Alternate texturing methods for frames?

[hdm25]

Does anyone have any methods of texturing front straps and back straps/mainspring housings of pistols other than the old stand-bys?

I have stippled many guns with Brownells stippling punches. My oldest work looked like crap but I have improved over time but stippling that way just plain sucks because it is so time-consuming and dull.

I have never hand-checkered anything other than a slide-stop and have no intention of doing so. Machine-checkering from any one of several sources is cheaper and better (as an alternative to me doing it, anyway).

I am looking for another texturing method to do in a home workshop that doesn't require any major equipment. I have seen Mark Graham's video on Browning hi-powers where he uses an air chisel to cut down the time on stippling but don't really want to go down that road. I have HEARD that Novak's and Wickmann do their texturing with files and have experimented but can't figure out how they do it. Ted Yost supposedly uses an electric pencil or whatever the engraving things are called.

My desire is for something that will give a good grip and look reasonably nice and can be done with hand tools or with very simple and relatively cheap equipment.

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[Dfariswheel]

This is tough, about the only methods of doing this require at least SOME equipment.

The file method probably originated with Armand Swenson. He used to matt slides by laying a coarse cut file on the area and pounding with a hammer. However, this is mostly usable only to cut light reflection. To use as a grip enhancement you will have to really beat on the work, and this could bend thinner parts.
To do this, get a very coarse, large double cut file, and use it simular to a stippling punch. Hold it just off the work and rotate it back and forth between strikes.

I often use LARGE stippling punches, up to 1/2 inch in diameter.
I get a really GOOD steel rod about 4-5 inches long and anything from 1/4" to 1/2" in diameter. I anneal the rod so it's soft, then checker the end with various lines-per-inch metal checkering files. I then harden the punch and temper to a light straw color.
Since these are much larger than the single stipple mark punches, it takes much less time and blends better.

To use, hold the punch and strike as normal, but "twirl" the punch between strikes.
For odd areas, I make punches with flat sides or "tear-drop" shapes for corners.

The electric pencil idea is slightly faster, but the standard hobby type pencil will only work for light matting.

I often use my Foredom Flex-shaft with a impact hammer hand piece. The is a slender hand piece that hammers instead of rotates. With a hardened stipple punch, it makes short work of the job, but the Foredom tool is somewhat expensive.
The bright side of it is, it's a great gunsmithing tool, pays for itself quickly, and is more usable than the Moto-tool.

Extremely coarse bead blasting works, but requires a bead cabinet and a compressor.

A quick stipple job is the old "shark's tooth" pattern used on the 1950's 1911 National Match pistols. In this method, a stipple punch is held at an angle and used to raise a tooth-like "splinter" of steel from the surface. This requires only a relatively few punches to make a very aggressive surface, but appearance is not too great, and it's often too aggressive.

A short term method used a coat of epoxy on the surface with sand scattered on it before the epoxy hardened, and a similar method glued rubber or sandpaper on.

In your situation, since you don't want to try metal checkering, I'd try the larger area stippling punches. This is much faster, and looks professional.

 

[VictorLouis]

Ted Yost supposedly uses an electric pencil or whatever the engraving things are called

Ditto. It gives a very light texture that might be just what you're looking for. As always, experiment on a piece of scrap metal a little bit to see if you like the results.

 

[hdm25]

I'm actually looking for a fairly HEAVY texture. I really like the "hand matting" done at Novak's and by Kurt Wickmann. I have seen some pretty light examples and I have one pretty heavy example.

I've been experimenting on some round stock and have found a texture that I like. My only fear is that the method of applying it might be TOO rough on a frame. It ends up with a look and feel very similar to the hand matting. I'll keep experimenting. The "large area" approach actually sounds pretty good.