Refreshing stock checkering... What is my best course of action?

rci2950

rci2950

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I am thinking that I will buy a 90 degree single line fine cutter and just take my time and do it. I have done a quick search online for the tool but they seem to all come in complete sets for a couple hundred bucks. I'm not doing that. It would be more economical to pay a gun smith to do it. But if someone has any alternative ideas or know where I can get the one tool that would be awesome. I am trying to bring this stock back to its former glory. It is on a 1952 FN Mauser Commercial sporter. Pretty sure the wood is birch. Although I could be wrong. I will eventually be refinishing the whole gun as well as having the stock pillar bedded. The rifle is worth it as the bore and crown are mint. It will make a very nice shooter.
 
That flaking in the wood makes me think Beech, rather than Birch.

Dig through the Brownell's site for replacement cutters for the Dembart Checkering tools. Not too expensive.https://media.midwayusa.com/productimages/880x660/Primary/761/761994.jpg

A few minutes with a set of files and a hacksaw, and you can make your own functional handles. Having a drill press would help too, or some other way to reliably drill a small hole to use to affix the cutter head to the handle.

I have used old screwdrivers. Saw a slit in the middle of the shank to fit the center of the cutter. Mark out the hole and drill, for the roll pin. radius the edge of the shank to fit the cutter and put the hole where it needs be. Bend the shank as required, if required.

You can, with patience, touch up the checkering with a needle file as well. A triangular file (three-square file) has 60 degree angles, and a square file, 90 degrees.

My experiences have been that if you try to get it all done at once, it tends to get out of hand. Work carefully, work down t the depth in steps, and pay closer attention when you are nearing edges, or you will run off. You already have the pattern established, so at least you don't have that to fret over.

You can also use a thread file to cut notches into soft steel to use as a checkering tool too. Or simply file the notches after filing the vee angle you wish, then harden. Worth tracking down a copy of Gun Stock Checkering and Carving by Kennedy (IIRC?).

Cheers
Trev
 
Thanks a lot Trev I appreciate this information. You have given me the proper course of action. I remember seeing a small curved triangle file at princess auto as well now that you mention it. That might be the ticket. It is curved at the tip.
 
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bob347 said:
Take a look at Tradex Canada in Hawkesbury ON. I think I saw some checkering tools for sale to buy separately. I think prices were good
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Yes they had checkering tools about a month ago. I bought one, but have yet to use it. It is very sharp right out of the box.
 
rci2950 said:
Thanks a lot Trev I appreciate this information. You have given me the proper course of action. I remember seeing a small curved triangle file at princess auto as well now that you mention it. That might be the ticket. It is curved at the tip.
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Yeah, skip the riffler files, or, at least, don't spend a bunch on a bunch of them, and buy a couple each of the singles of three and four square files. While the rifflers are nice in the odd occasion that you actually need to get in to a tight corner, down at the bottom of a cut-out, they are pretty much done once used, and you cannot do much more with one. The three square and four square jewelers files on the other hand, can be snapped off, to get a fresh bit of edge, they can also be heated and bent, then hardened again, if you need to make a riffler file out of one. Buy the cheapest ones you can, this is not a place to be spending anywhere up to $20 each for Swiss made top quality files.

Keep in mind that you are, generally, working around the outside of a curved surface, while a riffler file is really for working around an inside curved surface or for reaching in to odd nooks and crannies to break a sharp edge or deburr a part.

The long straight section of a file will work to help fix a line that is beginning to go crooked, which is another reason to avoid trying to get the whole line done in one pass. And lines WILL go crooked, as the cutter follows the grain instead of the checkering pattern.

There is room for LOTS of different tools, I would suggest not trying to cover your needs with an all in one kit simply because you are like to end up with a bunch of stuff that you won't ever use, in the way of line spacing cutters that are too fine or coarse, as well as multi line cutters (same reason) and border tools etc., that you may not ever use.

Just sayin'. :)

Cheers
Trev
 
maple leaf said:
Yes they had checkering tools about a month ago. I bought one, but have yet to use it. It is very sharp right out of the box.
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what angle is it? would you say it could suit my needs on this one? The pic looked like it only had teeth on the edge like a hacksaw blade.
 
Oh, in case you think I was dissing hard on the kit, the upside of the kit is that you can pull the tips you don't need, off the handles, and install spares on them, of the spacing that you do use.

Some measurement of the spacing and some inquiries as to the spacing of the kit and it's contents may well be a good idea. Single line vee tools are pretty much universal other than choosing the angle (usually 60 or 90 degree) as are border tools, sorta, while multi line and skip line cutters pretty much require having the correct spacing.

I can say with some real authority, that after cleaning up the checkering on your rifle, you will have a new-found respect and awe, for someone that can pick up a PERFECT brand new made custom stock, made from hundreds or even thousands of dollars worth of wood, and start scratching lines into it, without it making their hands shake! :)

Cheers
Trev
 
http://kvwoodcarvingsupplies.com/product_category/gun-stock-checkering-tools/

I think you probably want the f-1 and a handle. You might want to get the s1 with handle if there's some tight corners in your border. ( I think the s1 handle is different than the other ones) I'm just learning to checker myself, but I'm using gunline tools. It might help to carefully follow your border with masking tape so you don't run out of bounds. Don't try and do too much at once. I follow the whole pattern on one set of lines trying to do each one evenly and then move on to the other set of lines. Hold your cutter as square to the wood as you can. When you think you're done you can go over the lines and look for spots where the lines don't quite meet up at the bottom of the diamonds and try and make them even. I put one coat of oil on the stock before I start to protect it a bit from handling.
 
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It's very time consuming. You most likely won't make a masterpiece on your first go around. If you have another gun that you care less about it might be a good idea to try that one first.
 
That checkering never had glory days to start with, as it was poorly done from day one. The diamonds are more squares, they were never cut deep enough to have points. Many of the vertical lines on the panel pictured are nonexistent which is going to mean when you use a single cutter your going to have to scribe the line in before hand or your cutter is going to wander. The checkering extends right to the grip cap which is odd. Usually there is a 1/4" clear border between the cap and checkering. Some of the horizontal lines are wider than others. It can be made to look much better than it's present condition, but it will be very time consuming and tricky. Checkering tools and cutters are designed the way they are for a reason because they do the job tremendously better than files. If you want a unsightly mess start playing around with files on that checkering and you will have one in short order.
You need single line V cutters both course and fine with a wood handled shank to hold the cutter. The handle is $6.60 the cutters $5.95 per. Your going to be cutting through years of crud in those old lines then into a dense hard wood so get a set of course and fine cutters for each panel on the stock. As there is nothing worse than trying to checker with dull cutter heads. While your at it you might as well get the little instruction book which is only $7.30. You can get all this from Dem-Bart Checkering tools Snohomish Washington. 360-568-7356. call in your order, you will most likely get Walt on the phone. Tell him what you want to do and he will help you. Nice fella. I have been buying my checkering stuff from them for 37 yrs.

That checkering can be made to look much better but it will take "time" and "patience" this is not something your going to do in one night while watching the hockey game.

Hope this helps some.
 
mrgroat is right and you will find it frustrating but it can be done with patience. I would first of all use a stripper to remove the old finish from the checkering and proceed from there.
 
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