FAQ
THANKS FOR VISITING THE WICKED GRIPS FAQ PAGE!!
A FEW UPDATES!! LEAD TIMES FOR NON INLAYED "WOOD" GRIPS IS ONLY 2+ MONTHS... WE CAN & WILL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HELP THOSE LOOKING FOR A SPECIAL LOOK & FIT FOR NON INLAID PROJECTS (WOOD GRIP SETS.. NO INLAY) WITHIN THIS TIME FRAME!
ONLY PROJECTS REQUIRING CUSTOM MOLD MAKING, DESIGN WORK FOR ART, EXTREMELY EXOTIC MATERIALS SUCH AS DAMASCUS STEELS, SILVER & GOLD INLAYS THAT ARE DESIGNED, MOLDED, CAST & INLAID ON A CUSTOM BASIS REQUIRE THE LONGER 16-18+ MONTH LEAD TIMES.
SOME HAVE RECENTLY ASKED WHY OUR PRICES ARE HIGHER THAN SOME OTHERS IN THE INDUSTRY, AS "A 1911 GRIP IS A 1911 GRIP, RIGHT?"
TO ANSWER THOSE WHO ARE CURIOUS ABOUT OUR PRICING... LET ME EXPLAIN.
FIRST, THE MATERIALS WE USE COST MORE. STABILIZED WOOD IS NOT ALL THE SAME... LOWER COST MATERIALS WILL WARP, MOVE, ECT.. WHEN SUBJECTED TO TEMP & MOISTURE CHANGES, AND MAKE FOR A VERY POOR GRIP MATERIAL. THESE MATERIALS TEND TO NEED "FITTING" BY THE CUSTOMER TO FIT THEIR GUN, BECAUSE THE WOOD HAS CHANGED SHAPE FROM THE TIME IT WAS CREATED, TO THE TIME IT GETS IN THE CUSTOMERS HANDS.
GOOD STABILIZED BURLS, OF THE VERY BEST GRAINS & COLORATIONS.. AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, PROPERLY STABILIZED SO AS TO NOT WARP, COST US MORE TO USE.
PROPERLY KILN DRIED WOODS COST MORE TO USE. WOODS NOT PROPERLY DRIED ARE CHEAPER, AND WILL WARP.
OUR DESERT IRONWOODS ARE OF A GRADE THAT IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO STOCK.
FIT IS THE SECOND REASON WE HAVE HIGHER PRICES. WE MAKE FEWER GRIPS A YEAR THAN OTHERS, YET, WE SPEND MORE TIME ON EACH SET. PERFECT FIT IS OUR HALLMARK. WE'VE SPENT YEARS PERFECTING A STYLE OF FIT IN THE PLUNGER TUBE AREA (WHICH IS OFTEN COPIED THESE DAYS) THAT ALLOWS THE SAFETY TO NEST INTO THE GRIP, COVER THE PLUNGER TUBE, AND CREATE A SEAMLESS TRANSITION FOR YOUR THUMB TO ACTIVATE THE SAFETY. EVERY LINE, ANGLE AND CURVE HAS BEEN HAND FIT TO ACTUAL FRAMES, TO ASSURE YOU THE PROPER "CLICK INTO PLACE" FIT THAT OUR CUSTOMERS DEMAND. THIS LEVEL OF WORK TAKES TIME... THUS OUR PRICES ARE HIGHER.
PLEASE UNDERSTAND... WE TRULY BELIEVE THAT MAKING A SET OF GRIPS IS AN ART, NOT TO BE RUSHED. WE COULD USE CHEAPER MATERIALS, AND CUT CORNERS IN FIT & FINISH TO RUSH A LESS EXPENSIVE SET OF GRIPS TO MARKET. WE REFUSE TO DO SO. WE COST MORE, BUT WE DELIVER A SET OF GRIPS THAT WAS TRULY HANDCRAFTED FROM THE FINEST MATERIALS, WITH NO COMPROMISE ON FIT.
WHAT FORMS OF PAYMENT DO YOU ACCEPT?
WE ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS DIRECTLY BY CALLING IN YOUR ORDER AT 810-412-4037, ONLINE PAYMENTS VIA PAYPAL (YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A MEMBER TO USE THIS SERVICE), PERSONAL CHECKS, MONEY ORDERS, ECT..
WHAT LEAD TIMES CAN I EXPECT AFTER PLACING MY ORDER?
LEAD TIMES DEPEND HEAVILY ON WHAT YOU ORDER, AND SHOULD BE DISCUSSED DURING THE ORDERING PROCESS. LEAD TIMES ARE ONLY FOR CUSTOM ORDERS, AND DO NOT REFLECT WEBSITE INSTANT SALES. NORMAL LEAD TIME ESTIMATES FOR NON INLAYED WOOD PROJECTS ARE COIMING IN AT APPROX 2+ MONTHS. CUSTOM ONE OFF ALUMINUM GRIP ORDERS CAN RUN UPWARDS OF 2-3 MONTHS AS WELL.... WHILE INLAYED FULL CUSTOM PROJECTS, GUN BUILDS, ENGRAVING ON GUNS, ECT... CAN RUN UPWARDS OF OVER 12+ MONTHS ESTIMATED.
HOW DO I MAINTAIN MY GRIPS?
FIRST... NEVER CLEAN YOUR GRIPS WITH GUN CLEANER... A SIMPLE BUFF WITH A GOOD WAX, LIKE RENAISSANCE WAX, IS WHAT WE RECOMMEND. A FEW SIMPLE RULES TO FOLLOW:
- DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN YOUR GRIP SCREWS! GRIP SCREWS CREATE A WEDGE EFFECT, AND WILL CRACK A GRIP IF YOU TORQUE IT DOWN LIKE YOU ARE MOUNTING A TIRE!! JUST SNUG THEM UP.
- DO NOT USE DIP CLEANERS... THIS WILL RUIN YOUR GRIP'S FINISH
I PLACED AN ORDER, AND DID NOT GET AN E-MAIL WITH TRACKING INFO? WHAT DO I DO?
OUR SYSTEM IS NOT AUTOMATED TO CONTACT YOU WITH TRACKING INFORMATION. FOR A FEW REASONS. FIRST, COST. WE ARE A TWO MAN SHOP, AND WE DO NOT HAVE A DEDICATED STAFF TO DO PACKAGING & E-MAILING. LARGER COMPANIES CAN DO THIS... FOR US, WE'D HAVE TO INCREASE COST TO OFFER THIS SERVICE.
IF YOU PAY VIA PAYPAL, YOU WILL GET AN AUTOMATED E-MAIL RECEIPT FOR YOUR TRANSACTION... PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM FILE, AS MANY OF THESE E-MAILS END UP THERE.
INSTEAD, WE SHIP DAILY, VIA USPS PRIORITY MAIL. IF YOU ARE CONCERNED, AND REQUIRE A TRACKING NUMBER, INSURANCE, DELIVERY CONFIRMATION, ECT.. ON YOUR ORDER... PLEASE CALL US AT 810-412-4037, OR E-MAIL US, AND WE CAN ADD THESE SERVICES TO YOUR ORDER FOR THEIR ACTUAL COST.
WE TRY VERY HARD TO NOT USE THE OTHER CARRIERS. WE'VE HAD WAY TOO MANY DAMAGED PACKAGES, AT HIGHER COST OF SHIPPING, TO TRUST THEM WHEN SENDING PACKAGES TO OUR CLIENTS.