the wheel to knock the goobers off gets you good as new so it's not like the whole thing is ruined.

Using a lighter pressure with the grinding wheel will reduce your goober production but you will still have aluminum deposited on the wheel surface you will want to be rid of before doing any serious or precise grinding of other materials. For the purposes of grips and tangs, it really isn't much of a problem, but if you grinding machining tools and bits on this grinder you will want to keep the surface as clean and straight as possible.

Shlep.

[Beowulfman6]

Reluctant Fencer seems to know his metal craft well. The softer aluminum "gums" up grinder wheels meant for other materials. This is bits of aluminum that become "gooey" (plastic being the technical term) from the heat and pressure the grinding wheel puts it under, and smear themselves into the surface of the wheel, and harden immediately. These clog up the grit of the wheel.

Shlep.

This makes sense. I actualy have two differnt types of wheels on my grinder, maybe the less abrasive one is meant for aluminum. All I use it for is grips and tangs so I've never noticed any problems. Just in case, I'm only using aluminum on the less abrasive side and saving the other wheel for steel (so I don't get any surprises next time I try to sharpen a lawnmower blade or something).

[the reluctant fencer]

well I have a grinder here at my house that we use for anything...from plastic to steel to aluminium to wood...we do it all...but if you are doing any strength critical work you don't want to contaminate thew wheel with aluminium. when you try to weld steel that has been ground with a grinder wheel that is contaminated you will not have a strong weld...that is why I use a file...it is more precise...
*edit* most grinders do not come with a wheel for aluminium so you have to buy a seperate wheel for it. the one here has the two different wheels but that is just for accuracy of grinding on steel or whatever... you can do it if you are just a hobbiest and do not do any strength critical work ... if you just use it for fencing stuff it does not really matter... the aluminium will just sort of sit there on the wheel but then when you go to use some thick steel on it if you get it really hot the aluminium could possibly melt and sling out and hit you. just ALWAYS USE SAFETY GLASSES and/or a face shild!!!

[jjefferies]

Hacksaw and a vice.

I KNOW I shouldn't touch this one...
But Herr Loomis, Uh, what sort of vice do you indulge in that requires a hacksaw??
Oooh, Ooh, i'M already sorry as my imagination runs away with this image.

[yeoldearmourer]

Lost the Keys once

[El Chucko]

I bought a clamp-on vice to use in my "dining room", and shortened my grips easily with a hacksaw. I used a file to smooth it out, and create new (wide) channels for the wire to pass through.

Piece o' cake! Thanks, all.

[Joe biebel]

Heard at a recent armoring clinic I ran. "Dang, I've cut this thing 3 times and it's still too short". Use the hacksaw to get it "close" and the grinder for the finish work.

[Mergs]

Actually, the problem with grinding aluminum on a regular grinding wheel is that the 'contamination' expands under heat of normal grinding and puts stress on the wheel that can cause it to shatter! Bad ju ju!

[HarryO]

....

Redressing the wheel to knock the goobers off gets you good as new so it's not like the whole thing is ruined.

....

Shlep.

I know this is offtopic a bit but how do you "dress" a wheel. I have a number of grinding wheels with different grits with "goobers" or just rounded edges and other flaws. Would love to get more use out of them.

[EpeeBunney]

Also fine particals of alumnium and iron oxide when mixed with heat is not a good combination! Think of the thermite reaction!