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Alstone · Moderator & Site Supporter

I just bought myself a set of checkering tools as I decided some of my guns would benefit from a bit of flash. Smile

Anybody here done any checkering or got any tips on how to go about it, I have had a look at videos on u-tube and it looks dead easy, Mr. Green

and the moon is made of green cheese.

Al

SMP · Silver Status Member

I've tried handcutting checkering a couple of times with mixed results. It's bloody hard I know that for sure.

I've never used the stamps but if anyone can work it out I'm sure it's you. Let us know how it goes. If you get a hand for it there is a small fortune to made.

oddtodd · Silver Status Member

I've done a lot of it and I will tell you it isn't as easy as it looks on Youtube. The key and most important thing is your first line has to be absolutely dead straight or it will look like crap.

THe next thing is your 60 degree angle hast to be perfectly even or it will look bad too. Once you get those two going it's easy. Just stay even after that. Another thing is keeping the tool parallel to the surface.

I would practice in a rounded piece of scrap wood until I got it perfectly straight. I also did some carving on my pistol grip, and while it didn't come as perfect as I hoped, it doesn't look as bad as I thought it would. Just take your time and don't rush and you will do fine. Stop often and look because you can also make a line too deep very easily. THe key is PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. Naughty

Here's a couple of pics of my work:

It looks a lot better IRL, but I don't know how to turn the flash off on my camera.

Alstone · Moderator & Site Supporter

Alstone · Moderator & Site Supporter

Would you believe it! the company supplying the Checkering tool I ordered has now told me they are out of stock, and waiting for new stock from the USA.

I could have bought the dam things from the State's myself, which I'll end up doing.

Bloody time waster's!

Al

Alstone · Moderator & Site Supporter

I finally got a small set of checkering cutters and had a go this weekend, after about four goes I finally got the hang of it I now have to get it more symmetrical in layout which as Todd says needs a lot of practice, the major crossing point in doing this is changing over to checkering a gun stock, rather than a piece of wood so I think I'll pratice a bit more first.

Al

oddtodd · Silver Status Member

Looks good to me! Try using it on a curved piece of wood. That's when it gets really tricky. My pistol grips were a little bit harder because I put in a swell in the middle of it to make it fit into my palm better. It's just practice now! There is money to be made in it, that's for sure.

One other thing you should remember Al, is make sure you don't make the cut deeper one direction than the other. Like I said though, now it's just practice. One other thing I forgot. Did you get the cutting gauge? That flexible template makes it easier to mark it out. It's also easier to get a straight line with it too.

Slavia · Moderator

Looks good to me, Al. I would be perfectly content to be seen in public with that.

I haven't done checkering, but with stippling it's the border line that gives me fits. As far as uneven groove depth, wood finish will probably even out the reflectivity and hide it. I like oil-type finishes that penetrate and then polymerize with oxygen. The varnishy kind of stuff just lays on the top and fills in the depressions that you have so carefully excavated.

As far as practice on curved surfaces, you might consider going to a "home improvement" place for stair rail knobs or spindles, or go to a second hand store for a cheap piece of furniture to hack up. Or the next time you take tea with HRM just unscrew a bit and put it in your pocket - I'm sure she won't mind.

Very nice.

Big Ern · Veteran Member

That looks great Alstone. I would love to learn how to do this as well.

Alstone · Moderator & Site Supporter

OddTodd

I think going around corners is going to be more difficult, I did have a little go at it but thought I’d better try and get straight lines first, there was a flexible template in the box which is a great help

Slavia

I know what you mean about cutting near the border line, one slip and several hours of work gone up the spout.

As for having tea with HRH if I got caught I could see her saying “ We are not amused” That young chap from the colonies is a trouble maker. “Off with his head”. Mr. Green

Big Ern

You only need three cutter’s to start with and make you own handles, about $15.00 the lot, all you need then is plenty of time and patience, and when it all goes up the creek go down to the pub and have a pint, it always looks better when you come home. Smile

broommaster2000 · Moderator

You could always round off a piece of wood to practice on. When making your own stock, you'll also have pretty large bits laying around, I recon.