# Easy DIY Custom Bow Grips



## Dewboy (Apr 19, 2005)

I just finished sculpting my grip with black Apoxie Sculpt. I think it's going to turn out very nice. It gave me plenty of time to work before it starting to set up. I may have to do some sanding to get the contour just right. The biggest drawback is that one you get it sculpted, you can't grab it to see how it feels. Well, I guess you could, but then you would have a grip that was a mold/impression of your hand. That may actually appeal to some, but not what I'm shooting for.

Making a better feeling grip is not my only reason's for doing this. I am putting it on a PSE Vendetta XL UF Frankenbow that has a draw length that is about 3/16" too long for me. So I'll be able to reduce the draw length just a hair. The good thin about this stuff is that you can sand if it is too thick in places or you can add more to build it up where you want. It adheres to itself very well.

Rather than making the grip removable, I just made it permanent. I removed the side plates, cleaned off the goo from the double sided tape, and filled in the grip plate areas with Apoxie sculpt. That way, it will be one solid piece and will add more strength to the grip, plus I won't have to worry about gluing a grip on. 

I may get ambitious later and make a standard grip that is removable and try to make a mold for casting them. It would be way less complicated than casting antlers. I would also have to cast a set of side plate fillers that would mount flush into the side plate holes with double stick tape or glue to allow the grip to mount like a standard grip. That would make mounting the grip easy and negate the need to glue it on, since the plates can be threaded, making it easy to mount the grips. 

It took 4.5 ounces of Apoxie Sculpt. 2-1/4 ounces of Part A and 2-1/4 ounces of part B. Most folks could easily get by with 2 ounces of each (A & B) for just a standard grip. That means a 1 lb kit (8 ounces of each A & B) would do 4 grips. 

























As you can see, I won't have too do much sanding. The back appears to be rounded in the photo, but it's actually pretty flat with only the edges rounded a little. I'm not sure if this stuff will feel less like a block of ice in cold weather than the bare riser. That would be another plus. I wrapped it all the way around the front of the riser hoping that it will help with the feel in cold weather.

I'm pretty good with contouring with sand paper, so I have no doubt it will look as good as it feels when I'm done. I believe the Apoxie Sculpt is going to be an excellent alternative for making grips for bows that have no aftermarket offerings. I'll post again when I'm done and will let you know if there's anything I would have done different.

There is no reason why you can't get your grip exactly like you want since you can sand away what you do not want and if you remove too much, you can just add more back and try again after it cures. IMO, it will look much, much better than most grips I've seen people making with other materials that allow very little working time before they set. I had a good hour and a half of working time with this stuff.


----------



## Dewboy (Apr 19, 2005)

Sanding was pretty easy and straight forward. It took a while to get it like I wanted. I wish I had pressed my fingers knuckles into the grip just before it completely set to save myself some sanding time. the indentations would have been perfect with very little to no sanding. I was able to do this some, but it had set up a little too much to give me the full indentations I was wanting. This part would be time critical.....not set up enough, the indentations would be too deep and the grip would be full of fingerprints and hand wrinkles etc. It set up too much, it simply would not allow the indentations at all. I was able to do just enough indentations to know where I needed to sand.

I have to buy some finer sandpaper before I can get all of the sanding marks out, but it looks very good so far. I am very happy with the results in both feel and looks. When you sand it, the part that you sand will be lighter than the un-sanded areas. I experimented with black printer ink and it worked great for making sanded and un-sanded areas match again. The type of printer ink I have does eventually dry and stays much better than a black sharpie and covers more evenly.

As Already mentioned, if I had it to do over again, I would have checked it more often and when it got stiff, yet still workable, I would have worked more to put my desired indentations where I wanted them and as deep as I wanted them. I don't know that I would have done anything else differently though, other than making sure I had all the sandpaper I needed before today. I thought about taking more photos as I was working with it, but it was too much of a PITA to keep stopping, wash my hands, etc to take pics. I did take after photos for those interested though.


----------



## Dewboy (Apr 19, 2005)

More photos:

Not sure yet how it will affect the arrow through paper with the current tune, but it is the most repeatable grip I've ever had on any of my bows. Also, it met my main goal, a more comfortable grip. This grip does not hurt my hand like it did before. It feels great.


----------



## PJC60 (Jan 4, 2017)

Looks nice. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## leoncrandall74 (Apr 9, 2017)

Thats pretty slick stuff. Great job on the grip!!

Sent from my SM-G532M using Tapatalk


----------



## Dewboy (Apr 19, 2005)

leoncrandall74 said:


> Thats pretty slick stuff. Great job on the grip!!
> 
> Sent from my SM-G532M using Tapatalk


Thanks. It feels just right. Not to slick and not too sticky or grippy. This stuff is the way to go if you want to make a grip. It would probably be good for adding on to existing grips as well. It sets slow enough to allow you enough time to do a neat job. Most of the grips and grip ad-ons I've seen look God Awful! I think the biggest reason for many of the rough looking jobs is the time constraint the materials they were using.


----------



## PJC60 (Jan 4, 2017)

Can you buy that stuff in smaller quantities?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Dewboy (Apr 19, 2005)

PJC60 said:


> Can you buy that stuff in smaller quantities?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Yes, you can buy in 1/10 lb, 1/4 lb, 1 lb, 4 lb, and 20 lb.

I purchased mine on eBay, but you can also buy direct from the manufacturer here:

https://www.avesstudio.com/shop/apoxie-sculpt/


----------



## PJC60 (Jan 4, 2017)

Thanks 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## tommygoodtimes (Aug 28, 2016)

Great DIY! I'm going to get myself some of this stuff and play around with it.


----------



## cs1983 (Jun 2, 2018)

Neat. Would be nice if there was an alternative for PSE, specifically in the realm of the torque reduction grips


----------



## Dewboy (Apr 19, 2005)

I shot the bow today. It's amazing how much better I shot it today. There was no doubt that every time I drew the bow, my hand was in the same position. I left some sharp corners in strategic locations that I cannot feel if my hand is in the proper location, but is immediately felt if my hand is only slightly out of place. 

Also, the grip was very comfortable and I witnessed no pain or discomfort in my bow hand at all. Also, there was much less movement in the pin on the target. My groups were 1/4 the size they were with just the side plates. I kept shooting in, or right next to the same hole at 20 yards! The grip was a complete success. I got exactly what I wanted. I just hope I can reproduce the same grip on some of my other bows. One of the downfalls to a full grip like this is that it is not removable. If it were removable, there would not be the groves in the front to locate my thumb and end of my index finger. While it may not be absolutely necessary, the level of consistency it adds and the confidence it gives me is very beneficial. A permanent grip really only becomes a problem if/when you decide to sell the bow. Someone with big hands or someone that holds a bow with the same grip they hold a hammer would find the grip on my bow very awkward and uncomfortable. But that's when you know you really have a true "CUSTOM" grip.

It may be worth noting that I don't even use most of the bottom half of the grip because my hand is at about a 45 degree angle and I have fairly small hands. Many people assume that you grab a bow grip like you are holding onto a shovel or a hammer. Anyway, however you choose to grip your bow, you can come up with a grip that fits you just right with the Apoxie Sculpt. It did exactly what I wanted it to do and gave me plenty of TIME to do it. I highly recommend it!


----------



## Bucksngobbles (May 10, 2019)

wow


----------



## Night Stalker (May 20, 2014)

Good tip


----------



## Scuzzy51 (Dec 26, 2018)

thats pretty cool!


----------



## yvedel65 (May 10, 2019)

Thats pretty slick stuff. Great job on the grip!!


----------



## mrdices (May 11, 2019)

Awesome job, I am currently looking for alternatives to get a grip. Buying my first setup and I already know the grip is too small for my hand. I am trying to find 3d printer models to start from there

Does this material get sticky with the sun ?


----------



## Dewboy (Apr 19, 2005)

NO mrdices, this material is not sticky at all. This is Not like the mold-able polymer that you heat up to form a grip and hardens when it cools, but get gooey again if it gets hot. Once this stuff cures, it is permanently HARD. It can be sanded, drilled, and even tapped when hard. Once set up, it feels just like unpainted hardened fiberglass gel coat. The problem with trying to find a PRE-MADE aftermarket grip is that it will be one size fits all. Or if you're lucky, one size fits most. But it won't even approach "CUSTOM" without you having to modify it. That said, you can use the Apoxie Sculpt to modify an existing grip. 

But why even bother with trying to find a grip to modify when you can just go ahead and sculpt a grip, even if you have to modify it by sanding away or adding more Apoxie Sculpt to get it like you want. I think the biggest decisions you will have to make if you decide to build your own from scratch is whether or not to build it so it's removable or permanent. And whether or not to build a wrap around or conventional style grip. Deciding on a complete wrap-around grip enabled me to create a more custom grip that positions my thumb and index finger so my hand is in exactly the same position every single time. Look at the 2nd photo is post #3 on page one of this thread. Yo can see the contour of the thump groove that positions my thumb and you can also see the groove that locates my index finger next to my thumb on the front of the riser. You can also see that I actually went all the way through at the deepest point and exposed the riser in a small spot. You can also see that the angle of the grip shelp where my index finger knuckle rests almost exactly lines up with the grove for my index finger on the front of the riser. Without a full wrap-around grip, I would not have had these features.

The "PROS" may say you don't need all this, but I could care less what they say. To a large extent, they are PAID to defend anything a bow manufactured by those signing their checks may be lacking. And then there are the unpaid want-to-be "pros" that will say you have to do it this way or that way. The bottom line is, if you can't consistently place your grip in the same place with the same pressure every shot, your accuracy will suffer. And I would argue that Many, if not most "CUSTOM" grips will not automatically make you place your grip the same place every time. Only lots of practice will do that. 

You can eventually become very good at hand placement on every shot with ANY grip if you practice enough. But like I said in an earlier post, one of my main reasons for making this grip was hand discomfort. the bare PSE Best Grip was making it very uncomfortable for me to shoot and I had lots of horizontal pin movement. Both of those issues were solved with my grip build. Shooting my bow is actually fun again. Shooting with a Painful grip was no fun at all. (It may be worth noting again that had I held my bow like a hammer, the existing grip would have felt just fine and would not have been uncomfortable.) If you are one of those that grip a bow like a hammer, you probably will not be interested in a custom grip anyway unless you are trying to force yourself into a better grip position because you have realized your hand torque is killing your accuracy. 

Good luck if you decide to give it a try!


----------



## PJC60 (Jan 4, 2017)

I may have to give it a try 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Dewboy (Apr 19, 2005)

PJC60 said:


> I may have to give it a try
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Just remember that you don't have to get it perfect on the first try. You can sand away or add more Apoxie Sculpt to the grip where you need it. This stuff leaves lots of room for trial and error.


----------



## Night Stalker (May 20, 2014)

A lot of this kind of stuff sold at Michaels or hobby lobby.


----------



## Dewboy (Apr 19, 2005)

Night Stalker said:


> A lot of this kind of stuff sold at Michaels or hobby lobby.


Apoxie Sculpt is Proprietary. Although there are "similar" products like Magic Sculpt, there is a consensus among those that use these types of materials for their livelihood that Apoxie Sculp is one of the best. I wanted to use a material that I was confidently sure would be strong enough for a bow grip. I actually started to go with FIXIT, made by the same company as Apoxie Sculp because it is the strongest material they make and is reinforced with fiber. I decided to go with A.S. and have no regrets. 

Before deciding on A.S., I considered using the cheaper Magic Sculpt, but decided not to risk it. There were enough actual users highly recommending A.S. based on their experience that it made it a no-brainer for me. I' don't think Michaels or Hobby Lobby stocks A.S. I purchased mine from eBay. Some sellers will ream you on shipping. Hobby Lobby and Michael's carries Sculp-it and Sculpy. Look at the reviews! Not so good. If you are building dolls and figurines, most materials will work. But I.M.O. a bow grip needs a strong material that has good reviews. By all means, use whatever you feel comfortable using. I'm just trying to let people know that the Apoxie Sculpts worked very well for me in strength, ease of use, and working time.


----------



## Joe Jackson (Dec 8, 2016)

3M Marine Premium Filler over a Jaeger Grip. Inserted 1/2" dowels to plug the recessed bolt holes. Taped and bagged every inch of the bow/Riser. Using thin disposable gloves, clamped the riser in a bow vice at my normal holding height, applied the epoxy over the grip, then held the riser as if taking a shot while allowing the epoxy to harden (8-10 mins). Tamped and moved excess epoxy into voids, around thumb, top of palm webbing, etc. The latex gloves will stick to the cured epoxy but are easy to peel off of the epoxy surface. Remove plugs. Sand and paint as needed. Check for any excess epoxy on the riser/limbs.

View attachment 6826123


----------



## PJC60 (Jan 4, 2017)

Nice


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## leoncrandall74 (Apr 9, 2017)

I always figure you gotta get it the way you want it. I used to hate the Mathews wood grips until I get them slimmed down the way I like them, now they're my favorite. I made a simple jig so now less than a minute on the table saw and a little sanding and it's perfect. I have several I've customized but have them all nearly identical shape and feel. They were all like the fat grips on the right.









Sent from my SM-G532M using Tapatalk


----------



## Dewboy (Apr 19, 2005)

Good job Leon. Lots of complaints about the Mathews grips, but atleast Mathews' shooters have a grip they can cut down and sand. The PSE's have nothing but worthless rubber side plates. So if you have a PSE and want a grip similar to the ones you pictured, you would have to start from either a block of wood or some putty.


----------



## leoncrandall74 (Apr 9, 2017)

I'm curious about this material when it gets spread thin or feathers out to nothing.. do you think it would flake off on the edge? How is the bond to the bows finish on the edges?

Sent from my SM-G532M using Tapatalk


----------



## Dewboy (Apr 19, 2005)

leoncrandall74 said:


> I'm curious about this material when it gets spread thin or feathers out to nothing.. do you think it would flake off on the edge? How is the bond to the bows finish on the edges?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G532M using Tapatalk


The bond is very good along the edges and there is absolutely no shrinkage. Flaking usually takes place if there is poor bonding as well as shrinking which would allow thin areas to break off because they don't have a base to give them any strength. There are no gaps anywhere along the edge of my grip. So the grip takes much of it's strength from being firmly against, and attached to the solid riser. The only time I would consider feathering the Apoxie Sculpt out very thin, or to nothing, would be to blend it into an existing Apoxie sculpt grip or a surface such as a sanded and clean wood grip that I was sure of very good adhesion. I would not want to make it too thin around the edges of a very smooth or slick bow riser, just to be on the safe side. 

That said, I can't imagine a grip made from multiple layers being just as strong as a grip that was made with one single layer. But I don't think it would be significantly weaker, or weaker to the point that it would cause any problems. You might want to contact Aves, the maker of Apoxie Sculpt, about your concerns. They might recommend FIXIT or FIXIT SCULPT to make sure you get the peace of mind you seek. 

I came very close to ordering FIXIT because I had the same concerns. So far, I am very satisfied with the Apoxie Sculpt, but if I had any problems with A.S., I would try the FIXIT. As far as I can tell right now, it would just be over-kill and an unnecessary added expense since the FIXIT is more expensive. For some, paying extra for the peace of mind is worth it. And sometimes, you have to go over-kill in order to have your peace of mind. You have to make that decision for yourself. If money is no object, buy the FIXIT or the fiber reinforced Fixit Sculpt.

From Their website: www.avesstudio.com

*Apoxie® Sculpt* combines the features and benefits of sculpting clay with the adhesive power of epoxy! Its smooth, putty-like consistency is easy to mix & use. Self-hardens (No Baking); cures hard in 24 hrs., semi-gloss finish. Adheres to nearly any surface. Great for sculpting, embellishing, bonding and filling most anything. Accepts paints, stains, mica powders & more for a variety of finishing options. Be Creative with Your Own Uses!
Available in 12 colors you can mix & match!. *Available in BLACK.*

*FIXIT*® is an innovative multi-media repair compound used to permanently fill, bond, seal, & repair most anything. Its smooth putty-like consistency combines with industrial strength adhesion to grip on to your projects. 1-3 hour work time allows you to shape & smooth making it an excellent choice for customizing, fabricating & rebuilding parts. Works on many surfaces. Cures rock hard; waterproof finish. Sets-up underwater; UV ray & fuel resistant, takes heat up to 500˚ F. Sand, tap, drill, machine without chipping, cracking or flaking. Accepts all types of paint. Use on tough jobs: industrial & home repairs, auto, outdoor & marine projects. *Available in BLACK*

*FIXIT® Sculpt* is an extremely versatile product that combines the features and benefits of modeling clay with the industrial strength & adhesive power of epoxy! Its clay like feel resists sagging and drooping; holds small details & impressions extremely well. Its firm/fine grain texture backed with fiber technology is great for many uses ranging from detailed & intricate sculpting to a multitude of repairs. Generous 4 hour working time allows you to achieve your finest details. *Not available in BLACK. Available in skin tone only*.


----------



## spear0 (May 10, 2018)

I need to try this. my grip is a weak point for my shooting.


----------



## Dewboy (Apr 19, 2005)

I just did my second grip. I had a EVO with GX cams that I have had a couple of experimental grips on and removing the glue from one of the grips took some of the camo off. So this was the perfect bow to try next, since the grip will cover the missing camo. Since it has GX cams, I added a little extra on the left side based on the AO add-on grip PSE came up with for the GX to get them to tune better. This time I put in a little more time getting the indentations and relief for my hand everywhere I needed it to locate my hand just right. The only thing I have left to do is sand it on the left side to round it off just a little more. It is very close to where I need it this time before doing any sanding at all. This will save me some time and effort, but did require more time and effort carefully pressing here and there and then smoothing out the wrinkles from my hand. You could actually mold every wrinkle of your hand in your grip if that is your idea of "custom". I'll post photos below of the grip before I do any sanding. On both of my bows with Apoxie Sculpt grips, the riser is showing in a small area where my thumb knuckle indentation goes all the way to the riser. I did this on both bows because I want my hand to sit as high in the grip as it did before adding the grip.

































More photos below in the next post:


----------



## Dewboy (Apr 19, 2005)

Photos of the front showing the contours in the grip that automatically locate my thumb and forefinger:

















NOTE: I shoot with a 45 degree grip on all of my bows. I don't have to have the indentations in my grip to help me locate my hand for a 45 degree grip, but if I'm going to sculpt a custom grip, I want them to be there. Notice that there is even a relieve where my forefinger contact the side of the grip near the front and transitions down and across the front. Just toggle between the the two photos above and you will see.

Again, the main reason for adding the grips is to add a little more grip to make my grips more comfortable. The thin PSE grips have become very uncomfortable to my hands since loosing weight. My goal is to make my bows more comfortable while still being able to shoot accurately so I can spend more time shooting. 

If you need a way to force you to grip your bow properly, this would be a good way to do it. If someone that holds their bow like a hammer picked up one my my bows with the custom grips, it would feel like crap to them until they re-positioned their hand to a 45. 

It took 2 hours from the time I started mixing the two parts of putty till I set it down to cure. This does not include the time I spent removing the side plates and removing the glue from the side plates' double stick tape. Again, I weighed out 2-1/4 ounces of part A and 2-1/4 ounces of part B and had just the right amount. If you choose to add more thickness you made need a little more. NOTE that part of the Apoxie Sculpt went to fill in the pockets where the side plates were removed. If your bow does not have these deep pockets for side plates, it may require a little less Apoxie Sculpt for your grip.


----------



## bowpress (Jan 7, 2016)

Looks better than the factory grips, good job


----------



## Dewboy (Apr 19, 2005)

bowpress said:


> Looks better than the factory grips, good job


Thank you. It looks much better in person than in the photos. Not bad at all for not having been sanded yet. And they feel even better than they look!


----------



## Dewboy (Apr 19, 2005)

I did some sanding to the second grip because it felt a little too thick in the throat. This stuff sands pretty easily. In about 30 minutes I had it just like I wanted it. It feels fantastic now. I took a few seconds of video to give a better view of all the contours. NOTE: It was very hard, if not impossible for me to get my hand in the proper position for the video because I had to hold the bow so that I could get the grip on video while looking at the view finder, which is on the back side of the camera, all while holding the camera. I may set up the tripod later to give a better example. If I could have held the bow out in front of me, there would have been less gaps between my hand and the grip, especially in the area of my thumb knuckle.

Looking at it in video, you can see there are lots of contours that are hard to see in photos. Also note that despite how wide the grip looks on the right side, my hand does use all that area. I could sand much of it away and not even notice it in my grip. And doing so would only change the looks of the grip. I like the looks of the grip, so I probably won't remove anymore of the grip by sanding. It may be that someone with a little bigger hands would use some of the extra surface area, and removing it would make it feel very bad to someone with bigger hands. 

For sure, this is NOT a one size fits all or one size fits most grip. It is a TRUE "custom" grip. Many grips advertised as "CUSTOM" and NOT custom. They are "AFTERMARKET". All of them have the same shape and same measurements per model. NONE of them were made "custom" for an individual's hand size and shape. The only way to get a true "custom" grip is to make one yourself, or have someone help you if you don't have the artistic abilities to do it alone. I do not want to give you the impression that it is super easy and anyone can do it, but it is not super hard either. 

The main advantages to this stuff is:
1- it gives most people time enough to get it right (approximately 2 hours). Work in a colder room for more time.
2- it sands easily after curing for you to make further changes.
3- even if you don't get enough in some areas the first time, you can add more at any time, before or after fully set-up or cured.


----------



## PJC60 (Jan 4, 2017)

Looks really nice. Remind me, did you remove your stock grip or cover it up with the new one? 
Is your custom grip removable? Did you just wrap the whole grip section of the riser with the Apoxi Sculpt stuff?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Dewboy (Apr 19, 2005)

PJC60 said:


> Looks really nice. Remind me, did you remove your stock grip or cover it up with the new one?
> Is your custom grip removable? Did you just wrap the whole grip section of the riser with the Apoxi Sculpt stuff?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Thanks. Yes, I did remove the side plates, as well as the double stick tape that was left behind after their removal.
The slots where the side plates were removed were filled with the Apoxie Sculpt so the grip would have a solid footing. I wouldn't recommend putting one of these A.S. grips over the top of the existing rubber side plates. The A.S. is wrapped all the way around the grip. So the grip is one-piece and wraps all the way around the riser, as you can hopefully see in the video. There is no way to remove a grip done this way, other than sand it down or chip it off. It would take a lot of extra work to make one that is removable. If I need one on any of my other bows, I'll just make one for it. 

This is not a good option for many of the AT folks that sell their bows about as fast as they buy them. A bow with a permanent, or even a semi-permanent custom grip might not do so well when reselling it where the potential buyers can't hold it to see how well it fits them. That said, there is always the option of only sanding down the portions that make it "custom" and end up with what looks like the typical aftermarket grip if you decide to sell the bow. The new owner can either leave the grip as a "concentration" type "one size fits all" grip or add their own custom contours with more Apoxie Sculpt. If you just want a concentration type grip, I would just buy one of those. The problem with that is that nobody makes one to fit the PSE bows. I think Shrewd used to make one but discontinued them.


----------



## Josh17young (Mar 20, 2012)

Looks cummfy!


----------



## Dewboy (Apr 19, 2005)

Josh17young said:


> Looks cummfy!


It is very comfortable. No more pain. It is so much more enjoyable to shoot now. Another thing I've noticed is how the side to side pin movement from the riser pivoting in my hand is gone. It is much more stable than it was before and very repeatable. It still feels narrow because it is narrow in the throat of the grip where it needs to be while being wider in the palm area where it needs to be. It's a lot like a grip on a recurve target bow. It's also a lot like the grips on bows back in the 80's and early 90's, except a little narrower in the throat. 

My favorite grip is the Darton grips of the late 90's and early to mid 2000's with the side plates removed. The PSE grips are just a little too narrow for my liking. The PSE Inertia feels pretty good, but the earlier "BEST" grips are just too narrow for me. With the Apoxie Sculpt, you can make your grip exactly how you want it as long as you know what you want.


----------



## Border6901 (Jun 7, 2014)

Thanks for all the info!


----------



## Ronnie_Harper (Dec 18, 2018)

Do you put a polyurethane over the sculpting material after formed and hardened?


----------



## Dewboy (Apr 19, 2005)

Ronnie_Harper said:


> Do you put a polyurethane over the sculpting material after formed and hardened?


No. I don't see any reason to do so. If I do any sanding, I will wipe over it with black printer ink on a paper towel. If not, the places you sanded will be a little lighter than places you didn't sand. I find the printer ink does much better than a black sharpie, but a big sharpie will work. Let it dry and then wipe off any excess or it will end up on your hand.


----------



## Dewboy (Apr 19, 2005)

Has anyone else made a grip with the Apoxie Sculpt yet?


----------



## Dewboy (Apr 19, 2005)

You can also make a permanent grip that doesn't wrap all the way around the riser and has the same appearance as a removable grip. I made one for my DNA. Here are the pics. Notice that the throat of the grip is angled slightly like this // It just feels better slightly angled.

























*The bare area is not a chip. It is where I sanded it down to the riser.*


----------



## Brenden23 (Jan 9, 2020)

That came out nice. 

I wasn't aware of that Apoxie sculpt product and now I want to try it for a few things (thinking knife grips)


----------



## Dewboy (Apr 19, 2005)

Brenden23 said:


> That came out nice.
> 
> I wasn't aware of that Apoxie sculpt product and now I want to try it for a few things (thinking knife grips)


They also make a version that has fibers in it that supposed to be a little stronger. I think the regular A.S. is strpng enough, but for a removable grip, the stronger the better. I dropped my removable grip and is chipped. As long as it is attached to the bow, I doubt it would ever chip, but hitting a hard floor will definitely chip it. 

Apoxie sculpt would be really good for making something that you were going to make a mold of for Urethane Casting Resin. After you make a mold of the original grip made from Apoxie Sculpt, you could then reproduce it with the casting resin, which has better impact resistance. But I just don't know if I have the patience for pouring a mold and all that. Some folks make it look easy, but I can see where it could be a big P.I.T.A.


----------



## adamkeske (Mar 22, 2019)

Thanks for the idea, i will have to implement it.


----------



## enderdocc (Dec 3, 2013)

very cool Have to try that for my hunting setup


----------



## Mark75 (Jan 13, 2020)

Cool stuff


----------



## fletched (May 10, 2006)

It kinda reminds me of something guys were using back in the 90's. It is called form-a-grip and made by cir-cut archery products. Here it is on amazon. https://www.amazon.com/FORM-GRIP-Grip-Cir-Cut-Archery/dp/B002QFZWDC


----------



## Mike Carlson (May 15, 2014)

Great look


----------



## Dewboy (Apr 19, 2005)

Mike Carlson said:


> Great look


This was my very first one. My newer ones look much better. My removable grip turned out really good. It feels AND looks great. I used a 2008 Dream Season riser to make it, so it should fit on one of my Moneymakers. The cool thing about them is you can file, sand, and even add more until you get it just like you want it. And with this stuff, you actually have plenty of working time before it sets up too much to move it around and shape it like you want it.


----------



## wrenchmonkey (Jan 17, 2020)

This is a really cool idea. I'm going to try it!


----------



## bzrkr77 (Dec 20, 2019)

Very nice! I suppose that one could set aside just a small amount of the mixed material and use it to gauge the point at which the material is cured enough to get the finger impressions on the material in the grip.


----------



## theartboy (Feb 4, 2020)

Great idea. I was searching online for aftermarket grips but wondered how they would feel. This solves the try before you buy problem.


----------



## Dewboy (Apr 19, 2005)

theartboy said:


> Great idea. I was searching online for aftermarket grips but wondered how they would feel. This solves the try before you buy problem.


You can also make a removable grip with Apoxie Sculpt. My removable grip turned out very nice. I made a semi permanent grip also by putting some release agent (light coat of oil) on the handle before applying the Apoxie Sculpt and not trying to remove it after it sets up. It holds really well, but I believe if I wanted to get it off, the layer of oil would allow me to do so, although I may have to break the grip in the process. I like it so much, I doubt I ever try to remove it. However, if you have a bow you might not keep and think you may sell it at some point, I recommend making a removable grip using the Saran Wrap since there is no way it will stick to the bow with the Saran Wrap between the grip and riser.

Here are photos of the Semi-Permanent grip I made for my PSE DNA GX:

View attachment 7075215


View attachment 7075217


View attachment 7075219


View attachment 7075221


Here is the link to my removable grip thread that includes a video of the grip:

https://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5691603


----------



## passin_through (Mar 16, 2016)

PrettY Slick!


----------



## TexasCountyMO (Jan 8, 2020)

great write up in this thread!


----------



## Sageland (Oct 17, 2018)

Cool product! Where do I get some?


----------



## Dewboy (Apr 19, 2005)

TexasCountyMO said:


> great write up in this thread!


Thanks. They also have a product call FIXIT that supposed to be even stronger if you are concerned about the strength of the Apoxie Sculpt. But I haven't worked with it yet. I will eventually give it a tray.

https://avesstudio.com/shop/fixit/

NOTE: They currently have their some of their Apoxie Scupt colors, including BLACK on sale: 

https://avesstudio.com/shop/apoxie-sculpt/


----------



## ElkChappo (Feb 14, 2020)

How long does this take?


----------



## ElkChappo (Feb 14, 2020)

Any issues with bad weather?


----------



## ElkChappo (Feb 14, 2020)

How long does this take?


----------



## Dewboy (Apr 19, 2005)

ElkChappo said:


> Any issues with bad weather?


None. It is waterproof. In fact, it can be used underwater. It will set up underwater.

The time it takes to sculpt is up to the user. Some are better at sculpting than others. It allows quite a bit of work time. The better job you do at sculpting, the less time you will have to spend sanding. If you are heavy handed and clumsy, it will most likely work best for you just before it sets up, when it is not quite as soft. Before it gets to that point, it requires a most gentle touch. If you have a bow vise to hold the bow while you work on your grip, it would help a great deal. I keep coming back to it and tweaking it here and there til it sets up to the point I can no longer do anything to it but wait for it to completely cure. I spend a couple of hours on a grip, but each one I make goes a little faster than the one before.


----------



## luckyhook (Feb 7, 2020)

Looks like a good alternative, may try it.


----------

