I was running the racks at a gun shop yesterday and came upon a couple of custom rifles that had beautifully checkered bolt Knobs. Got to thinking about it and thought that has to be an awful tough job to get right,

What special techniques and jigs are necessary to checker curved surfaces?

Might be what pro's use, not sure.
Ullman

I know some have used that...Tough on the machine no matter how soft a touch.

Most will use one of these https://www.brownells.com/tool...al-checkering-files/

I kind of figured a flat metal file was used,

But I thought that it would be a difficult job to keep the lines straight because there is very little contact between the two surfaces (flat and round) and the border is never straight. Hence I thought some sort of metal checkering device or jig was used to make those perfectly straight lines on those small round bolt knobs.

A very SPECIAL tool is used, and its a 5 letter word.

SKILL

J Wisner

quote:

Originally posted by Kolo-Pan:
I kind of figured a flat metal file was used,

But I thought that it would be a difficult job to keep the lines straight because there is very little contact between the two surfaces (flat and round) and the border is never straight. Hence I thought some sort of metal checkering device or jig was used to make those perfectly straight lines on those small round bolt knobs.

If itg was easy, you could do it yourself, Kevin

quote:

If itg was easy, you could do it yourself, Kevin

Duane. Thank you. Ha Ha! I have no desire to do it or have it done. Just saw it done beautifully on a couple of rifles and wondering how it was done.

Yep...checkering bolt handles is looked upon by a lot of custom metal guys..as Ahh...gonna be busy that day!

Hourly rate just ain't there! Maybe... For the young guys whose wife has a good paying job!

And..really farks up the neighboring rifle in the gun safe.

Done a lot of them, seldom get asked for that feature anymore.

I read somewhere that, for some purposes, chequered bolt handles are not a good idea, anyway. Can't recall exactly but I think it had to do with rapid cycling.

K-P.
A copy/paste post by Roger Green here supports your query.
**********
rmgreen
rmgreen
Elite Cafe Member
JoinedSep 3, 2009
Messages338
LocationWashington
Oct 14, 2014
#1
Many of us in the Professional Gunmaking trade do not use checkering files as depicted in the previous post on this subject. In early 1980's Leonard Brownell with advice/help from John Rohner and Don Glaser wrote an article in the "RIFLE" magazine where by he described the layout and cutting of metal checkering on bolt knobs using the power checkering head (cable or pneumatic driven) that is commonly used for wood checkering. Many of us today use this method and rarely use the metal checkering files and sq/tri corner files for doing this work except maybe to assist in laying out the pattern. The carbide "saw blades"(either 90deg or 70 deg cutters) do the work of cutting the diamonds and spacing the lines. The powered graver making the borders and finishing the line to depth and to the borders. In Brownells catalog you can find bolt knobs already checkered and with double borders done by one of Stan McFarland's sons who paid his way through engineering school checkering bolt knobs. Jerome Glimm(Eng) from Conrad Mt used to do a large business of checkering and embellishing bolt knobs. Perhaps when I have more time I will put pics on the forum of the tools, layout methods and process of this method of bolt knob checkering that I have learned from those who came before me. Roger

Custombolt

Thank you very much for your response!!

quote:

Perhaps when I have more time I will put pics on the forum of the tools, layout methods and process of this method of bolt knob checkering that I have learned from those who came before me. Roger

Roger, I hope you do find the time to pass on the skills and knowledge required for this type of metal checkering.

I watched Clayton Nelson checker one, he made it look easy. Of course he made everything look easy.

Craftsman. That post I had copy/pasted (by Roger Green) is almost ten years old. Just a heads up. Sorry to have misled. Be well.
CB

Here are the facts; no one actually wants a checkered bolt handle for hunting or target use. They are for looks only; and are used for hanging on the wall and showing them to your friends.
There is a reason that no military rifle ever had a checkered bolt knob; they are slow to operate and will cut your hand unless you grasp them like a baby. Ok, the Kar98 all have flats checkered underneath (back side) but they are shallow and not sharp.
Can we get on to some actual gunsmitning topics now? This one is beat to death and behind....

Tom has a good point...As my career seemed to lean toward the larger calibers, request for checkered bolt knobs fell of proportionately.

Just slows down "roll" of the knob for fast follow up shots.

Look good, and a bit of show off..YOU BET!