So you want one of your polymer pistols stippled, eh? Or maybe a synthetic stock, or a handguard?  Well if you’re like me you don’t want to spend upwards of $150 for a polymer heat stippling job, so I’m going to show you how to do it for about $15! First of all you’re going to need some materials.

You’ll need the following (everything is available at Lowes Hardware):
Weller 25 watt soldering iron (I use the SP23L model)
An assortment of 10-24 x 1/2" BRASS machine screws (screws that are already flat on top are best)
A Dremel with cutoff wheel
A needle file
Masking tape
A polymer victim



Next we'll have to checker the top of one of our brass machine screws. To do this I simply used the existing Philips slots in the screw as my starting lines. I then took my Dremel with cutoff wheel and began to checker my brass screw. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PERFECT! I personally use an assortment of screws that range from very deep checkering to very shallow checkering. This, of course, creates either very aggressive stippling or not so aggressive stippling. I also use the tips that come with the Weller soldering iron kit for fine points and edges.

Once you have done both your vertical and horizontal lines on your screw, break out your needle file and carefully point the tops of the pyramids to gain a more uniform pattern. Or don't if you want a crazy pattern. After you're done thread it into the soldering iron.



Now, take your victim and begin mapping out where you want it stippled with your masking tape. Take your time here and make sure everything is where you want it in the design that you want it. It would be a PITA to remove the stippling once it's been applied. Our victim for this tutorial is my first generation Ruger P95DC.




Now with the soldering iron all heated up you can start stippling. If you're still unsure of your abilities I'd suggest practicing on some scrap pistol grips and the like. Take your time and get used to the pattern that your particular screw makes. Twist the iron as you go to change up the direction and blend the dots together. Occasionally check your screw head for melted polymer sticking to the checkering. If this occurs just take a brass brush and brush it out of the screw.

That's it, it's that simple! You just saved yourself $150! Now if you want a deeper more uniform pattern you can use a soldering tip that you slightly round off. This will give you a "golf ball" like pattern. Here is our victim after only 25 minutes of work.






I hope this tutorial helps you all. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask!

Just thought I'd chime in - I used to do a bit of leather working and leather stamps lopped off at the end may work for stippling. The thickness of the stamp handles are probably a bit thick but I'm sure modification wouldn't be too difficult.

Tandy leather stamps

very difficult to heat  

Feel the fury that is my post!

Got me a soldering iron with changeable tips yesterday.


So far I think the spade bit is about the right level of texture for me and it also acts like a stop to keep you from going to deep.


I do not like the screwdriver bits at all.



 

Did my M&P9c today M&P22 will be done tomorrow.












Did a mild job on my M&P.22 and an aggressive stipple on my duty gun back strap.





 

one-off smoothed and stippled M4 stock.

http://s1294.photobucket.com/user/mutejosh/media/m4stippled_zps0a8b3615.jpg.html

Only getting an X

edited squirrel. check again.

http://s1294.photobucket.com/user/mutejosh/media/m4stippled_zps0a8b3615.jpg.html

Still nothing. But I did copy/paste this link.

Here you go.

thanks! still getting the hang of this...

Just did this yesterday.  Practiced a bit on a PMAG first.  I'm going to go back over the weekend and touch up my edges a little bit, but overall I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.

UCWRC Grip

What safety?

Hera Arms MPSS (Multi Purpose Safety Selector)

Interesting

This is definitely the type of look i am looking for. How did you achieve it?

That looks nice.  Looks like you used 2 different tips as well.  Wish I had the guts to do it on my M&P but i'll have to do a few more pmags first.

My first attempt at doing this today... It takes a lot longer than I thought it would. My arthritis was going nuts after doing these two.

I get hand cramps like no other........and go half-blind after doing a mag

Ain't that the truth. I'm feeling pretty confident now that I've developed a little bit of technique though. I'm looking forward to tackling some more mags and my MOE grip next... I just know to take a handful of Aleve first this time

Done by a fellow member on here (BigHate) on my M&P. I have come to the conclusion I suck at stippling.

What tip did you use for this texture? Looks amazing!!! Great job on my book!!!

How do you do this?

-sticker and stipple around it.
-stipple the whole thing and then place the designs in it.

Stippled some designs on a few new pmags. Turned out pretty well

Stippled some designs on a few new pmags. Turned out pretty well

So I realized I have one of those Weller wood burning irons at work, with a bunch of tips I never use. Ground one down and filed some lines into it. Came out better than I expected, but not a good as I had hoped.


And the tip.

I like that. I've always stippled the inner portion. Don't know why I never thought of doing the ribs.

Nice way of thinking outside the box.

Cross post from the Walther forum, here's what I just did to my PPS:

Full Album









It's hard to photograph, but... Oh well.

I'm debating adding a bit to the smooth part on the upper left of the frame where my support-hand thumb rests, but haven't settled on a pattern that would work there, yet.

Smith and Wesson M&P VTAC recently done. Turned out great!!



AND...







KAC VFG with a new texture that I have worked very hard to accomplish. I think it was worth the effort!

Tip on the M&P I like it.

/\ this

That VTAC looks amazing, and familiar

That it does, thanks bud!

 

My turn to hate you again

No way, you still have the edge. Kings to you.

Meh.........anybody can "buy" a badass gun, you've made yours

I just bought a Glock 20 Gen 4 the other day. I believe I want to do a grip reduction mod and trigger guard undercut. I was going to employ the candle method and from what I've read, it is likely the backstrap will be a bit deformed from the process.

I HATE most of the stippling I've seen. I think most of it looks like garbage no matter how effective it is. That being said I understand I'll probably have to do that to my new glock if I do this.

Can anyone tell me how (what tool, tip, etc.) this S&W was done? I like the look of that, reminds me of my P30.

Tried for my first time on a few pmags, and a Hera mag.

You've got more patience than me to do the whole body like that. When I'd stipple my Pmags, I could really only do 1 a night as my hand would start hurting and I'd go

freshly stippled Umbrella Corp pistol grip. I used a Kryptek stencil for the pattern. Tedious work but turned out pretty decent.

Here's one I've done

Nice gen 2

I'll play.

Thanks man.... Here's a AFG2 I did too.