1911 Thumb Safety Fitting Tips?

[DArBad]

Hey Gang,

I have a new RIA 1911 EFS coming. I would like to change the ambidextrous thumb safety to a ONE side safety.

I saw a 10-8 armorer's block that could hold the replacement thumb safety at the right angle. But that block is so expensive to buy for just that one anticipated use of fitting the thumb safety on one gun. I already have another bench block so its a waste to fork over $60.00 on the 10-8 armorer's block.

How do you cut/file the thumb safety lug without a bench block holding it? Do I just eyeball it and compare the angle of the cut with the original one?

Thanks for any insight you can share.

['ol shooter]

I replaced the safety on my old Cup with a Wilson unit, it only took a couple strokes with a jewelers file to dial it in, can easily be done freehand. I used the Kuhnhausen books for reference. Here's a whole page of links to peruse, enjoy.

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=fitting+a+1911+thumb+safety

[snacks]

try this

https://www.harrisoncustom.com/images/uploaded/pdf/Extreme%20Service%20Thumb%20Safety_June%202016.pdf

[DArBad]

Thank you both for your feedback.

[ar15barrels]

How do you cut/file the thumb safety lug without a bench block holding it? Do I just eyeball it and compare the angle of the cut with the original one?

I have a little 2" wide drill press vise like this on my workbench:



It's great for holding all manner of small parts to file on them.
The vise is NOT mounted to the bench.
I just slide it around and position it as needed.
I hold the safety by the post in the vise so that the fitting pad is pointed straight up, just like how the Harrison instructions posted above show.

[DArBad]

Hey Randall,

Thanks for posting that^^^^^^^. I can drop by sometime today at Harbor Freight and look for something similar.

[hermosabeach]

It's been a while since I did the reverse and installed an ambi

Pushed the old one out with a punch, left the punch in place to hold internals.

Measure old and new
Sharpie on anything that needs to be filed.... the file wipes off sharpie so you see your contact.


Use new one to push punch out.


A roll of electrical tape on its side is a way to set a gun on its side to push out pins.

[DArBad]

Good tip^^^^^^, thank you.