Yes. I generally prefer point patterns but fleur-d-lis are fine when well executed on American-style customs.

The picture above is of a checkering job done by the shop I use out side portland oregon.
I bought the rifle, a custom mauser in 6.5X57. I could E-mail some more pics to any one interested.
I Know I like it,but I would like to hear what some of you industry pros think.
...thanks ...tj3006

TJ, first off, I will confess that I don't like Fleur-de-Lis patterns. Having said that, I think yours is extemely well done, attractive and balanced. Clean and impressive IMO

Good On Ya!

Oh, and by the way, I'm not one of the pros around here, just a consumer and rifle loony.

I am going to have a similar patern done on my custom springfield in .257 Roberts.
The rifle in the picture has decent wood, the for tip and gip cap are very nice.
But the Roberts is very prety piece of clario walnut with colorfull strips...I am looking forwart to getting it back...tj3006

I like fleurs but that style is pretty ugly IMHO.

Tastes differ and I would probably have made the panels a bit bigger. Here is a wrap around forend I did some years back. I like large panels but also accept that large panels cost more.



Maybe ask the smith to flair the grip panels backwards a bit more with a point towards the toe of the stock like this one.

I liked it.....but like others as I get older I'm trending to point patterns as well....

Flowers are still nice especially if they have ribbons....

Maybe my next one will be points with ribbons!

Personaly I like well done ribbons much more than those frenchy things.

quote:

Do you like this checkering

That is like my ex asking if the dress made her butt look big.

I happen to like a point pattern better. Looks like they did a good job of staying in the lines. Key issue is do you like it. That is all that matters.

quote:

I like fleurs but that style is pretty ugly IMHO.

Glad we agree.

You asked so we tell: No, I don't like french stuff on my gun stocks. In fact, I don't like ribbons, skipped lines, carving, stippling or inlays. Perfectly executed point patterns without border is what I prefer. For me perfect execution of simple design best exemplifies true craftsmanship.

The more I look at Fluers the less I like them, though I've seen a couple that I do. All the different shapes of Fluers bothers me.
I guess if it's extremely well done they are OK but if they are just well done I'd rather have a point pattern.................DJ

Thanks for your frankness.
it apears to me the the general atitude is that the job is well done but the patern not to you liking ?
I Personaly just like a hand checkerd stock so long as its well done. Oint paterns are ok too but I rather like the fancy ones.
kind of wierd cause in most anything else I like plain no frills stuff.
there aint a diamond on earth that intrests me in the least ,(except as an investment)and I like my pick ups with no back seat no power windows door locks and as little chrome as posible.
Thanks again and to each there own...tj3006

Thomas
My personal preference is a simple point pattern. The sample pic you linked looks like something you could put a date on. Kind of like fins on a Caddy. It's an acquired taste that probably doesn't appeal to most. Those that like it should buy it and enjoy it. I prefer classic point patterns. They seem to be more "timeless" kind of like Vivaldi or Led Zeppelin. In 100 years point patterns will still be checkered, Vivaldi will still be "current" classical music and Led Zeppelin will still ROCK! The 80s hair spray bands and the finned caddys will long be forgotten. Except to a select few.

it is not "plaineness" vs. "busyness." it just does not look too artistic. I did not post at first because I did not want to take a chance on hurting your feelings, but you seem to be taking the comments of others at their face value.

The checkering appears to be fairly straight and pointed up, but the design is not as artistic as it could be. This is just my personal opinion and if you like it, then that is all that matters.

Here's a Fluer-de-lis I did like;









It falls into the category of "really well done" but I'm still not sure I like the shape of the Fleur's.
We can be a tough crowd eh?....... .......DJ

I like it. I like the proportions of the leaves on the Fleur D'Lis. I dislike patterns where they're carved too long and skinny.

Steve

DJ, the rifle you pictured is one of the prettiest I have seen posted on AR. Did Clayton Nelson make it? There was some garbage posted here awhile back that Clayton's work isn't that good. Your rifle proves otherwise.

I have a strong preference for point patterns. A really handsome point pattern can be had for a couple hundred dollars. Fleur patterns don't begin to interest me until they have about $2500 worth of work involved. I've never seen a few hundred dollars worth of Fleur checkering that didn't look like crap to me. That's the main reason I've never paid the money it takes to have a Fleur pattern cut.

I think stock design and stock work is an art.I would be more satisfied with a factory rifle than many custom rifles I see.This might be because the big name factory rifles employ a designer who has credibility.There is a certain way to make a stock so that many people find it attractive,and I believe this is what you got to hold out for if you want your project to click.One of the rifles pictured above looks and probably is expensive but is a failure in my eyes.

My taste of fleur de lis.





Roland

quote:

Originally posted by Thomas Jones:

Yes........ looks pretty nice!

Roland, that's nice. The smaller fleurs appeal to me. Who did the work?

quote:

Originally posted by ForrestB:
Roland, that's nice. The smaller fleurs appeal to me. Who did the work?

Forrest,


Roland

Thomas Jones,
I like the pattern in your attachment, it's well done and not too gaudy. Personally, and not that my opinion means anything to anyone else, but I like the smaller panels that your stock displays compared to some of the other more flashy patterns posted on this thread. I like point patterns too, but a nicely done fleur de lis is also appealing to my eye. Different strokes for different folks. It sounds like you've lucked out and found somebody that does good work close to home.

Nice pics Roland, thank you.
The work on your rifle falls in the "very well done" category. Still can't decide if I like the shape of the Fleurs though.

Oh and the rifle I posted is a Clayton Nelson stock, it belongs to a buddy of mine. I put the action from a different rifle into it for him.........DJ

quote:

Originally posted by djpaintles:
Nice pics Roland, thank you.
The work on your rifle falls in the "very well done" category. Still can't decide if I like the shape of the Fleurs though.

Oh and the rifle I posted is a Clayton Nelson stock, it belongs to a buddy of mine. I put the action from a different rifle into it for him.........DJ

djpaintles,

Nice work, is that an integrated quarter rib?

Thank you,
Roland

Roland1,the scrolling looks nice but I think the color of the stock does not go with the fleur de lys pattern.From the picture I see that the stocks comb is too large also.A good looking rifle with the fleur de lys pattern is the Winchester featherweight model.The guy who designed the featherweight knew what he was doing.I've seen a bunch of very expensive rifles with the fleur de lys pattern that turn me off.

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
Roland1,the scrolling looks nice but I think the color of the stock does not go with the fleur de lys pattern.From the picture I see that the stocks comb is too large also.

That's certainly not an assessment I'd make. I've always thought Bolliger's work to be pretty flawless.......in style and execution.

Bolliger sample 1

Bolliger sample 2

Granview,

Agreed.

Roland, my assessment of the fleurs is not good. The first picture of the fleur on the right side, I believe, shows the petals to be of different size. In order to be decent, they need to be concentric so to speak. The first pictures posted, not by you, are of a really bad looking fleur-di-lis. My opinion.

quote:

Originally posted by Jim Kobe:
Roland, my assessment of the fleurs is not good. The first picture of the fleur on the right side, I believe, shows the petals to be of different size. In order to be decent, they need to be concentric so to speak. The first pictures posted, not by you, are of a really bad looking fleur-di-lis. My opinion.

Jim,

You are right one of the petals is a little of, the picture of the rifle is a bit in an angle, on the rifle it self it’s almost not noticeable.

Reason that I like this shape, it really looks like a lily and that is exactly what Fleur-De-Lis means lily.

Roland

Roland, It is an integral 1/4 rib and front site post on the barrel. I wish we knew who made it! My buddy bought a separate rifle from the Clayton Nelson because he liked the action and barrel but liked the Clayton Nelson stock better. I just put the unknown makers barreled action into the Clayton Nelson stock for him.
It was nice to see how good Nelson's original inletting was. I learned a good bit from it.

What happened with the original Clayton Nelson metalwork is a story I probably shouldn't tell....... ...................DJ

quote:

Originally posted by djpaintles:
Roland, It is an integral 1/4 rib and front site post on the barrel. I wish we knew who made it! My buddy bought a separate rifle from the Clayton Nelson because he liked the action and barrel but liked the Clayton Nelson stock better. I just put the unknown makers barreled action into the Clayton Nelson stock for him.
It was nice to see how good Nelson's original inletting was. I learned a good bit from it.

What happened with the original Clayton Nelson metalwork is a story I probably shouldn't tell....... ...................DJ

DJ,

Nice job, I really like it.

Thank you,
Roland

[URL= ]A SHOOTING STAR![/URL]

quote:

Originally posted by Thomas Jones:
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m17/tj3006/IMG_00032.jpg

Thomas
The real question is "how do YOU like your checkering?" It is your gun, your money and you are the one who has to be satisfied with the job.

Whether you like fluers is not the point. That is what you chose, it is a standard pattern and many find it very attractive. The overall effect is very well done.


I like the total picture, but in the interest of learning from this site, there is certainly room for improvement. The fleurs are not perfectly symetric, and to my view are a bit "blocky". If you look at fleurs on some of the high end jobs, they tend to be more delicate, a bit smaller and certainly more symetric. Some use dies to punch out the pattern, assuring consistant size and outlines.

The spacing of this checkering tends to be just a little bit irregular. It apppears that the pattern was not "squared up" after laying out the initial lines. I like to cut all of the lines very shallow, then go over with a three or four line cutter to assure consistant spacing in both directions. If you connect the very tips of the individual diamonds with a line at right angles to the master lines, you will see the diamonds tend to "waver". This is because some cuts are wider and deeper than others.

The lines at the top of the pattern are not perfectly parallel with those on the bottom. As one works outward from the master lines over the curve of the grip, the ends tend to become wider or to pinch. Your example is very good, but not perfect. The lines near the grip cap are not parallel with those near the bolt.

The interuption (ribbon) is very even, top to bottom, but the checkering lines on either side do not appear to connect perfectly. The layout may have been done in panels rather than each line continuing over the interuption.

Finally, the points do not apear to be finished or brought up to a full diamond in all areas. This is in part because it is american black and looks a bit soft as compared with harder thin shell walnut(ie "French, English etc".

I think this is very good checkering. It is attractive, functional and probably very appropriate for the gun as a whole. It is not "best quality" as done by some of the masters.

The photography on the other hand is very excellent!!!

You realize I am sure, that this is just one opinion, and it is worth just exactly what you paid for it. This can be a tough crowd.

Roger

Thank you all for your comments. many of you guys are top notch profesionals.
I take most of what is said here as differences in taste.
As many have said what is most important is that I like it.
I hope no one here takes this as an insult beacuse I respect the artistic gunsmith and stock maker greatly.
My srtistic ability begins and ends with being a decent amiture guitar player.
But the price I paid for this rifle is about half what some of you guys charge for just a stock, So I think for a blue color guy I am working with a prety good shop , that proudces much better quality than a factory rifle and I get great shooting quite prety rifles that I can afford.
Thank you very much for your honest opinions...tj3006