All-New: Type 81M
- Thread starter Tactical Imports
- Start date
The wood probably is quite soft... the custom walnut furniture I had on my VZ58 (and grip) never loosened up. There should be washers on both sides with no wood to metal contact at the screw, no? A lot of even the vintage AK's had a polymer or bakelite grip.
Bakelite AK style grip? Is it longer and/or has better ergonomics than the T81 style grip? I've used custom, Fab Defense and beaver barf grips on my VZ, this will be my first T81.
Maybe I have some old gear lurking around. I have big and wide hands, the original VZ58 grip was pretty tiny I thought.
That colour is sweet.
Zastava makes an AK Walnut furniture set... I've read the stock (drilled and bolt differently) and upper handguard (too short) are a no go for the T81. But it's hard to beat walnut if you are into wood furniture.
I'm partial to the worn look of surplus sets. When I got a surplus wood set for my VZ58 from the Czech Rep off of Ebay... it looked so good on my rifle. This surplus Yugo wood w/bakelite (or polymer) grip would be a great look.
I'm partial to the worn look of surplus sets. When I got a surplus wood set for my VZ58 from the Czech Rep off of Ebay... it looked so good on my rifle. This surplus Yugo wood w/bakelite (or polymer) grip would be a great look.
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BeaverMeat
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nanaimo, B.C.
Zastava makes an AK Walnut furniture set... I've read the stock (drilled and bolt differently) and upper handguard (too short) are a no go for the T81. But it's hard to beat walnut if you are into wood furniture.
I'm partial to the worn look of surplus sets. When I got a surplus wood set for my VZ58 from the Czech Rep off of Ebay... it looked so good on my rifle. This surplus Yugo wood w/bakelite (or polymer) grip would be a great look.
Just don’t go that guy who asks a premium for the “battle worn” look. The worn cosmetic “value” baffles me as an extra cost option. I blame the Fender Custom shop for that.
This might interest someone... old article on the Type 81 from Guns and Ammo magazine.
http://www.redstararms.com/type81.pdf
http://www.redstararms.com/type81.pdf
Pretty much along the lines of what they said earlier in this thread. Folders were always first to sell out. They ordered more underfolders than fixed this time round.
The changes made to the M do seem to make it more desireable.
I am hearing the rifle is noticeably heavier than the SE and original import. Can anyone else give their own to cents on this?
I messaged the guy selling them, he said that small piece of rail do fit. Just waiting to hear back id there is a certain one. The ad does say it works with aimpoint footprints so I may not even need a rail to be attached, ill confirm both.
- He says small 3 slot rails fit without modification and Aimpoints should mount direct to the rail but he has not tested it.
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In the future I might do the same. I wounder about using denatured alcohol to remove the shellac?
Might give it a walnut stain. Who knows.
I havn't held a type 81 in a while, so I am not sure its even shellac. But denatured alcohol and steel wool should work anyway
Looks like a polyurethane or lacquer to me from the pictures. Any furniture stripper will work.
Don't over sand the wood. If you stain after it's stripped, a prestain conditioner might be a good idea. Some lighter woods will blotch with stain. Shellac or Tung oil is a beautiful finish, easy to reapply and to fix blemishes as they happen.
It would be nice to know the species of wood used as well. Anyone who sanded it down have a guess?
That is a really good idea, didn't even think of that
Early on, I've ruined some stocks by over sanding... which is the biggest threat with lesser woods. Putting in scrapes and scratches will ruin the project.
Those thin upper and lower handguards don't have much wood to take off, have to be delicate, I've split an upper handguard before on a VZ base rifle. The VZ58 base rifles didn't come with very good wood either... Walnut would be great, easy to work with and takes stain like a champ... but I guarantee this Chinese T81 will have some lesser type wood and it won't be forgiving to refinish.
A prestain conditioner would be a must... Dye stains and water based stains/poly have come a long way. Just read the instructions on what you use beforehand.
Would really like to see if someone just strips and tung/BLO/shellac it. Wondering if this wood will have much grain or figure.
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