Checkering??

Anybody out there do any checkering? I'm interested in learning to recut worn checkering. I've got several old ones that have the checkering just about completely worn off. I would love to get some hints and tips or even watch someone.

I've wanted to do some checkering as well but know very little about it. Midway has some checkering tools. Some of them cut several lines at a time. You could figure out how many lines per inch you needed to cut in order to match the original checkering then order the corresponding tool.

22lrfan

You might checkout Brownell's web site. Look below the search function on the home page and click on the guntech logo. Use the search function in the guntech section and type in checkering. They have the instruction booklets???? for their various tools. One of them is the checkering resto kit. It should help you with your checkering project.

Doggoner

Thanks for the info. I've looked at the Brownells and Midway websites. It seems that Dem Bart and Gunline are the two major brands. I'm going to check out that booklet on Brownells.

Have you found an answer to your question yet? I've played with it for a while and have determined that there is alot more to than I realized. It is an art form that takes much practice and experience to do well. You can get a paper gauge through Midway from Dembart to determine your lines per inch count. 16 to 1 inch, 20 to 1 inch, etc. That part is pretty straight forward. The art comes into play by keeping the cutters cutting straight and then the crossing of lines to make those beautiful diamonds. Sounds easy, but that is the hard part. Practice on flat wood and curved wood. Softwood and hard wood. Keeping your spacing consistant and your edges neat. That's the art.

Good luck. You know you are serious when you set-up your checkering cradel and bench. That's why it is so expensive for hand checkering. Machine checkering is cheaper but the equipment is more expensive.

Patience and good luck.

I've bid on several Gun Line and Dembart checkering sets on eBay but haven't won one yet. I may go ahead and order the single line cutter with my next Midway order. I'm mainly interested in recutting existing checkering on some of my old non-collectible guns.