A lot of people don’t realize how easy it is to make your own polymer 1911 grips, so they settle for paying $40 or more for a pair of pre-made grips. Anyone comfortable with a little DIY can save themselves money by making their own. Here’s how!
First of, you’ll need a few supplies to get started:
- Castable Plastic Resin
- a Release Agent
- RTV Silicone
- a Tupperware Container
- Old Pair of 1911 Grips
The first 3 are pretty common materials for any plastic casting job. You can probably find them at any local Hobby store (mine came from Hobby Lobby). The Tupperware container is exclusive to this job, and should be large enough to hold a 1911 grip inside of it with at least a 1/2″ gap between the grip itself and the edges of the container.
Now, fill the Tupperware container with the RTV silicone gel until there is a layer of it approximately 1″ thick. Press the 1911 grips into the silicone gel with the outside of the grips facing down until the back of the grip is level with the surface of the RTV. Use a pencil or some other object to make indentations in the RTV around the grips. These indentations will help you line up the second half of the mold later. Let the RTV silicone set overnight (or for at least a few hours if you’re impatient like me!) Next, pour a second layer of RTV over the grip until it is entirely submerged. Let this second layer set overnight, or until it is completely hardened. Now, remove the RTV mold from the Tupperware and carefully peel the 2 layers apart. You now have your 1911 Grip Mold.
Use a knife or other sharp object to cut a small hole in the top of the upper half of your mold just large enough to allow you to pour in some plastic resin, and remove your old 1911 grip from the RTV. Now put the two halves back together and set them aside. Repeat the process for your other 1911 grip so you have a mold for both the left and right 1911 grips.
Now mix your casting resin and pour it into both of the 1911 grip molds. Allow the resin to harden completely and use the release agent to make removal of your new grips a little easier. the different types and brands of resins and release agents make it nearly impossible to give you an exact set of instructions on how to use them here, so simply follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer if you are unclear. When you remove your new 1911 grips, you may notice an extra little bit of resin from the pouring process. Cut that off with a razor blade or xacto knife if you do, and voila! You have your own DIY 1911 grips!
