Stock refinishing...what to do with checkering ?

[Brewster20]

Hi folks, I am thinking of refinishing a CZ 455 .17 fullstock. The condition is very good to excellent, but there are a few dings. I like the idea of stripping off the existing finish, then steaming out the minor dings, and use the sawdust/varnish method for the one larger ding. Then applying small amounts of boiled linseed oil worked in with 400 grit, over 5 or 6 coats, 7-10 days in between, then finishing with 0000 steel wool. But what I can't find out is what do you do with the checkering, its in great shape, do I tape it off, and leave it alone, or work in the stripper with a soft toothbrush, and apply a lite coat of linseed oil. I don't want to touch it with sandpaper. Just how do re-finishers treat checkering ?
Thanks

 

[mark222]

Use a tooth brush to work in the stripper and refinish it with the oil, it works great on checkering. As for the rest of the wood, I wet sand with 600 and oil then buff for the final finish, comes out nice.

Good luck.

 

[BCRider]

Whatever you do don't let any sandpaper touch the checkering. You want to maintain whatever crispness it still has. At most I'd suggest a few passes with a bronze bristle brush to work out the old finish and stripper. And even then keep the travel of the brush along the two running lines of the checkering to avoid marking the wood as much as possible.

 

[sunray]

A bronze bristle brush is too hard for wood. Scratch it. Toothbrush(a stiff one) and whatever finish remover.
400 grit, over 5 or 6 coats, 7-10 days in between, then finishing with anything is a lot of work for using BLO. BLO is applied with a clean lint free cloth over whatever stain let sit for 15 to 20 minutes and the excess wiped off. Gives a flat finish that won't get any better with multiple applications.

 

[156821]

I refinished the stock on my hunting rifle last winter. I went to pain staking efforts to get the finish out of the checkering. The stiff toothbrush and varnish remover idea is a good idea. Also I picked up a small pick set that was handy. Kinda like a dentists tools. Mine came out alright, but if I were to do it again I would get the checkering cut again. Its still useable but it is not the same as fresh checkering. After all the work that went into it, kinda felt like I was cutting a corner. I guess it really depends on the value of you gun and what your expectations are. Just my 2 cents. Good luck!

 

[mrgoat]

You only have two distinct choices on the checkering; tape it off and leave it alone, but it will have a different colour shade than the refinished stock. Second is to order yourself a set of checkering tools and gently recut the lines which will remove all the varnish remover, and this will also clean up and crisp up the checkering points. This is not difficult and will by far give you the best results.
The tooth brush method is okay, but on stubborn dirt and varnish remover it just does not get it all out. That's why the fella in a previous post was using dental picks. If your going to go to all the effort to get picks you might as well get the proper checkering tools. There cheap, and do the job well. You will need a cutter handle, a half dozen single line cutters in 18pt. fine. Cutter heads dull quickly at times, and there is nothing more frustrating than working with a dull tool. "DEMBART" Tools sells checkering tools. I have dealt with them for 40 yrs. by mail with out issue. Google them as I don't have the number handy.