I have bought my step son a checkering set for Christmas and was wandering is there any sites or places that sells stocks that are cracked or otherwise no good that could be used to practice checkering and refinishing. I know he will have to start on something flat to begin with but I know he will bug the heck out of me to put those cutters on a stock. Thanks for any help.

Robe763 - I will dig in my scrap bin and see if I have anything suitable.

Thanks Bill

PM sent.

reply sent

I have a VZ 24 stock you can have.
recoil@optonline.net

Thanks email sent

When I was learning to checker, I found it very useful to practice on axe, hatchet, maul, saw handles, etc. I had no luck finding old stocks where I lived.

First one was uuuuugly, but they got better! I improved quite a few such woodworking and gardening tools belonging to several neighbours, before deciding that I did not have the patience to become really good.

You are definitely correct to practice a lot first!

I was a teenager then, but it now more than thirty years later: On a visit to the old neighbourhood, it was quite fun to still see several of my learning attempts still lurking in various garages and tool boxes!

I practiced on a couple of tool handles too, then did a few cheap .22s, found out I could do a fairly decent job of checkering - if I used borders - but that it took me twenty times as long as a pro and I was not getting any faster. So quit. Fifty years ago. May still have the tools somewhere.

There are pleanty of turkish mauser stocks to be had, I have a couple around. shoot me a note if you still need some.

csam00000@netscape.net