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Aging fake ivory grips ??

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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
 
A good ivory substitute is bone. I don’t know if there are bone grips out there for sale, but would bet they would look more authentic than fake ivory. Also, bone could be stained where plastic would be harder to stain.

Here’s some guys that do bone grips.

https://www.riverjunction.com/4764
I haven’t used them, they came up on my google search.
 
A good ivory substitute is bone. I don’t know if there are bone grips out there for sale, but would bet they would look more authentic than fake ivory. Also, bone could be stained where plastic would be harder to stain.

Here’s some guys that do bone grips.

https://www.riverjunction.com/4764
I haven’t used them, they came up on my google search.
Thanks ponderosaman. I hadnt thought about bone, I'll take a look.
 
What is the material of your fake grips? Plastic?
Any carvings on them?
Got one or two ideas...
 
Leather dye (alcohol-based). Might be aggressive enough to penetrate the surface molecules (tiny things, about the size of a pea). 😉

If you or a friend already have some then try just a drop on an inside surface, making sure it won't craze the surface.

If you don't have any of this dye then it's prohibitively expensive to buy some just for testing.
 
Leather dye (alcohol-based). Might be aggressive enough to penetrate the surface molecules (tiny things, about the size of a pea). 😉

If you or a friend already have some then try just a drop on an inside surface, making sure it won't craze the surface.

If you don't have any of this dye then it's prohibitively expensive to buy some just for testing.
I have some leather dye left over from my leather working days. 3 or 4 different tints if memory isn't failing me.
Like you suggested, I'll try a small spot on the inside surface and see what happens.

Cant hurt to try. Will let you know if it works.

Thanks
Bill
 
this is a dye and very strong whose strength is controlled with denatured alcohol ..I have the Honey Maple and the Lancaster Maple and will likely require a combination of both so as to tone correctly ..
I am clueless as to how it will work with plastic ..especially since there are so many plastic compositions ..
but if you dislike the grips then my first move would be 4 tea bags in a cup and a half of hot water and soak the grips once the temp is reasonable ..checking the "tint" regularly of course ..

https://www.store.laurelmountainforge.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=68&products_id=202
PM me if I can help further

BEAR
 
All of the synthetic ivory grips I have seen are some form of polymer and therefor unlikely to accept a stain. I have used a concentrated tea solution to successfully darken stag grips.

And these (very white ones) are the real thing. Please excuse the unmentionables.

1661044558967.jpeg
 
only sucess i have ever had in coloring polymer is by giving them a "wash" of colored epoxy. not very satisfactory over long hard use.
if one is really artistic(not me) you can add stag like texture this way also. my only attempt is in the back of the most obscure drawer in my attic! not fit for viewing. did i mention i have no artistic abilities?
 
Really a waste of time with polymere it will not take any stain. The polymere grips that have color have it cast in.
Not always, it's worth trying/experimenting on an inside surface to see if there is an affect.
My work is in plastics, (26yrs/current ) just trust me, with the myriad of "polymers" used in our current market, it's worth trying.
I do know that coffee or tea will stain ivory and bone,, but won't last. (been there-done that).
The key to "aging" is to lend a patina of color to the edges of and too minor imperfections found with common wear.
Many times that requires applying a stain or darkening agent to the entire item,, then polishing back to bright the areas of friction/use.

In the case of plastic polymers, sometimes it isn't about finding a stain that will take to the surface. It's about learning how to polish the finished surface again to it's natural/new state leaving the edges,, after the entire thing was coated.
Get it?
Just a hint, ;)
That "coat all and bring it back(?)" is a common technique used to "age" a brand new hand carved curly maple $3,000 rifle, and/or most furniture found at antique shops,,
 
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