did i imagine tortoise shell grips?

[neosporing]

Hello all,

I apologize if this has already been addressed... I had always been under the impression that the original Blaster grips were tortoise shell. kind of like this..



A kind of burnt orange/amber ish with whisps of black frozen inside. I realize that a great deal of research has been done into the amberish / orangeish color ratios.. as well as the the knurling measurements. Is it impossible to do? Has it been done? Was it discovered that the grips were not tortoise shell but in fact just a deep amber?

thanks all.

[racprops]

Well look at Karl's set of Worldcon pictures there are so many of the prop hero gun.

NOT one shown any thing other than amber.

Sorry.

Rich
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[andy]

Rick Ross made his first set of grips for his PKD1 with a tortoise shell swirl. He later gave a pattern on how to paint the inside of the grips to imitate the tortoise shell look. I love how it looks, but the hero gun as Rich said, was nothing but the amber color. Since Rick Ross's guns have seemed to have been influential enough to have the PKD name become synonymous with the guns of all makes now, it would surprise me that they had influenced other things that we associate with the actual gun now.

...Also if you haven't seen Karl's photos of the hero gun you can still download the entire set here.. www.propsummit.com/brpics/worldconphotos.zip

Andy

[neosporing]

I can't believe I missed that detail about the grips. When the worldcon blaster surfaced I was so blown away and distracted by the other differences (weaver knob, patina of the receiver, wires sticking out of the damn shroud), that the plain grips slipped by my attention. I just assumed under that white waxy buildup on the grips was a beautiful tortoise shell pattern. I guess had they actually been tortoise I shell it would've been a nightmare to reproduce..thanks for the responses folks

TL; DR worldcon pics revealed so much other details, I never noticed the grips were plain.

[racprops]

Been there, done that too.

Rich

[Skin-Job]

I am planning to try out some Tortoiseshell grips when I get out from under enough get the Tomenosuke amber grip project under way.

When I first saw the movie I too thought they were T-shell.
The whole 'Noir' aspect of the film didn't shed much light on them. Certainly not enough to make me think they were straight amber

I really like the idea of T-shell grips, I think Rick was right on the money.


Karl

[racprops]

I think it is the black frame making the shadow look.

Rich
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[andy]

[neosporing]

[racprops]

I will point out that those are not good pictures, in fact they are either dark or darkened.

These picture present a distorted view of the prop.

The color is low note how dim the red LEDs are.

Rich
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[joberg]

As I remember the experience of seeing the movie in a theater, I thought too that those were T-shell grips...and I think it's great, in a way, that for all those years, the spectators were under that impression

We know better now, and with all the details showing through the amber + the different forms, cuts, etc, they'll never appear dull in my book

[Noeland]

Wasn't one of the Japanese blasters doing a slick tortoise shell grip look too? Jupiter I think? Way back in the day?

I love the look of it too, and have recently been dreaming about having some really nice tortoise shell grips on a custom blaster.
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[phase pistol]

That's why the Blaster has been so intriguing for so many years... you're not exactly sure WHAT it looks like (in the film anyway). Your imagination fills in the gaps.

Of course now the game is over, since we know virtually everything about it now.


k

[andy]

I agree Karl. I kind of miss the days when everybody had their own version of the blaster coming out ever few months or so. Now that all seem to want to look like the "Worldcon" even in finish. Jupiter had red marbled grips but they were not translucent. They looked great though. I would love to see more individually custom styled guns and grips. Maybe that is why the clear grips were such a sensation. I can't wait to see what Rick Ross is coming up with for his Gaff guns.

Andy

[jontom]

[jontom]

And you can always back your grips with this!

http://www.axinc.net/100_Tortoise_Pickguard_Material_Autumn_Sunset_p/tbi100.htm

[Noeland]

Here is a build I did a few years ago. An assassin gun, inspired by Rick's Zhora kit.



I sanded off the checkering, buffed the grips glass smooth, then gives them several coats of clear. I can change the graphic out, I printed several of them on heavy cardstock from skulls to heraldry, and a circuit board.
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