Hand Checkering Stocks.

[Barmcd]

This article references checkering stocks by hand. How is that accomplished? The stocks in the picture accompanying the article look fantastic. I can’t imagine the skill required to do even a mediocre job of that.

A Friend in War | Wheelgun Diaries - American Handgunner

I came into possession of my blued 6” Smith & Wesson Model 14 K-38 Target Masterpiece .38 Special revolver in November 1986. I hadn’t planned anything special for the day, except my dad and I were visiting a close friend of ours, Harry.

americanhandgunner.com

 

[Varminterror]

This article references checkering stocks by hand. How is that accomplished?

These + patience

 

[Mostly Lead]

Larry (MidwayUSA) always does a good job explaining things..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lbK3us_JCY

 

[EMC45]

These + patience

View attachment 1207396

Those look like Dem-Bart tools. I have those same ones. They work pretty well. I think all my cutters are pretty dull however.

 

[Varminterror]

Those look like Dem-Bart tools. I have those same ones. They work pretty well. I think all my cutters are pretty dull however.

Dem is Dem-Bart.

I haven't done any new or repair checkering in the ~1.5yrs since we moved, so I haven't had these out in a while, but while digging them out for the photo, I realized I can't find some of my other checkering tools like my fine line gouge or my 4 line head head (although I DID find a checkering FILE which should not have been in with my stockmaking tools), and I REALLY thought my barrel channel scrapers would be in the same toolbox where they're meant to be, but are NOT, so maybe those tools were lost to the Moving Gods as a sacrifice...

Checkering, and stockmaking/repairs, in general, are some of my least favorite gunsmithing tasks. My granddad was a machinist by trade, but he always counted himself a woodworker... But in honesty, he was always really a "roughcut" - as precise as he could be on a manual mill or lathe, he was a train wreck with a miter box and router. I grew up on the floors of his shops, and frankly, I ended up being much more precise of woodworker than he, but the anxiety of thinking how close I always am to ruining a piece of wood just burns my brain apart... But these days, I have far too many irons in the fire to spend any time in the woodshop.

 

[Barmcd]

Thanks for the info on checkering.

My reloading setup shares space in my woodshop.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Lotsa practice on scrap pieces. You can bondo it to a flat piece of wood you mount in a vise.

Draw a line from the longest point. Cross that line with another line from the other long point.

Use a single tooth cutting tool and trace the line and then the other. Sharpen both lines.

Those two lines are your guide lines for your multiple tooth cutting tool.

 

[deadeye dick]

Lotsa practice on scrap pieces. You can bondo it to a flat piece of wood you mount in a vise.

Draw a line from the longest point. Cross that line with another line from the other long point.

Use a single tooth cutting tool and trace the line and then the other. Sharpen both lines.

Those two lines are your guide lines for your multiple tooth cutting tool.

Sounds Easy LOL

 

[Jackrabbit1957]

Tough part is keeping the lines straight. If you keep your elbows tucked into your body and somewhat rigid it helps. Take breaks, after a while straight lines start looking wavy.

 

[Blue68f100]

Let the tool do the work, don't force it. That is when you start getting things off.