I was thinking of buying enough checkering tools

to maybe learn some simply patterns.

Brownells and Midway don't have anything available.

There are some over priced stuff on ebay. Kenny

Yes, there is a shortage; caused by one of two factors;
1. Demand is so high that makers can't keep up.
2. Demand is so low that makers don't want to waste time making stuff that are slow sellers.
The answer is #2.

Wow am I ever out of the information loop. Did not know they were drying up.

Bought tons of checkering tools back in the 60's and 70's including many spare cutters. And a few sets fell into my hands from friends that tried checkering and gave it up. So I have a good lifetime supply.

I have an old NRA Gunsmithing manual that shows Hal Hartley making his checkering tools. Times must have been tough way back then.

Dodge Plymouth Chrysler Desota is correct. Checkering tool makers like Dem Bart usually were "One Man Shows" and once the main guy retired or passed the business disappeared. Small niche market. Bigger companies see no profit in production for such a small market.

Hey, I am impressed you know what DPCD means. I find that about .001 percent know. or fewer.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Hey, I am impressed you know what DPCD means. I find that about .001 percent know. or fewer.

Yea but I cannot recall the fifth one. There were five automobile groups, remember the Pentagon Hood Ornament? Dodge truck maybe?

Years ago I had a 1953 Dodge one ton Power Wagon, all bolts were head stamped DPCD as in your avatar That truck was a beast.

I think Dem Bart stood for Demetrius Bartoli. He was a gunsmith near me in Spanaway, WA. Might not have the first name correct.

There are only 4 brands in dpcd; the pentastar did not actually represent anything; Chrysler had a lot more than 5 product lines; they made several makes of cars, trucks, tanks, electronics, and other products. I have a 67 Power Wagon (WM300) that has the little pentastar on the body. Many of the bolts and parts are marked with the dpcd, as are, suprisingly, on my 73 Barracuda too.
I never knew what Dem Bart meant.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
There are only 4 brands in dpcd; the pentastar did not actually represent anything; Chrysler had a lot more than 5 product lines; they made several makes of cars, trucks, tanks, electronics, and other products. I have a 67 Power Wagon (WM300) that has the little pentastar on the body. Many of the bolts and parts are marked with the dpcd, as are, suprisingly, on my 73 Barracuda too.
I never knew what Dem Bart meant.

The old '53 Power Wagon was a World War II Relic still in production. Looked like something out of a John Wayne movie. Totally different from the Power Wagon Pickups Dodge put out in the 60's. Wish I had a photo or two of mine. Wish I still had it!

Identical to this one:

When I was in the Army in the 50's it was called '3/4 Ton Weapons Carrier'. I put a lot of miles on the one assigned to me. It was full of Radios. Don't remember which ones but think one was a 'angry 28' or some such that really had nice range. We would get on a high hill at night and talk all over the world. Mostly on CW. I remember one night we were assigned to set up a relay station and given the coordinates. Went there in the dark and had to climb this hill with one guy leading me with a shielded flashlight. When daylight came and we had to leave, I didn't have the nerve to drive it down. They had this old Sgt come drive it down. If I had seen where we were going I would not have been able to drive it up. They were a fantastic vehicle. They would do about 40 MPH -straight up a mountain or downhill. Paved dirt or mud. Never had it in snow.

You might check with W E Brownells (not related to Brownells.com) They were in San Diego at 858 6952479. I have not bought anything from them in some time but they make good products. The only place I had ever found to get Mullered border tools.

It is worth the effort to learn how to sharpen your old tools.

Craig and Barbara Frantz of Gunline Tools are retiring and closing their doors, Walt McVeigh at Dem-Bart said recently Dem-Bart is trying to catch up on backorders and when they do inventories and choices should be better soon.

I have a 67 WM300 just like the 46 in the picture: those were made from 46 to 68. I also have the one that zim had in the Army in the '50s; it was the M37; drive train is the same as the WM series. With good tires they will go anywhere.

I live pretty close to Dem Bart and have dropped in several times. He has always had what I needed even though it is not a retail storefront. If you really need something specific and can't wait, shoot me a PM and I might be talked into helping you out...

P.S. We had an old PowerWagon flat bed dually on the farm where I worked in the early 80s that looked a lot like the pickup pictured above. Where I live now there is one up the street with blackberry vines growing over it. I'd love to wave some green and take it off his hands, but I really don't need a project right now...

I have not bought checkering tools for several years. I resharpen the old cutters by using the EZE-LAP diamond in fine grit which is about 1X2 in. File away the back edge to make a knife shape. This will allow you to get to the bottom of the cutting tools. I have used only carbide tools for about 25 yrs.



The air system which I have designed will allow you to keep checkering without having to stop and blow the dust out. I ware a mask to keep as much dust from the sinus area. Make your handles larger and drill for a WD40 red spray end to link up to the controller for air. It only takes a second to change to a different cutting if you number the handles and keep the tools in line. Notice the numbers on the controller. It take just a little pressure to remove dust. It saves time and time is money when you are working.

Chic, I tried W. E. Brownell and I believe they quit making the cutters and handle. I could be wrong as of now. I have made some of my own tool holders out 1/8 in. spring wire from the Hobby shop store.