Removing checkering
- Thread starter Win94
- Start date
The few times I've removed checkering for a plain finish, it was with a palm sander and 80 grit sandpaper. This is a very aggressive combination so you'd want to be paying close attention to how fast the material is coming off. Finish up by moving through the various grits and finish up with about 320 or 360 grit.
Also, stay away from the wood to metal portions until the very last bit of sanding. That part is best done by hand anyway.
Depending on the gun, the checkering is fairly deep and removal will significantly affect the lines of the stock so you need to remove material from the rest of the stock to keep the lines clean and straight. Leave the buttplate on and sand it together with the stock.
Also, stay away from the wood to metal portions until the very last bit of sanding. That part is best done by hand anyway.
Depending on the gun, the checkering is fairly deep and removal will significantly affect the lines of the stock so you need to remove material from the rest of the stock to keep the lines clean and straight. Leave the buttplate on and sand it together with the stock.
I would think twice and look at it a lot of times before I did that on a guide gun. By the time you get it off you may have a surface area that is considerably lower than the surroundiing wood and the patterns are close enough to the wood edges that you can't blend it nicely without leaving hollow areas.
On top of that I added checkering to my 1886 because it was plain hard to hold onto with heavy loads. The appearance of the fMarlin factory checkering can be improved by overcutting with a hand tool.
On top of that I added checkering to my 1886 because it was plain hard to hold onto with heavy loads. The appearance of the fMarlin factory checkering can be improved by overcutting with a hand tool.
...................i understand what you are saying fellas. It looks like it would be easy to screw it up with spots lower than others. think i'll have to pass on this idea.
............why checkering on a working gun like a guide gun though??? Its not the nicest looking rifle in terms of its lines so why waste labour and tooling on it?? Kinda like putting a set of pearls on a mules ass!! In the end its still a mules ass!!
............why checkering on a working gun like a guide gun though??? Its not the nicest looking rifle in terms of its lines so why waste labour and tooling on it?? Kinda like putting a set of pearls on a mules ass!! In the end its still a mules ass!!
I had two Stoeger SXS Shotguns. I used a 1" belt sander to remove bothe the semi pistol grip and the checkering... you must be very careful doing this as you can easily go too deep. Then finish it off with lighter papers.
Belt sander, Palm sander, what`s next a grinder
Seriously though guys, a wood rasp a light touch and you can remove the checkering and blend it into the rest of the stock quite easily and with less chance of damageing the stock.
Once you have it almost where you want it use a medium file, 80 grit paper by hand then 100,150,220 and you`re good to go with a walnut filler and some true oil.
The filler is from Birchwood casey and can be purchased where ever you buy the true oil.
Sounds like a lot of work but in reality it should only take a few hours to get it ready for oiling.
Seriously though guys, a wood rasp a light touch and you can remove the checkering and blend it into the rest of the stock quite easily and with less chance of damageing the stock.
Once you have it almost where you want it use a medium file, 80 grit paper by hand then 100,150,220 and you`re good to go with a walnut filler and some true oil.
The filler is from Birchwood casey and can be purchased where ever you buy the true oil.
Sounds like a lot of work but in reality it should only take a few hours to get it ready for oiling.
