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Posted: 12/26/2023 3:17:26 PM EDT
So I waited months and months for Altamount to produce a run of their rosewood K grips and finally got a notice a few weeks ago that they were in production. So I ordered a set and last week the day before Christmas they arrived. Now I I know the rosewood they use isn’t that nice Brazilian rosewood of days past but what I got I don’t think should have even been sent out. It has a horrible light spot that doesn’t match the rest of the grip and it sits right along the back edge of the grip. Tell me that this isn’t acceptable for rosewood grips now? I haven’t reached out to them yet since I haven’t seen all that many rosewood grips in the wild in this new non-Brazilian rosewood yet to know if it is normal. None of the pictures on their site show any off color grain like what I have. Besides I am pretty sure they are closed till after the new year.
 Attached File |
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Posted: 12/26/2023 4:35:16 PM EDT
[#1]
Ive bought a couple different Hogue wood grips this year.
All have darkened over time. Some significantly Great example is my cocobolos on my 629. I hated them when I first got them  This is some months later. Its probably even a touch darker now.  Here are some hogue rosewoods on a 66. They darkened a little bit but were pretty dark to begin with 
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Posted: 12/26/2023 6:33:10 PM EDT
[#2]
Your grips look like they are Indian Rosewood, with a strip of lighter colored sapwood on the side. Comes from India, which is still allowing it's trees to be harvested and commercially sold, unlike Brazil. Most commonly available wood today that is sold as 'rosewood'.
Cocobolo (which is in the rosewood family and is sometimes called rosewood today) from southern Mexico & Central America would have more distinctive, darker grain on a lighter background, real Brazilian rosewood would be a deeper red with darker grain. |
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Posted: 12/26/2023 6:33:32 PM EDT
[#3]
While I am sure they will darken with use and age I am not concerned with the patch or greenish tan almost pulp wood looking section of the grip. It will never match the rest of the grip even when it ages. The rest of it am happy with but it looks like no one even did a quality control check to say hmmm maybe this set shouldn’t go out like this. But don’t know since I can’t find any pictures showing that type of grain color in rosewood grips.
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Posted: 12/26/2023 6:40:00 PM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By engineer61: Your grips look like they are Indian Rosewood, with a strip of lighter colored sapwood on the side. Comes from India, which is still allowing it's trees to be harvested and commercially sold, unlike Brazil. Most commonly available wood today that is sold as 'rosewood'. Cocobolo (which is in the rosewood family and is sometimes called rosewood today) from southern Mexico & Central America would have more distinctive, darker grain on a lighter background, real Brazilian rosewood would be a deeper red with darker grain. So it is sapwood then. I was thinking that is what it might be but wasn’t sure since I have only dealt with the Brazilian stuff previously that had none of that effect. And I am sure it is Indian rosewood that they call santos rosewood. Not a single picture on their site for all the grips that they use this for show any sapwood. I’ll give them a call on Monday to see what is up. |
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Posted: 12/26/2023 7:51:54 PM EDT
[#5]
Altamont is not the greatest maker of wood grips. They're ok but not great quality. I have had a couple sets and for the price, I don't expect much.
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Posted: 12/27/2023 5:55:11 AM EDT
[#6]
Originally Posted By patw: Altamont is not the greatest maker of wood grips. They're ok but not great quality. I have had a couple sets and for the price, I don't expect much. Altamont has been great for some fatter single action grips, but their DA grips are too thin and feel cheap Now that Ahrend's is out of the game, Hogue wooden grips are my next go-to, specifically their checkered cocobolo finger grooves; I have a few of those now, and thoroughly enjoy them. |
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Posted: 12/27/2023 9:11:20 AM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Seven-Shooter: This. Altamont has been great for some fatter single action grips, but their DA grips are too thin and feel cheap Now that Ahrend's is out of the game, Hogue wooden grips are my next go-to, specifically their checkered cocobolo finger grooves; I have a few of those now, and thoroughly enjoy them. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Seven-Shooter: Originally Posted By patw: Altamont is not the greatest maker of wood grips. They're ok but not great quality. I have had a couple sets and for the price, I don't expect much. Altamont has been great for some fatter single action grips, but their DA grips are too thin and feel cheap Now that Ahrend's is out of the game, Hogue wooden grips are my next go-to, specifically their checkered cocobolo finger grooves; I have a few of those now, and thoroughly enjoy them. Yup Unfortunately Ahrends still pop up and I'm compelled to pay for them 
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Posted: 12/27/2023 1:13:21 PM EDT
[#8]
Just my two cents worth, but yeah, those would be going back. Brazilian Rosewood grips are some of my favorites, especially on 1911s, but the new stuff just doesn't do it for me.
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WA, USA
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Posted: 12/27/2023 6:38:04 PM EDT
[#9]
Some thoughts from a revolver grip junkie:
The only Altamont set I like is the Olivewood version of the OP's (a Roper style) on a long barreled S&W 14. Their finger groove grips are too big for most hands and tend to have sharp edges/spots. I actually like some of the Thai grip makers you find on eBay, especially vitoonmakers. Ahrends closing up meant the last $100-ish high quality exotic wood grip maker went away. I am lucky to have several sets and keep my eye out for more. Hogues are nice, but not a fan of the shape or their checkering. Someday I'll get a set of Culina's and/or Keith Brown. But these are almost TOO nice for my guns. Like Z rated tires for a Ford Escort. |
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Posted: 12/27/2023 7:44:38 PM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By hkcavalier: Some thoughts from a revolver grip junkie: The only Altamont set I like is the Olivewood version of the OP's (a Roper style) on a long barreled S&W 14. Their finger groove grips are too big for most hands and tend to have sharp edges/spots. I actually like some of the Thai grip makers you find on eBay, especially vitoonmakers. Ahrends closing up meant the last $100-ish high quality exotic wood grip maker went away. I am lucky to have several sets and keep my eye out for more. Hogues are nice, but not a fan of the shape or their checkering. Someday I'll get a set of Culina's and/or Keith Brown. But these are almost TOO nice for my guns. Like Z rated tires for a Ford Escort. I like the roper and how it feels in my hands when using it on other guns . No way I am going with hogue. That is what it has on now and it feels like I am holding a damn tree stump. And no finger grooves. Haven't found a set with grooves that is comfortable. Looked at the thai maker you mentioned and will keep him in mind but some of that stuff looks like a kid carved some of the lines. Worse comes to worse I just buy a set of VZ grips. They'll look as nice or better than this set I just got! 
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FL, USA
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Posted: 12/27/2023 8:23:02 PM EDT
[#11]
I'd not worry - if you aren't happy Altamont won't be happy. Their excellent customer service is all out of proportion to their popularly priced product.
I own quite a few pair and enjoy them for what they are. When you get serious Culina is near impossible to beat. Spegel is my favorite, but he's semi-retired and earned it. Hope I get one last call before he totally quits. |
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Posted: 12/27/2023 11:46:53 PM EDT
[#12]
I had a single shot shotgun from Brazil that had Rosewood Stock and forearm. It was blonde on one side like that. It comes from how the tree gets sunlight, from what I was always told.
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Posted: 12/28/2023 9:49:24 AM EDT
[#13]
Originally Posted By ridinshotgun: So I waited months and months for Altamount to produce a run of their rosewood K grips and finally got a notice a few weeks ago that they were in production. So I ordered a set and last week the day before Christmas they arrived. Now I I know the rosewood they use isn’t that nice Brazilian rosewood of days past but what I got I don’t think should have even been sent out. It has a horrible light spot that doesn’t match the rest of the grip and it sits right along the back edge of the grip. Tell me that this isn’t acceptable for rosewood grips now? I haven’t reached out to them yet since I haven’t seen all that many rosewood grips in the wild in this new non-Brazilian rosewood yet to know if it is normal. None of the pictures on their site show any off color grain like what I have. Besides I am pretty sure they are closed till after the new year. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/27745/94693D7D-A8FF-4258-9747-BEA5D2F71A24_jpe-3071672.JPG Personally, that flaw makes them that much more beautiful to me. |
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Posted: 12/28/2023 5:04:38 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By ridinshotgun: I like the roper and how it feels in my hands when using it on other guns . No way I am going with hogue. That is what it has on now and it feels like I am holding a damn tree stump. And no finger grooves. Haven't found a set with grooves that is comfortable. Looked at the thai maker you mentioned and will keep him in mind but some of that stuff looks like a kid carved some of the lines. Worse comes to worse I just buy a set of VZ grips. They'll look as nice or better than this set I just got! Hogues are available without finger grooves but you may need to order them direct. They also offer a single groove design that I really favor. |
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TX, USA
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Posted: 12/29/2023 10:32:42 PM EDT
[#15]
I actually like those grips OP.
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Posted: 12/29/2023 10:46:54 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Actiondiver: I actually like those grips OP. Yeah well if it weren’t for people like midcap fat girls wouldn’t be loved either. Sometime the eye of the beholder can be color blind!
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Posted: 12/29/2023 10:53:07 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Actiondiver: I actually like those grips OP. I would call those a blem |
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USA
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Posted: 12/30/2023 12:18:47 AM EDT
[#18]
Those rat fuckers sold me a pair of walnut Python grips that don't line up and are completely unusable without filling and redrilling the holes straight.
They wouldn't give me the time of day when called on it. I have bought probably a dozen and a half of their products and will never spend another cent with them. |
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IA, USA
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Posted: 12/31/2023 6:11:36 PM EDT
[#19]
I really like Hogue grips, specifically their 'Big Butt' grips for both my L frames. Also have one of their J frame grips that provides for a full hand to grab ahold of it (monogrip).
Yes I'm just sticking with rubber type grips. In the cold, they work/feel the best, yet also work/feel fine during hot sweaty-summer as well... |
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KY, USA
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Posted: 12/31/2023 7:18:24 PM EDT
[#20]
Those don't even look like Rosewood, looks more like a walnut
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FL, USA
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Posted: 1/3/2024 10:55:56 AM EDT
[#21]
The best way I've found of buying wood grips is:
A. Not Altamont. They sent me a pair once with two threaded ferrules, quite useless. I had to drill out one of the threaded sides. B. Ebay, If they're used ther's a pic, if new and it's not in the listing, you can ask to see a pic of the actual pair you're buying. C. Buy at a LGS or gun show. D. Get Pachmayr's :-) |
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Posted: 1/3/2024 11:43:38 AM EDT
[#22]
They responded today and said those grips should never have been sent out. They are sending a set of replacement grips with a return label for the ones that are crap.
So we’ll see what the replacements look like. |
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Posted: 1/3/2024 12:31:59 PM EDT
[#23]
When I first got into revolvers about two years ago, I found Altamont's surplus account on gunbroker and bought a bunch. But I have found that they have a lot of sharp edges, and I can address that, but most of them are too narrow at the shoulder and present a square-ish profile to the web of the hand. Old style Magna grips with the fat, round shoulder suit me best.
This is one of the few Altamonts I still use, it give me a pinky on the j-frame and a round profile to the web of my hand  |
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Posted: 1/4/2024 8:28:38 PM EDT
[#24]
This just reminds me how much I don't know about wood grips. I don't know what's good and what isn't.
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USA
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Posted: 1/4/2024 9:12:40 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By ridinshotgun: They responded today and said those grips should never have been sent out. They are sending a set of replacement grips with a return label for the ones that are crap. So we’ll see what the replacements look like. Don't hold your breath. If I did, I would have been dead 6 weeks ago. |
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Posted: 1/4/2024 9:13:43 PM EDT
[#26]
get ready to try 6 to find one that you like. You'll have a box full of them before too long, like holsters.
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Posted: 1/22/2024 3:35:05 PM EDT
[Last Edit: ridinshotgun]
[#27]
So I got the replacement grips in today and I am happy with them. Color is much better and no sap wood. Still can’t believe they would send the original ones out like that but of well.
Original on right. New on left.  Attached File |
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Posted: 1/23/2024 10:41:15 AM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By ridinshotgun: So I got the replacement grips in today and I am happy with them. Color is much better and no sap wood. Still can’t believe they would send the original ones out like that but of well. Original on right. New on left. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/27745/IMG_1236_jpeg-3103458.JPG They're both pretty, but the left is too perfect for me. I'm just weird and like the one on the right better.  Glad they got you taken care of! |
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Posted: 1/23/2024 3:25:02 PM EDT
[#29]
I like the left ones as well. To each his own I guess. Glad you’re happy op
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Posted: 1/30/2024 11:40:10 AM EDT
[#30]
I had good a good experience with Texas Grips too. Just once but I was impressed
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USA
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Posted: 2/5/2024 7:57:06 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Nickel_Plated]
[#31]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By ridinshotgun: So I got the replacement grips in today and I am happy with them. Color is much better and no sap wood. Still can’t believe they would send the original ones out like that but of well. Original on right. New on left. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/27745/IMG_1236_jpeg-3103458.JPG The color of the new ones looks alot closer to the factory grips on my 27 Classic, which I think are Rosewood. If I understand right, Altamont provides all the wood grips for S&W now. Smith doesn't make them in-house anymore. When I first got it, the part of the grip that sits against the actual grip frame of the revolver had a bit too much material, causing the upper part that sit's against the finished surface of the frame to have about a 1/16 gap between the inside of the grip and the frame surface. A piece of sandpaper on a flat table and about 5 min. of sanding got them fitted perfectly. Kind of a blatant oversight on S&W's part, but atleast it was an easy fix. If they weren't just basic panels, it would have been a bit more of a pain in the ass to get all the surfaces lined up right.    About the only thing that really bothers me on Altamonts is that they never get the diamond around the grip screw to actually center on the screw or align with the checkering pattern. Considering these are almost certainly CNC machine cut, I don't see any reason they can't make them line up right. The classic panels don't have the weird profile and shape that some other models do, just because they kind of have to conform to the profile of the grip frame, so there's not much room for "creativity alterations" there for Altamont. I had a Model 19 Classic with the target grips, and yeah, the profile and shape were all weird and wrong. |
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Posted: 2/5/2024 8:16:01 PM EDT
[#32]
I haven't been into revolvers very long, but I think I like the old Magna "fat shoulder" grip the best
Like these on a Combat Masterpiece  |
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Posted: 2/26/2024 10:57:47 PM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By chase45: Ive bought a couple different Hogue wood grips this year. All have darkened over time. Some significantly Great example is my cocobolos on my 629. I hated them when I first got them https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/161977/20230717_123908-2889073.jpg This is some months later. Its probably even a touch darker now. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/161977/20230825_123302-2931568.jpg Here are some hogue rosewoods on a 66. They darkened a little bit but were pretty dark to begin with https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/161977/20230731_115825-2903799.jpg |
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Posted: 4/5/2024 7:33:44 AM EDT
[Last Edit: 1168RGR]
[#34]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By 03RN: Yup Unfortunately Ahrends still pop up and I'm compelled to pay for them Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By 03RN: Originally Posted By Seven-Shooter: Originally Posted By patw: Altamont is not the greatest maker of wood grips. They're ok but not great quality. I have had a couple sets and for the price, I don't expect much. Altamont has been great for some fatter single action grips, but their DA grips are too thin and feel cheap Now that Ahrend's is out of the game, Hogue wooden grips are my next go-to, specifically their checkered cocobolo finger grooves; I have a few of those now, and thoroughly enjoy them. Yup Unfortunately Ahrends still pop up and I'm compelled to pay for them I don’t know shit about wood grips except that I like some handfill (size M gloves) and a rounded backstrap. And they look cool, including OP’s. |
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