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Showerthought: I used to hand-fit every extractor on a 1911, but a jig changed my life
For years, I'd spend maybe 45 minutes on each 1911 extractor, filing and checking by eye. It worked, but it was slow and sometimes the tension was just a bit off. Last year, I bought a specific extractor fitting jig from a tool maker in Ohio. The first time I used it, I had a perfect extractor fit in under 15 minutes. The jig holds everything at the exact angle and lets you take off material in a controlled way. The big difference is repeatability. Now every extractor I fit has the same hook geometry and tension, and I can do it fast. It was about 90 bucks, but it paid for itself in two jobs. Has anyone else found a simple jig that saved them a ton of time on a common job?
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barbaraschmidt6mo ago
That jig sounds like a total game changer for 1911 work.
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the_morgan4mo ago
Did you ever put that first little scratch on a brand new slide with a brass punch and just sit there staring at it for five minutes questioning your life choices? Asking for a friend, obviously.
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wadefoster6mo ago
Yeah, I had the same thing happen with a simple sight pusher. Was using a brass punch and a hammer for the longest time, always worried about scratching the slide. Got a basic jig off Amazon for like forty bucks. Now it takes two minutes, no guesswork, and I haven't marred a finish since.
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