Mr. Belly Gun

[Sharps40]

More fun with files and some of the first work from the near completed understairs rust bluing maintenance cleaning and customizing room.
After the long edges of the topstrap are beveled 45 degrees, the first cuts with a rat tail file to establish a S&W style nose on this old 3 screw.

About half done with the nosing.

Nose polished 100g and starting to bootstrap the beveled edges of the topstrap into a rounder smoother shape.

As long as I'm in the metal removal mood.....might as well disappear the ruger barrel banner with a combination of cross and draw filing and then cross and draw polishing.

Back together with the shaping work about 80% completed.

Top strap and shapes are initially finished 100g. Topstrap will probably stay 100g while the rest of the gun gets a 150g or so finish. Nice satiny smooth low gloss when blued and holds lots of oil or grease for protection.

A bit closer look. Lovely thing about old eyes with bifocals, ya need good photos to look at on the screen to see if left matches right in shape and size and to see if all the polishing marks from each successive grit are polished away. So far, first hit and the shapes and polish looks good. Not much refining to do from here....just light work.

With the topstrap flattened and the edges rounded, I can finally see...there is plenty lots of metal over the rear sight cross pin. It'll last a longness of time and be plenty plenty durable.

Straight down and the shapes remain symmetrical. All hand work. Machines are not the be all and end all of gunsmithing.

 

[Sharps40]

Quartering in....just a whisker more work to do at the 2 oclock spot on the nose above the barrel to match up the scribe line on the face of most ruger frames.

Business end look....yep, a touch more to work on at the 2 oclock spot. But, first good cuts and the shape is pleasing.

Backing out for an overall look.

 

[Sharps40]

For the grip panels, I decided to go with the very rare and gorgeous stabilized Afzelia Xylay. The blanks are 2" x 5" x 3/8" which is going to be close and require very careful fitting. If it works....should be mucho prettyoso. (Grandkids is teachin me Spanish.....I think I gots a ways to go.)
Looks a bit like this on a gun handle. Mine has some neat black inclusions that ad some interest....don't know if I'll put em top or bottom or if they will cut out as the blank is longer than the grip frame.

and here on a knife

and here in hand....

Gonna be so pretty might have to get rid of that 45 acp revolver cause I won't be carryin it!

 

[Sharps40]

Grip panels are in. Nice figure, a bit of spalting and a worm hole. Great character. Hope they are big enough!

 

[Buckeye76]

Love to make a bookshelf out of some of that!

 

[Sharps40]

It is very rare to find the figured panels and almost impossible to find this wood in board lengths. Mostly relegated to inlays and small panels due to scarcity.

 

[Sharps40]

I was fortunate to find these scales in 2" width. Common knife handle width is not more than 1 3/4" and that's just too narrow.
But.....with a tablet backing template of the newly modified ruger grip frame......I have just enough wood to move around, looking for best figure and least flaws.
Where possible I'd like to eliminate the worm holes or at least hide them inside. And....I'll choose the best side to face out as well as put the prettier wood slab on the loading gate side, the show side when holstered for right hand draw.

Kinda like GoodWife pickin paint colors or curtains, put it on, take it off, put it on, move it and finally, I trace the left and right panels marking them Left/Outside and Right Outside so I can keep it straight later.

 

[Sharps40]

First cuts to get the grip panels roughly aligned in the upper corners of the grip frame.

Left side panel is sitting just where I want it....good contact in the upper corners.

Right side panel needs some work....

Better after some file work....just a bit further to go and I can drill for the alignment pin in the bottom of the grip frame.

 

[tazfxrp]

Wow, just Gorgeous.
Thanks for the schooling, in for more.

 

[Sharps40]

Fitting up the grip panels. Double pinned, bottom as per factory and up top with an extended trigger spring retaining pin. Eustachian's installed and temp stainless screw. Rough shaping done....its all in the final final now....shaping and sanding. Lots of hand work with highly figured wood.