I read most of the checkering posts here because from time to time I think that I might want to build a stock. In reading these posts I see many of the experienced stockmakers and cherckerers say that invariably your first checkering job will not be all that good.

My question is... What part of the checkering process typically poses the most trouble for the first time checkerer? Layout? Guidelines? Finishing touches? While I still may think about building a stock someday, the reason that I am asking today is that I am thinking about restoring some old worn stocks and would like to make "sharpening" the checkering part of these projects. My hope is that because all my work will essentially be equivalent to the second pass in a "from scratch" checkering job that I may have a little better chance at doing a nice job as long as I am bypassing the major pitfalls of the first time checkerer. Thoughts???

Thanks,
Bob

Bob, get some flat pieces of walnut to start with. Once you can checker those decently, get some scrap stocks to try next. Going around curved surfaces, particularly the compound curves on a pistol grip and across different grain, will give you hours of pain. While touching up old checkering is good practice for some, I've seen others that were ruined. It also doesn't teach you anything about layout or linespacing.

What are the pitfall? I wouldn't know where to start. For me its keeping the lines straight. About every 4th or 5th line, I'll stop and sight down the line to make sure it's not wandering off. Or you can use tape and a pencil to mark check lines across the pattern. If your cut lines aren't parallel with those pencil lines, stop and fix them. Crooked lines don't get better, they get worse.

You can also have lines running past the border. I've seen patterns with borders that weren't straight. I don't understand that, if you don't have a straight edge, you can use a piece of tape for crying out loud.

Don't dig trenches in the pattern. If a line gets deeper than the others, stop digging.

Lighting is important. You want a dark room with a single adjustable work light that will cast shadows across the pattern.

Get some tools, scrap walnut and stocks, build a checkering cradle and give it a go. I'll bet you can come up with your own set of misery if you put your mind to it. Checkering has been called your last, best chance to ruin a stock.

Mark

In 1980 I gave my Dad Monte Kennedy's book, a set of Dembart tools and a checkering cradle and a plain Bishop stock. He'd never done any rifle work before.

First he purchased a 1 X 4 walnut board 4' long. For about a month and "10,000 miles" of lines he checkered that flat board, resanding as it filled up. He studied Kennedy's book intensly making various size clear plastic diamonds etc.

Another month checkering that blank stock, sanding it off each time he filled it. Early on he decided against using a cradle and tried several lights until he got what best let him see his lines.

My dad had always prefered Swede and 1909 Argentine actions to anything commercial. By the time he'd finished checkering every handle in his shop (and my mom's kitchen) I had put Shaw barrels in various calibers on 4 Swedes and 6 1909s and ordered "Classic" blanks from Richard's Microfit. He finished these that first year and the results were better than any factory job.

Pop died unexpectedly 5 years ago last week. Though he was never quite satisfied his work developed to a point that was the equal of almost anyone.

He always talked about the importance of good light, natural or incandessant. Sharp tools! And he spent more time on layout than anything. He would begin deeping any lines untill the entire pattern was "scratched" perfectly".

Sure miss that old man. Unfortunately I lost three of the four rifles I have that he'd finished and checkered. A SAKO Vixen in 6 X 47, another Sako in 250-3000 and a Ruger #1 in 6.5 X 55. Stolenm by some low life.

Bob,
You're getting good advice and two things come to my mind as pitfalls for the novice checkerer. First is the concentration focus. One must be able to completely focus on the job you are doing, allowing virtually nothing to distract you. Checkering is mostly tedium, but it needs consistent focus if it is to be done properly. Watching the lines closely for straightness and even depth all of the time. If focus lags, put down the tools and do something else for awhile. I once checkered for 14 straight hours and when I put down the tools, my eyes hurt seriously and I was physically drained. I don't do that much anymore, although the job was good and my concentration didn't lag. I bought a small TV to keep me company in my shop, years ago, you know, turn on a baseball game and such. When I checker I don't even hear the game and have to check later as to what the score was.

Second is tools, buy the best you can afford that works for you, and keep them SHARP! Good checkering comes from sharp tools that are properly controlled. One can use light pressure and really feel the cutting action as you go. I like W.E. Brownell handles and single line cutters. I use Dembart cutters for layout. The handles and Dembart cutters are available from Brownells in Iowa and the W.E. Brownell cutters are available from W.E. Brownell Checkering Tools, 9390 Twin Mountain Circle, San Diego, CA 92126, 619-695-2479. The W.E. Brownell cutters are easy to sharpen and should you go with the Dembart's toss the cutter as soon as it goes dull. You will have to try several kinds of tools to find what works best for you, but in my experience these work very, very well.

Best to you.

The very best checkering "kink" I've ever heard was in an ACGG seminar by Al Lind.

He suggest using different widths of embossing tape (that different colored plastic tape that goes in the hand-held tape writer machines).

If you lay that tape side by side, using combinations of different widths, and penciling a line at every step you can lay out the entire pattern with parralel pencil lines 1/8" apart. That way you can SEE when (not if) a line goes crooked.

Start with a "fill-in" pattern instead of "point" pattern. That'll save a lot of grief. Fill ins are MUCH easier to do than points.

Most checkerers get really good after the first couple of acres......or give it up after the first couple of square feet.....one or the other.

I offer only an addition to the fine advice you are already getting, ask around at the local shops to save any broken stocks regardless of condition. Most tend to have a few around that are no good. I have lots of cracked stocks with checkering all over them. It makes a great way to transition into a ful blown stock without the same pressures. If you want I may on old single shot buttstock I can send you to play on.

Regards
JAG

[ 11-12-2003, 18:28: Message edited by: JAG ]

I cannot seem to overcome the tendency to overrun the border when finishing a line. How do you keep this from happening?

JAG posted a good suggestion. I did this, but I also checkered every axe, hatchet and hammer handle in my house! The curved and finished hickory checkers much like a gunstock, and when you are done with your practice you will have a nice non-slip axe, hatchet or hammer! :-)

jpb

quote:

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Originally posted by JAG:
I offer only an addition to the fine advice you are already getting, ask around at the local shops to save any broken stocks regardless os condition. Most tend to havea few around that are no good. I have lots of cracked stocks with checkering all over them. It makes a great way to transition into a ful blown stock without the same pressures. If you want I may on old single shot but stock I can send you to play on.

Regards
JAG

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parryj: I make my own hand checkering tools although I do most of the layout with an MMC power head. One trick I picked up from Martin Hagn is to sharpen the end of some single line cutters at about a 30 degree angle so you are looking down on a very sharp v at the end. With the thumbnail and/or tape as Jack suggested you can cut right to edge of the pattern with very little cutting force required. More importantly you can see the end of the cutter very clearly. It also helps a lot to make sure your cutters are sharp so they cut without a lot of pressure being required. Cut the pattern border or outline to depth only after you've virtually completed the internal checkering and any little overruns you've occasioned will disappear. Big ones are a different story.

To keep from over running the border, stop short. Later go back as a separate operation and pull the cutter from the edge. Rocking the cutter to the border, then pulling back, makes it much easier. You could extend each line as you are deepening them, but I do better by getting into a groove of doing the same thing before switching. Watch the back end of the line too. It's easy to back over borders without noticing until too late.

you'll be a gifted checkerer to do this in under 200 hours of practice.....