Checkering tools

[Potashminer]

Find a copy of Gun Stock Checkering and Carving, by Mont Kennedy. Aside from showing a great deal on layout and patterns, there is a fair bit of info on making your own cutters inside.

When I last saw fit to muck with the stuff, the replacement cutters were a couple bucks each from DemBart (a while back), so I made handles out of worn out screwdrivers. Hacksaw a slot, file a curve to match the radius on the cutter, drill a cross pin hole, and yer in business!

Yep, is a good book to have - there is a copy that I own, somewhere, but I think it is out on loan to another CGN guy, just now. I am quite sure somewhere that I read was about how to make the cutters - was one piece with the shank that went into the handle - like a Parker Hale tool that I bought - cutters are not replaceable like those from Dembart, but I think was expected that the user would be able to soften, re-sharpen / re-shape, then re-harden the tool that got made from scratch. I never tried that - was too easy at the time to get Dembart stuff.