What is the white stuff under the grips screws?

[PsychoSword]

Is that lock-tite? I read the white locktite is for plastic pipe fittings. It was very hard to get the top grip screw off and either my little hex tool or the screw is buggered on the bottom, so I ordered the tool recommended in the other section of the forum, we'll see if I can get the bottom one off..

Anyone know if they make slotted screws for the Rohrbaugh? I hate, hate, hate HATE hex screws.

[jaycee]

Psychosword ,take  it easy guy,"Do not get screwed by the screws" .There is an old post over a year ago that another fellow member changed the screws on his Rohrbaugh handgun,.here is the info relating to that very post  ----1/4 inch..long screws with 3-48 threads,using stainless Philips flat-heads screws. Good luck!  

[PsychoSword]

Psychosword ,take  it easy guy,"Do not get screwed by the screws" .There is an old post over a year ago that another fellow member changed the screws on his Rohrbaugh handgun,.here is the info relating to that very post  ----1/4 inch..long screws with 3-48 threads,using stainless Philips flat-heads screws. Good luck!  

Thanks buddy!! I will do some searching for slotted grip screws and see what I come up with. Meanwhile I'll await the tool. I should have ordered two of them, was only $2, but shipping was $7.

[Richard S]

PS:

Back in 2004 when I was just getting to know my R9 (No. 132), I stripped one of its grip screws using an inferior hex key which I happened to have in my tool box. After pondering the situation for a few hours, I steadied my nerves and managed to remove the screw using a small damaged-screw remover inserted in a power drill set on slow reverse.  It's not a job for the faint of heart -- in fact, it may have been a reckless act on my part. Anyway, luck favored me that day.  The screw came out with no damage being inflicted on the CF grip panel or the frame. Since then, I've acquired the finest hex key I could find and keep a supply of spare grip screws in the safe . . . just in case.  

[rooster]

I had one screw on each side of my pistol so tight that there was no way to get them off.  I rounded off the hex slot in each of the screws so now I was pretty much screwed.  A couple of weeks ago I finally got up the nerve to use a dremmel cut off wheel and cut in a regular slot across the head of the screw.  I just barely hit the carbon fiber grips because the wheel is round and you can't really cut the slot deep enough without hitting the grips.  end result I was able to now use a regular screwdriver to get the screws out.  before I attempted this job I purchased some new screws and the proper drill and tap in case I broke the head of the screw off.  I now coat the screws with grease before putting them back in and check for them getting loose after each range session.

[harrydog]

I had one screw on each side of my pistol so tight that there was no way to get them off.  I rounded off the hex slot in each of the screws so now I was pretty much screwed.  A couple of weeks ago I finally got up the nerve to use a dremmel cut off wheel and cut in a regular slot across the head of the screw.  I just barely hit the carbon fiber grips because the wheel is round and you can't really cut the slot deep enough without hitting the grips.  end result I was able to now use a regular screwdriver to get the screws out.  before I attempted this job I purchased some new screws and the proper drill and tap in case I broke the head of the screw off.  I now coat the screws with grease before putting them back in and check for them getting loose after each range session.

Couldn't you have used a small easy out? They have worked wonders for me over the years.

[Hk-Itch]

Benchmade's pocket tool works great for me.  It has a perfect hex head in it for the screws on the R9 and it works good on my pocket knives too.

[rooster]

To me the white stuff looked liked corrosion of the aluminum.  You know how aluminum gets that white powder if it is left out in the elements. You have 2 different kinds of metal the stainless screws and the aluminum frame.  I do not think it was any kind of locktite, although someone might know more about it than I do, I have just never have seen white locktite.  I live here in florida and I work around saltwater and my pistol pretty mush stays in my glove compartment so I thought maybe it might be the elements. if the factory is putting some kind of material to keep the screws from loosening I would like to know because it sure can cause some problems.  If you break off that screw head you are in trouble, you better know what you are doing or your gun is going back to the factory.  You also have to be able to take off that right grip to periodically check and lube those components.  If I had to do it again I think I might try running the cut off wheel over a file to decrease the dia., and then you might not hit your grips.

[PsychoSword]

Well I received the tool today. Just tried to take the bottom screw off and it still will not come off. The hex is stripped. Now what?

Did I mention I hate these types of screws?

[PsychoSword]

I tried the top one on the left side. I can't even get it to budge. Wow!  

I may end up having to do some fine dremel work, but I don't want to take a chance of damaging the grips!

[Brenden]

This is why all I do is make sure that the grips are tight periodically,and I leave alone otherwise..

I have taken one set off to see what was in there   and to know that I could do so..

IMO,if the grips are tight-leave them be..

BTW-a different head design would be more user friendly for sure!!

[PsychoSword]

You know, I only wanted to take the grip off to check out the trigger bar to make sure it was on good. But I could see in the tiny space between the grip and the slide that it appears to be flush. If I had seen that earlier, I never would have messed with the grip screws to begin with.

But you should be able to change the grips!

And there's nothing wrong with getting under there every once in awhile to clean things a little and make sure everything is as it should be.

[Richard S]

PS:

It may be time to consider one of these.

http://www.become.com/shop?q=damaged+screw+remover&utm_campaign=become&utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=ssp&utm_term=damaged+screw+remover

I used one of the small Alden "Grabit" bits to remove the damaged screw on my R9. If you decide to try it youself, you might want to to place the R9 on a padded surface and have someone hold it firmly in place while you handle the power drill set on slow reverse. If you don't want to do it youself, I'd send the pistol back to the factory for removal and replacement of the screws. It should be a quick turnaround.

Good luck.

[Reinz]

As far as what the white stuff is, Rooster is right on.  
It is corrosion caused by electrolysis.  It happens when there are two different metals in the presence of water.  A mild electrical current is produced and the softest/weakest metal will start to corrode.

That is the aluminum frame actually mildly coroding.  The "water'" is just probably from the air.

If any of you go boating at the lake or ocean you will notice the small aluminum tabs on the skegs of the motors.  Sometimes they have white stuff, or even really bad corrosion.  Those are made that way on purpose so a replaceable part that cost a few dollars get trashed instead of a whole lower housing that costs hundreds or more.  Those tabs are a softer/weaker metal than any of the metal on the lower unit so theywill go first.

Reinz

[45ACP2GO]

Here's what worked for me. I too rounded out the hex in the screw and couldn't get one out.

Get some good industrial epoxy and put a little on your hex head wrench, insert into the screw head. Let it set up over night and it will come right out. I know if I tried my dremel tool I would be ordering a new set of grips.