I messed up my webley senior

[iwalk]

Hi
I have owned a webley senior since being a mid teenager (so around 40 years) of course being young and stupid as opposed to old and stupid, i decided to personalise the grip.
After removing the original grips i slathered the frame with car body filler and after putting a plastic bag over it formed a handle to my hand. After a little sanding and painting i ended up
with a very comfortable and stable grip which works well to this day.
Thing is i realise i have tanked the value of it by doing this so am contemplating having a go at removing it all and refitting the original grips which i have surprisingly kept all these years.

so should i have a go at putting it back to original and if so does anyone have any good ideas as to how to go about it.

Cheers Ian

[Segata]

Sometimes filler will just break away in time, I managed to get old stuff off a Humber once by tapping it gently with a hammer, otherwise its just a case of sand carefully and watch the dust.
Value wise its all dependant on what you choose to do, if it matches your hand a loved one might like it later down the line but if you're selling it on then yes putting it back to standard is likely a must.

[deejayuu]

It may peel away with heat. Have recovered a wooden stock, with additions, that way.

[magicesperanto]

Drill a hole through one side of the filler into the hollow in lower part of the butt.

Use the hole to fill the butt with water, seal hole with tape.

Place in freezer for a couple of hours.

Break off any remaining filler with pliers.

[ashf9999]

One could say that doing it in the first place was misguided…but why remove it now? Unless you are planning on selling it, you say your moulded grips are comfy and fine, and whilst maybe a little unorthodox if they make the pistol more usable for you then keep them. You obviously did it for a reason in the first place.

[iwalk]

Of course you are correct but in my defence i was young and foolish, also these pistols were not uncommon then so i did not see any harm in it at the time. tried to post some photos but it looks like i do not have that privilege. Having just dragged it out to take pictures to post i am surprised at how comfortable it is to hold so may well keep as is.

[urx]

Just buy another nice standard one and keep what you have.
Be thankful you didnt sell it
My regret is trading in a .22 senior for a panther artillery carbine…..pot metal and plastic trash.

[felix gunner]

Some good tips above - I'd get the heat gun on it carefully to soften or crack the filler. As noted it should be pretty old and fragile. And when you get close to the metal stick to plastic scrapers etc.

Can you get some pics up anyway, I'm sure we're all intrigued to see it!

And when you're done make some nice wooden ones to fit your hand, that's what I did many years ago.

[MartynB]

Drill a hole through one side of the filler into the hollow in lower part of the butt.

Don't you mean grip ?

[Neil54]

I think butt is correct.
Drill through the grip into the void in the butt.
You could also try compressed air from a garage type compressor.
Ice method would be much safer.

[Segata]

When I've been looking at parts the lower part of the frame is reffered to as the Butt and then the sides which on many pistols are removable are reffered to as the grip or grips but just to confuse things the 1911 has a grip saftey which is technically in the Butt and not the grip.

[MartynB]

Don't you mean grip ?

I'll get me coat