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Is it a matter of getting older??
- Thread starter C-pher
- Start date
Used to be, when I was a sprout, that a TV was a piece of furniture, and they were made of .... yup... you guessed it..... wood.
A sign of a good TV was how well done the cabinet was.
That pertained to radios to. I remember when radios started coming in plastic cases. I remembe how crappy they looked compared to the beautiful wood cases we had.
A sign of a good TV was how well done the cabinet was.
That pertained to radios to. I remember when radios started coming in plastic cases. I remembe how crappy they looked compared to the beautiful wood cases we had.
Living in the "Plastics City", the home of plastics in the United States, Leominster, Mass it would be difficult to say that I am anti-plastic 
Synthetic stocks are nothing new really, if we go back to the 50's, Remington introduced the Nylon 66 in Mohawk Brown and later added Apache Black. From my reckoning, these were probably the first synthetic stocked rifles on the market.
Plastic as pistol grips goes back to the 19th Century. Guta Percha was a type of early plastic and very popular as grip material in the late 1800's through the early 1900's.
The movie "The Graduate" notwithstanding, plastics have made a significant impact on the firearms industry, and have proven themselves to be a viable medium for construction of many parts.
I would hope that Pilgrim has removed the plastic grips off of his AO 1911A1.
Regards,
Mark
Synthetic stocks are nothing new really, if we go back to the 50's, Remington introduced the Nylon 66 in Mohawk Brown and later added Apache Black. From my reckoning, these were probably the first synthetic stocked rifles on the market.
Plastic as pistol grips goes back to the 19th Century. Guta Percha was a type of early plastic and very popular as grip material in the late 1800's through the early 1900's.
The movie "The Graduate" notwithstanding, plastics have made a significant impact on the firearms industry, and have proven themselves to be a viable medium for construction of many parts.
I would hope that Pilgrim has removed the plastic grips off of his AO 1911A1.
Regards,
Mark
Not yet, but I did take them off my jframe...and K frame but no good pic of that.
As far as the AO goes, I want a representation of the original and since that was original, I'll stick with it for now, but like I said, I've been known to adapt. [roll]
Pilgrim said:
That's all fine and dandy... But I would rather have an outstanding picture quality in an ugly cabinet, than watching snow in a beautifully crafted wood cabinet.
What about your telephone... What material could that be better made out of? At one time they were made of wood... Would you rather have a wooden phone?
Adam
Pilgrim said:
It may taste better in glass, but I sure as hell hated buying all those tires and the like for my bike. And I do like having a two liter bottle vs a ton of those glass bottles. When I go camping, it's sure a lot easier to haul several two liters than a few 12 packs of glass. Less room, and less weight. And that let's me pack more of what I might need, like water and food.
And speaking of camping. As much as I love my Sears Canvas Tent. These new tents of today are so much easier to pack and carry than the old tents when I was in the Scouts.
Adam_MA said:
I have to go with Adam here. I'm much more concerned about the quality of the picture than the look. I'd take the ugliest TV out there if it had the best picture. Me, I'm watching the screen, not the container of the screen. If I want my TV to be Furniture, I'll buy an entertainment center for my ugly TV.
C-pher said:
And I did... A beautifully crafted REAL wood entertainment center, with etched glass door that holds all my stereo equipment, 2 drawers that hold about 500 CD's, storage doors that hold all the VHS and UPS power equipment, and of course a 36" plastic encased TV.
Wood has it's place, things made out of wood (if done correctly) are beautifully crafted, can last for a long time, and show true craftsmanship. However, plastic, and plastic polymer composites, are MUCH stronger than wood, will outlast even the best pieces of wood, are much more versatile, cheaper to manufacture, and will give you the ability to have options that wood doesn't. Wood is a nice material, I love working with it, and do quite well with it. Some guns look great with a nice piece of lumber holding the pieces in the right places. Others, are made for a purpose, that is better served with the strength, durability, and longevity of plastic.
Adam
Well, since C-pher is 35 and Adam admits to being 12, and since I have 2 kids older than C-pher and a granddaughter older than Adam, I guess we'll have to chalk this up to 'the generation gap'.
[lol]
[lol]
The one difference is I am just a little older than C-pher, and I do like wood. I grew up with alot of the things Pilgrim talks about, and one of the things I liked when I visited Mexico was getting coke in a glass bottle again. I too prefer the taste of coke out of a glass bottle better than a can or plastic bottle. There are certain guns that I believe the wood should stay on them. Garands, SKS's etc. One of the things I do is always look at the wood. See what it looks like and in what shape it is in. In some ways I guess I would be considered old fashioned.
I believe you were referring to me in your original post. I do love wood on some guns. On that particular model, I think the synthetic gives it a better all around style than a wood stock would. I would never like a black synthetic M1 Garand or other "wood stock" gun. Just making sure you didn't think I was anti-wood. It's really a model-to-model circumstance. Hope that clears things up.
I don't think I ever admitted to actually being 12... More like that's the way I act, and feel...
Truth be told, I am 31
I grew up in a house with real wood furniture, console TV and my grandfather is the best wood carver I have ever seen. I have worked with wood since I was a kid. Worked in the woods cutting down trees, sawing them up, splitting them into firewood, even helping my grandfather milling down a log, so he could get that piece of wood for the table that 'just feels right'. I have spent a good amount of time standing behind a wood lathe, and walking out of the shop with that annoying (yet wonderfully satisfying) poking itch of of wood fibers covering every inch of my body. I have a deep respect for real wood, how it looks, how it feels, how the imperfections in the grain lines of a fine piece of wood, gives it it's spectacular beauty... A work of art in and of itself!
I also have a deep respect, for someone who has the foresight to create a product, that revolutionized the world as we know it. To take nothing, and create a product that can be engineered to be stronger than the strongest piece of hardened steel, yet feel like a feather in comparison. A product that when used correctly, can withstand the effects of being used as the entire chassis of a multi million dollar car, strong enough to withstand 1200+ horsepower, and 250MPH. A product that when used correctly, saves more environmental resources, than it could possibly waste. Fully recyclable, and reusable, capable of being made into life saving devices.
Would I put a plastic stock on my M1 Garand? NOT ON YOUR LIFE. Would I put wood grips on my Glock? Again NEVER..
They both have their place, equal in their own rights...
This has been a fun discussion.
Adam
Truth be told, I am 31
I grew up in a house with real wood furniture, console TV and my grandfather is the best wood carver I have ever seen. I have worked with wood since I was a kid. Worked in the woods cutting down trees, sawing them up, splitting them into firewood, even helping my grandfather milling down a log, so he could get that piece of wood for the table that 'just feels right'. I have spent a good amount of time standing behind a wood lathe, and walking out of the shop with that annoying (yet wonderfully satisfying) poking itch of of wood fibers covering every inch of my body. I have a deep respect for real wood, how it looks, how it feels, how the imperfections in the grain lines of a fine piece of wood, gives it it's spectacular beauty... A work of art in and of itself!
I also have a deep respect, for someone who has the foresight to create a product, that revolutionized the world as we know it. To take nothing, and create a product that can be engineered to be stronger than the strongest piece of hardened steel, yet feel like a feather in comparison. A product that when used correctly, can withstand the effects of being used as the entire chassis of a multi million dollar car, strong enough to withstand 1200+ horsepower, and 250MPH. A product that when used correctly, saves more environmental resources, than it could possibly waste. Fully recyclable, and reusable, capable of being made into life saving devices.
Would I put a plastic stock on my M1 Garand? NOT ON YOUR LIFE. Would I put wood grips on my Glock? Again NEVER..
They both have their place, equal in their own rights...
This has been a fun discussion.
Adam
Chris
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OK, I'm 37 and I too like the old and the new. It really depends on what it is.
The plastic clad SONY is fine with me because the 40" flat tube is just fantastic. (I still like high end tubes over flat screens and the thief deserves the hernia tryig to steal it)
On the other hand, when i set up my home office, I had a real ash desk made because I sat behind particle board desks all my life and while they were functional, they were not attractive.
I use an old metal carrier to get milk at the farm in real glass bottles.
I buy soda in resealable plastic bottles that i recycle.
My baby is diapered in fine cotton cloth 90% of the time because it costs us less to pump and heat water and the only time he gets diaper rash is in a disposable.
I've laid down a Pergo floor, but will only use quality metal fixtures. (Plastic ones don't last)
I still like the look of painted siding over plastic.
Metal panels on cars look better than plastic dispite the dents.
Never seen plexiglass that rivals a good piece of real glass.
Still, a well built piece of wood furniture, stone wall, or other 'old world' craftmanship always catches my eye over a functional 'modern' version. It really is a world apart.
The plastic clad SONY is fine with me because the 40" flat tube is just fantastic. (I still like high end tubes over flat screens and the thief deserves the hernia tryig to steal it)
On the other hand, when i set up my home office, I had a real ash desk made because I sat behind particle board desks all my life and while they were functional, they were not attractive.
I use an old metal carrier to get milk at the farm in real glass bottles.
I buy soda in resealable plastic bottles that i recycle.
My baby is diapered in fine cotton cloth 90% of the time because it costs us less to pump and heat water and the only time he gets diaper rash is in a disposable.
I've laid down a Pergo floor, but will only use quality metal fixtures. (Plastic ones don't last)
I still like the look of painted siding over plastic.
Metal panels on cars look better than plastic dispite the dents.
Never seen plexiglass that rivals a good piece of real glass.
Still, a well built piece of wood furniture, stone wall, or other 'old world' craftmanship always catches my eye over a functional 'modern' version. It really is a world apart.
Chris kind of sums up my feelings on wood vs plastic.
One thing I did try was a synthetic stock for my T/C Hawken after an especially wet hunt in WA. Unfortunately, the comb on the new stock rode right under my cheek bone, and beat the crud out of me everytime I fired it. At least with a wood stock, I can rasp in minor shape changes if needed.
I am starting to like laminated wood stocks.
One thing I did try was a synthetic stock for my T/C Hawken after an especially wet hunt in WA. Unfortunately, the comb on the new stock rode right under my cheek bone, and beat the crud out of me everytime I fired it. At least with a wood stock, I can rasp in minor shape changes if needed.
I am starting to like laminated wood stocks.
Don't get me started on plywood (laminated) stocks !
I said I'd take a picture of my wooden phone. Here it is. It's a pre turn of the century phone that was restored to as new working condition by my father who retired 20 years ago after 40 years in the phone company. It even has the batteries that came in it.
I don't actually have it wired into the phone service but it would work if done.
Maybe not as convenient as one of these, but people took pride in making them and they were displayed prominently AND they were made in America !
I said I'd take a picture of my wooden phone. Here it is. It's a pre turn of the century phone that was restored to as new working condition by my father who retired 20 years ago after 40 years in the phone company. It even has the batteries that came in it.
I don't actually have it wired into the phone service but it would work if done.
Maybe not as convenient as one of these, but people took pride in making them and they were displayed prominently AND they were made in America !
Pilgrim said:
No kidding. Don't forget stereophonic "hi-fi" (delity) systems.
What about tennis rackets and golf clubs? Never see the pros playing with wood any more. I bet THAT would sure change the game and keep some of the older record holders around.
I think they should do an "IROC" of tennis and golf, and make them all use the same equipment. That way, it will be player against player instead of engineering team vs. engineering team. I was at the range with my uncle hitting golf balls: "clack, clack, clack" went mine and "ping, ping, ping" went his. His went farther and straighter. He asked if I wanted to try. Sure enough, farther and straighter for me too. I guess I'm just a traditionalist.
Coyote33 said:
Well, going on to Pilgram's side on this one.
I still play with a wood shaft putter. And I get looks all the time when I'm up at the 9th or 18th by the clubhouse and someone sees the wood putter from the clubhouse.
Except on certain military guns, I think wood looks far better.
Wood also feels better in the hand to me.
I have heard of the many strengths that plastic has and if I were perpetually in a wet environment, I would go polymer and stainless, but so far, the plastic guns (excluding military) just don't appeal to me.
Wood also feels better in the hand to me.
I have heard of the many strengths that plastic has and if I were perpetually in a wet environment, I would go polymer and stainless, but so far, the plastic guns (excluding military) just don't appeal to me.
Depends on the gun, and function over cosmetics. My M1 is wood, my M14, synthetic (USGI). Wood grips on the 1911A1 and Nagant revolver, plastic on the rest. Mosin Nagants and VZ-24, wood. L1A1, plastic. AK is a mix, wood buttstock and foreend, plastic pistol grip. The Dragunov (Romanian), wood, until I find a decent plastic SVD type set.
Am I understanding that you have a USGI plastic stock on an M14? I used a lot of M14's in the Army and saw nothing but wood. I've never heard of USGI plastic M14 stocks.
Well, I wouldn't call it plastic, but, yeah sunthetic. Fred's has them.
http://www.fredsm14stocks.com/
Here's what an M14 looks like, with a synthetic stock.
http://www.fredsm14stocks.com/
Here's what an M14 looks like, with a synthetic stock.
