Stock Checkering Tools

[Roamin_Wade]

I’m wanting to recondition a couple of stocks I have. Looking at checkering tools, and how much money a kit costs, I was looking for a kit that has a single hand tool with an assortment of interchangeable tips for different types of cuts. I can’t find something like that. Do any of you know if a tool like that exists? If so, where I might find it?
Thanks!

 

[shooter1niner]

check brownells.com

 

[beag_nut]

Brownells is certainly the source. But be careful when you begin the process. A relative literally ruined the stock of a Savage 99 because he did not take the time to practice on scrap wood beforehand.

 

[earlthegoat2]

The tips are usually interchangeable but they are not easily interchangeable. Usually requires a hammer and pin punch. It would be wise to buy at least 2 handles of different shapes to have maximum versatility. Youll want at least a 60 degree cutter and 90 degree cutter if all you are doing is reconditioning existing checkering or converting pressed checkering into cut checkering. It would also be good to have a pull cutter and a border tool which will give ahed appearance and can fix overruns.

 

[troy fairweather]

I would try to clean the checkering of the stocks first. I've seen the lines disappear but look new after cleaning.

 

[Jackrabbit1957]

I have only seen the sets of 4 or 5 or individual tools sold separately, you would think someone would come up with a quick change head for those things. If I have to checker anything I only do a few lines and stop for a while, as the lines start looking like the ocean waves to me. Mostly I don't checker if I can help it.

 

[SGW Gunsmith]

I first began checkering around 35 years ago. There were no DVD's or you-tube videos involved with someone trying to learn what was involved with getting started. My first set of checkering tools now "sleeps with the fishes in Lake Michigan". Those were purchased from Herter's who swore they sold the BEST of everything. Then, I tried the tools made by DemBart. Another frustrating learning process. These cutters clog up with sawdust before you get to complete a whole line. Teeth are too fine and when they clog up the cutter will wander off track. Then I tried a set of Gunline tools. These cut much better and cutters are very easy to change into a single handle. For those starting out, I would recommend the Gunline brand, as the cutters have teeth that will cut forward and can cut when pulled backward.
Once I found the W.E.Brownell brand of checkering cutters and bifurcated handles, I stocked up on those:


I found out very early that no one could, or would, teach a person how to checker. It's definitely a "learn by doing" endeavor.
The cutters and handles I finally settled on and learned to use, and still use today are those made by W.E. Brownell of San Diego, CA:


Unfortunately, this gentleman passed away and his daughter sold all of his equipment to make these cutters and handles and the purchaser has as yet to make a cutter that works properly. These tools do come up for sale on ebay now and then, and I would recommend you get at least one of these handles and at least a 90° single line cutter.
If your plan is only to "re-cut" existing checkering, where the top of the diamonds have been flattened, you really don't need a whole kit. The diamonds can be pointed up once again with a single line 90° cutter. For one thing, you probably don't know what the checkering line spacing on the stock measures, so there's no need to rely on a line-spacing cutter. It's a bit tedious to cut lines to partial depth in both directions, but with a modicum of patience, you will get there. The reason why I would recommend a 90° single line cutter, is because if you're dealing with American Walnut or stock wood with a more open grain, the line spacing is most likely 20 Lines-Per-Inch, done so the diamond tops won't pop off due to the courser grain wood. It's only when dealing with tight grained walnut like the California English, French and Bastogne gunstock wood where those species will take finer checkering to 24 LPI at 75° diamonds. The stock pictured is 24 LPI at 75°.
So, after all of my above wind, you will be safe to purchase a Gunline handle and a 90° single line cutter to carefully point up the worn checkering you want to do rather than a whole kit. Take your time and don't try to cut the lines to full depth on the first several passes. Cut a little bit to depth and then do the cross-over lines, at least three times, and then when you have the diamonds all pointed up, evenly, then brush at least three coats of finish into the checkering with an old toothbrush until it soaks into the wood. Wipe the excess of the first finish added off with an absorbent cloth ( old T-shirt ) next day brush another coat into the checkering and remove excess, and then the next day the same thing and wait a couple of days to let the finish harden up those diamonds.
Good luck and post a picture of your finished job.

 

[Roamin_Wade]

I first began checkering around 35 years ago. There were no DVD's or you-tube videos involved with someone trying to learn what was involved with getting started. My first set of checkering tools now "sleeps with the fishes in Lake Michigan". Those were purchased from Herter's who swore they sold the BEST of everything. Then, I tried the tools made by DemBart. Another frustrating learning process. These cutters clog up with sawdust before you get to complete a whole line. Teeth are too fine and when they clog up the cutter will wander off track. Then I tried a set of Gunline tools. These cut much better and cutters are very easy to change into a single handle. For those starting out, I would recommend the Gunline brand, as the cutters have teeth that will cut forward and can cut when pulled backward.
Once I found the W.E.Brownell brand of checkering cutters and bifurcated handles, I stocked up on those:
View attachment 866308
View attachment 866309
I found out very early that no one could, or would, teach a person how to checker. It's definitely a "learn by doing" endeavor.
The cutters and handles I finally settled on and learned to use, and still use today are those made by W.E. Brownell of San Diego, CA:
View attachment 866310
View attachment 866311
Unfortunately, this gentleman passed away and his daughter sold all of his equipment to make these cutters and handles and the purchaser has as yet to make a cutter that works properly. These tools do come up for sale on ebay now and then, and I would recommend you get at least one of these handles and at least a 90° single line cutter.
If your plan is only to "re-cut" existing checkering, where the top of the diamonds have been flattened, you really don't need a whole kit. The diamonds can be pointed up once again with a single line 90° cutter. For one thing, you probably don't know what the checkering line spacing on the stock measures, so there's no need to rely on a line-spacing cutter. It's a bit tedious to cut lines to partial depth in both directions, but with a modicum of patience, you will get there. The reason why I would recommend a 90° single line cutter, is because if you're dealing with American Walnut or stock wood with a more open grain, the line spacing is most likely 20 Lines-Per-Inch, done so the diamond tops won't pop off due to the courser grain wood. It's only when dealing with tight grained walnut like the California English, French and Bastogne gunstock wood where those species will take finer checkering to 24 LPI at 75° diamonds. The stock pictured is 24 LPI at 75°.
So, after all of my above wind, you will be safe to purchase a Gunline handle and a 90° single line cutter to carefully point up the worn checkering you want to do rather than a whole kit. Take your time and don't try to cut the lines to full depth on the first several passes. Cut a little bit to depth and then do the cross-over lines, at least three times, and then when you have the diamonds all pointed up, evenly, then brush at least three coats of finish into the checkering with an old toothbrush until it soaks into the wood. Wipe the excess of the first finish added off with an absorbent cloth ( old T-shirt ) next day brush another coat into the checkering and remove excess, and then the next day the same thing and wait a couple of days to let the finish harden up those diamonds.
Good luck and post a picture of your finished job.

Thank you very much for your detailed lesson on this. You are correct that I’m desirous of standing up the diamonds on older stocks. More specifically, a Savage model 1920 and a Savage model 99F. The former being made around 1924 and the latter being made around 1957. Naturally, both are walnut.

i was curious about the angles of different cutters and how they were figured per LPI. I’m a machinist/millwright and also an aircraft mechanic so that is a language I speak. What tool is used on the border lines? Is it simply a straight line or are they also cut with an almost acute 90 degree tool?

I laid my calipers on the checkering a second ago at an inch width and tried counting the lines but found it difficult to count across an inch of them so I reduced it to a quarter inch (.250”) and saw a distinct 3 lines which means it should be a 12 LPI pattern. I’ll try to attach those photos to this thread.

By the way, that is some beautiful work that you’ve done to the above stock!

 

[Roamin_Wade]

I first began checkering around 35 years ago. There were no DVD's or you-tube videos involved with someone trying to learn what was involved with getting started. My first set of checkering tools now "sleeps with the fishes in Lake Michigan". Those were purchased from Herter's who swore they sold the BEST of everything. Then, I tried the tools made by DemBart. Another frustrating learning process. These cutters clog up with sawdust before you get to complete a whole line. Teeth are too fine and when they clog up the cutter will wander off track. Then I tried a set of Gunline tools. These cut much better and cutters are very easy to change into a single handle. For those starting out, I would recommend the Gunline brand, as the cutters have teeth that will cut forward and can cut when pulled backward.
Once I found the W.E.Brownell brand of checkering cutters and bifurcated handles, I stocked up on those:
View attachment 866308
View attachment 866309
I found out very early that no one could, or would, teach a person how to checker. It's definitely a "learn by doing" endeavor.
The cutters and handles I finally settled on and learned to use, and still use today are those made by W.E. Brownell of San Diego, CA:
View attachment 866310
View attachment 866311
Unfortunately, this gentleman passed away and his daughter sold all of his equipment to make these cutters and handles and the purchaser has as yet to make a cutter that works properly. These tools do come up for sale on ebay now and then, and I would recommend you get at least one of these handles and at least a 90° single line cutter.
If your plan is only to "re-cut" existing checkering, where the top of the diamonds have been flattened, you really don't need a whole kit. The diamonds can be pointed up once again with a single line 90° cutter. For one thing, you probably don't know what the checkering line spacing on the stock measures, so there's no need to rely on a line-spacing cutter. It's a bit tedious to cut lines to partial depth in both directions, but with a modicum of patience, you will get there. The reason why I would recommend a 90° single line cutter, is because if you're dealing with American Walnut or stock wood with a more open grain, the line spacing is most likely 20 Lines-Per-Inch, done so the diamond tops won't pop off due to the courser grain wood. It's only when dealing with tight grained walnut like the California English, French and Bastogne gunstock wood where those species will take finer checkering to 24 LPI at 75° diamonds. The stock pictured is 24 LPI at 75°.
So, after all of my above wind, you will be safe to purchase a Gunline handle and a 90° single line cutter to carefully point up the worn checkering you want to do rather than a whole kit. Take your time and don't try to cut the lines to full depth on the first several passes. Cut a little bit to depth and then do the cross-over lines, at least three times, and then when you have the diamonds all pointed up, evenly, then brush at least three coats of finish into the checkering with an old toothbrush until it soaks into the wood. Wipe the excess of the first finish added off with an absorbent cloth ( old T-shirt ) next day brush another coat into the checkering and remove excess, and then the next day the same thing and wait a couple of days to let the finish harden up those diamonds.
Good luck and post a picture of your finished job.

Also, what did you use to finish that stock? An oil? An oil and then a gloss layer of some sort? Does that particular color finish have a name?

 

[Roamin_Wade]

I would try to clean the checkering of the stocks first. I've seen the lines disappear but look new after cleaning.

What do you use to clean them?

 

[Jackrabbit1957]

12 lines per inch is fairly coarse. 18 to 24 seems more common. Here's a few tips for you, get a small desk top lamp with a low wattage bulb, light the project from one side not directly over the pattern. Have a way to hold the stock firmly but be able to move it as needed. Start in center of the pattern and make 2 master lines on each angle, should look like an X. Most importantly when you cut the master lines keep you grip firm on the tool and you elbow tucked into your side. If the master lines are crooked the whole thing will be crooked. Take frequent breaks.Hope this helps.

 

[troy fairweather]

What do you use to clean them?

I use that goof off stuff mostly because I have it and it does not raise the wood grain. Furniture stripper works good to.

 

[SGW Gunsmith]

Thank you very much for your detailed lesson on this. You are correct that I’m desirous of standing up the diamonds on older stocks. More specifically, a Savage model 1920 and a Savage model 99F. The former being made around 1924 and the latter being made around 1957. Naturally, both are walnut.

i was curious about the angles of different cutters and how they were figured per LPI. I’m a machinist/millwright and also an aircraft mechanic so that is a language I speak. What tool is used on the border lines? Is it simply a straight line or are they also cut with an almost acute 90 degree tool?

I laid my calipers on the checkering a second ago at an inch width and tried counting the lines but found it difficult to count across an inch of them so I reduced it to a quarter inch (.250”) and saw a distinct 3 lines which means it should be a 12 LPI pattern. I’ll try to attach those photos to this thread.

By the way, that is some beautiful work that you’ve done to the above stock!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Roamin, the 90° cutter is a "finishing cutter" so it is also used for border lines. In some cases a stockmaker may create a "three-line border", normally to correct border over runs with the finishing tool.

I am not aware of any 12 LPI commercial checkering cutters used for line spacing, but some folks make their own cutters with thread files. If the diamond valleys are not distinct and filled with stock finish, I would recommend that the 90° finishing cutter be used to clean out that finish. Less messy and a cutter is more controllable for that job rather than a finish remover that might also remove finish surrounding the checkering pattern.

Do you have a "thread-pitch gage"? If you happen to have an SAE set of thread checking gages, you can use the various blades involved with one of those, to see exactly how many lines per inch your stock has been checkered to.

As far as stock finish. I use Permalyn from Brownells. This finish is great for penetrating deeply into the wood and helps to toughen up the diamonds as it dries and hardens. Wet sanding with #600 emery after every third coat, will build up the finish and flatten out the top coat.
Once the pores are completely filled and the top finish is as flat as I can get it, after that, that's when I cut the checkering. Cutting tools can wander off line if they hit a pore or grain where the finish has dried and sunk down into the pore or open grain.

 

[troy fairweather]

I remember my dad making cutters on the lathe, I really should get a set and start doing checkering.

 

[Roamin_Wade]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Roamin, the 90° cutter is a "finishing cutter" so it is also used for border lines. In some cases a stockmaker may create a "three-line border", normally to correct border over runs with the finishing tool.

I am not aware of any 12 LPI commercial checkering cutters used for line spacing, but some folks make their own cutters with thread files. If the diamond valleys are not distinct and filled with stock finish, I would recommend that the 90° finishing cutter be used to clean out that finish. Less messy and a cutter is more controllable for that job rather than a finish remover that might also remove finish surrounding the checkering pattern.

Do you have a "thread-pitch gage"? If you happen to have an SAE set of thread checking gages, you can use the various blades involved with one of those, to see exactly how many lines per inch your stock has been checkered to.

As far as stock finish. I use Permalyn from Brownells. This finish is great for penetrating deeply into the wood and helps to toughen up the diamonds as it dries and hardens. Wet sanding with #600 emery after every third coat, will build up the finish and flatten out the top coat.
Once the pores are completely filled and the top finish is as flat as I can get it, after that, that's when I cut the checkering. Cutting tools can wander off line if they hit a pore or grain where the finish has dried and sunk down into the pore or open grain.

Yes, I have thread gauges and thread files. I’ll dig the gauges out later today and see what they reveal.

You completely strip, sand, and refinish the whole stock before you work on the checkering? Did I read that correctly?

 

[SGW Gunsmith]

Yes, I have thread gauges and thread files. I’ll dig the gauges out later today and see what they reveal.

You completely strip, sand, and refinish the whole stock before you work on the checkering? Did I read that correctly?

Not exactly. After I shape and then finish a stock completely and all the grain and pores are filled so the stock surface is dead flat and the finish is hard, that's when I do the checkering pattern.
If repairing or re-pointing up checkering, I just re-cut the lines. Here's a shotgun stock where the owner tried to refinish the wood and sanded over the checkering, really screwing it up:

He tried to recut the checkering, poorly, so I then recut all the lines back to depth. The two yellow highlighted lines are the two new master lines that I started.

 

[earlthegoat2]

A magnifying visor can help a lot too.

 

[SGW Gunsmith]

Roman, in looking at your second picture, I calculate your checkering spacing to be 20 Lines Per Inch for that grip area. See if the 20 threads per inch thread gage will fit the spacing. 20 LPI would be very appropriate for that walnut stock. If you just get yourself a 20 LPI Gunline cutter and the straight shank handle, you should be able to point that checkering up same as new. Just take your time and stroke the cutter like you would a "pool cue".

 

[Roamin_Wade]

Not exactly. After I shape and then finish a stock completely and all the grain and pores are filled so the stock surface is dead flat and the finish is hard, that's when I do the checkering pattern.
If repairing or re-pointing up checkering, I just re-cut the lines. Here's a shotgun stock where the owner tried to refinish the wood and sanded over the checkering, really screwing it up:
View attachment 866512
He tried to recut the checkering, poorly, so I then recut all the lines back to depth. The two yellow highlighted lines are the two new master lines that I started.

Yea, he buggered it up pretty good.

 

[Alaskan Ironworker]

If you’re right handed, try and checker right to left, and vice versa for lefties. It seems to be easier to keep lines straight at least for me. Get a medium stiff toothbrush to apply whatever oil finish you put on, im pretty happy with tru oil. The stiff brush keeps the finish from gumming up your nice new lines. I havent had an issue changing cutters on the handles. I made a couple threads on THR about checkering you could look at. https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?posts/11239651/



https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?posts/10753472/

 

[SGW Gunsmith]

When I do a forearm wrap around pattern, I'll do five lines right of and then left of the master lines. Then rotate my cradle 180° and cut five lines in the same manner. In the event any lines cut start to curve, even slightly, reversing the direction will get the succeeding lines back on track.
I am now on my third cradle that I made to my liking. The first one was from Brownells and made out of pine. That cradle is now ashes. The second cradle I made using some steel tubing, way too heavy. Cradle number three is made from aluminum and the work rotates easily with the use of enclosed "bearings":



A rigid set-up including a vise mounted to eliminate all vibration is another important aspect to consider. If you can rotate your work so the cutter is always atop, your line formation will look much, much better.
For gunstocks I have a much longer base to accommodate that work.

 

[buckbrush]

if you are going to point up old checkering, wash it first with warm water with a little dish soap, using a tooth brush. Your checkering cutters will last much longer.

 

[SGW Gunsmith]

If you’re right handed, try and checker right to left, and vice versa for lefties. It seems to be easier to keep lines straight at least for me. Get a medium stiff toothbrush to apply whatever oil finish you put on, im pretty happy with tru oil. The stiff brush keeps the finish from gumming up your nice new lines. I havent had an issue changing cutters on the handles. I made a couple threads on THR about checkering you could look at. https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?posts/11239651/



https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?posts/10753472/

One rule-of-thumb I try to follow when doing checkering; "The more course, or open grain the stock wood is, like open grain American Walnut, the courser the checkering needs to be". For me it's important to get the Permalyn finish, that I use, to penetrate as deep into the stockwood as I can get it to go. This does get the wood pores closed up and makes the wood being checkered a bit harder and therefore the diamonds stronger. Course walnut is best done at 20 LPI, the harder walnuts like French, or Circassian, and good hard maple, having tight grain and tiny pores, will easily accept 22 to 26 LPI, but for that LPI, I will use a 75° finish cutter to bring the checkering up to point. I do not start any checkering until after the stock is finished completely and the pores are completely filled with the wood grain filled and the finish has had two weeks to harden up. Checkering a non-finished wood stock will have your cutter wandering off course when it encounters an open pore or grain. A flat top surface is most desirable.
From what I've seen, cutting lines from right to left on a continual basis will have your layout lines curving to the left and so it goes when cutting left to right, the lines will start curving to the right. Once that starts to happen, there's not much that can be done for correction. So, to prevent that, I will cut, for example, five or six new lines to the right of the master line and then five or six new lines on the left side of the master line. Then, I will rotate my checkering cradle 180° in my vice and do the same routine. This way, if any of my lines have started to curve, the new lines being cut in the opposite direction will straighten the pattern out from any slight curving of the previous cut lines.

After all my checkering has been "pointed up", is when I'll put the finish in the checkering to harden up the diamonds. To do that, I'll use a ¾ inch wide acid brush loaded with finish to brush as much finish as the checkering will absorb into the freshly cut diamonds. Let the finish soak in for a half-hour or so, and then brush out what has coagulated in the base of the diamonds out with a medium bristle toothbrush. With that first application of finish, and diamonds with flat tops will stick out like a Playboy bunny in Iraq, so you can then point those up and make 'em sharper. Next day, I'll do the very same approach with the finish and the checkering. The third day, same deal. I want the checkering to absorb as much of the finish it will take until it will not take it any longer and the brushing method will not allow any buildup of finish in the diamond roots. When excess finish comes out of the checkering, I'll use a sheet or two of Bounty paper towel to wipe that off. Yup! Bounty does live up to its ad, very absorbent and without any abrasive character. Works for me!

 

[Roamin_Wade]

One rule-of-thumb I try to follow when doing checkering; "The more course, or open grain the stock wood is, like open grain American Walnut, the courser the checkering needs to be". For me it's important to get the Permalyn finish, that I use, to penetrate as deep into the stockwood as I can get it to go. This does get the wood pores closed up and makes the wood being checkered a bit harder and therefore the diamonds stronger. Course walnut is best done at 20 LPI, the harder walnuts like French, or Circassian, and good hard maple, having tight grain and tiny pores, will easily accept 22 to 26 LPI, but for that LPI, I will use a 75° finish cutter to bring the checkering up to point. I do not start any checkering until after the stock is finished completely and the pores are completely filled with the wood grain filled and the finish has had two weeks to harden up. Checkering a non-finished wood stock will have your cutter wandering off course when it encounters an open pore or grain. A flat top surface is most desirable.
From what I've seen, cutting lines from right to left on a continual basis will have your layout lines curving to the left and so it goes when cutting left to right, the lines will start curving to the right. Once that starts to happen, there's not much that can be done for correction. So, to prevent that, I will cut, for example, five or six new lines to the right of the master line and then five or six new lines on the left side of the master line. Then, I will rotate my checkering cradle 180° in my vice and do the same routine. This way, if any of my lines have started to curve, the new lines being cut in the opposite direction will straighten the pattern out from any slight curving of the previous cut lines.

After all my checkering has been "pointed up", is when I'll put the finish in the checkering to harden up the diamonds. To do that, I'll use a ¾ inch wide acid brush loaded with finish to brush as much finish as the checkering will absorb into the freshly cut diamonds. Let the finish soak in for a half-hour or so, and then brush out what has coagulated in the base of the diamonds out with a medium bristle toothbrush. With that first application of finish, and diamonds with flat tops will stick out like a Playboy bunny in Iraq, so you can then point those up and make 'em sharper. Next day, I'll do the very same approach with the finish and the checkering. The third day, same deal. I want the checkering to absorb as much of the finish it will take until it will not take it any longer and the brushing method will not allow any buildup of finish in the diamond roots. When excess finish comes out of the checkering, I'll use a sheet or two of Bounty paper towel to wipe that off. Yup! Bounty does live up to its ad, very absorbent and without any abrasive character. Works for me!

Awesome advice!

 

[SGW Gunsmith]

My picture storing site was not available yesterday, so these pictures are being put up a day late:



The flat diamonds involved with French style, or skip-line, checkering show they are flat, and supposed to be, but the smaller diamonds 3:1 size, do not have flat tops:



Lately I've been doing much more checkering on handgun grip than any rifle stocks, but this may show the reasoning behind my madness in making sure the checkering base has no build-up of finish. Just shows the checkering to appear deeper than if finish has filled the base bottom.