Bone, Antler & the Old Ways of Making Grips

Long before today's synthetic grip materials, gun owners and small shops worked with what they had close at hand. Bone was readily available, durable, and could be shaped and polished into a handsome grip. Elk antler offered another natural material with its own character and, when left with the bark on, a distinctly different look.

Ivory was certainly used on revolvers during the 19th century, but it was a more costly material. Bone and antler gave makers another way to create attractive, hard-wearing grips without relying on ivory.

River Junction's own research shows that many of the early jigged bone gun grips of the 1870s and 1880s were made by individuals or small shops. By the turn of the century, companies such as Rogers Manufacturing were producing jigged bone handles commercially for guns and other goods. 

That's part of what we like about these materials today. They're not trying to pretend to be antique grips. We hand-make new grips from natural bone and elk antler, using traditional patterns and finishes to give a modern revolver the look and feel of an earlier time. Every piece carries its own grain, color, and small imperfections because that's simply what natural material does.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why use bone instead of synthetic “ivory” grips?
Because real bone has a character that molded material can't quite reproduce. You can see the natural grain, pores, color variations, and small imperfections. Our bone grips are also shaped and finished by hand rather than molded.

What's the difference between bone and elk antler grips?
Bone generally gives you a more uniform surface that can be polished, stained, or jigged in different patterns. Elk antler has its own natural grain and character, and you can choose smooth antler, jigged antler, or antler with the natural bark left on. 

What does “jigged bone” mean?
Jigging is a carved pattern cut into the surface of the grip. River Junction's “Indian Trail” pattern is based on an older style of long, irregular jigging associated with early bone gun grips. 

Are these meant to look like ivory?
Some of our bone finishes are specifically made to give the grips a light ivory-like appearance. They're still natural bone, not ivory. Other finishes are darker or leave more of the bone's natural character showing. 

Can you make grips for an unusual or hard-to-find revolver?
Often, yes. We make custom sets for a wide variety of revolvers, including models for which ready-made replacement grips can be difficult to find. For the best fit, we prefer to have the revolver, but we can sometimes work from the original grips, back strap, and trigger guard. 

Why don't all natural bone grips look alike?
Because they're made from actual bone. Color, grain, pores, streaks, and small cracks can vary from one piece to another. Those differences are part of the material and are one of the reasons no two handmade sets look exactly alike.