Making the chequering stand out question

[vbull]

Can anyone give me any tips as to what I could use on the chequering during a stock re-finish to make it stand out or 'pop" as they say nowadays ? I've seen some beautiful oiled stocks with what looks like black chequering so I'm thinking it's a dye and then a coat of oil but nothing I have comes close to black, not the traditional stuff anyway. Thanks.

[junglie]

Can anyone give me any tips as to what I could use on the chequering during a stock re-finish to make it stand out or 'pop" as they say nowadays ? I've seen some beautiful oiled stocks with what looks like black chequering so I'm thinking it's a dye and then a coat of oil but nothing I have comes close to black, not the traditional stuff anyway. Thanks.

I think you'll find the checkering soaks up more oil than the rest of stock so ends up darker, thats what happened on the few I've refinished with oil.It's even more noticable with a stain or colored oil.

[vbull]

Thanks, I had noticed that but on this occasion, doing an Anschutz 1710 stock the Truoil seems to have gone into the chequering the same colour as the rest of the stock and looks crap.

[Big Seth]

Thanks, I had noticed that but on this occasion, doing an Anschutz 1710 stock the Truoil seems to have gone into the chequering the same colour as the rest of the stock and looks crap.

I avoid the checkering altogether with Tru oil.

[isobar]

you could clean it up with a single headed chequering tool,a twin head tool if the pitch is right.care must be taken or you can easily mess it up.
ATB

[thisisdonald]

It's important that, if the chequering has been varnished over, the varnish must be removed before any attempt at sharpening it up. If you go in and try and sharpen it up while it's varnished, you could end up making new, uneven checks. Unfortunately you must use some kind of stripper on the varnish and use a magnifying glass to make sure you have removed it all.
If it's an oil finish, I recommend using surgical spirit and a soft brush to remove the finish before sharpening.
If you want to remove the black stuff and it's IN the wood, make a paste of acetone and chalk dust, paint it on thick and let dry.. the acetone will draw the oils out and the chalk will capture it.
Finally, if you want to sharpen up chequering, there's Only one tool for the job. A chequering tool! Buy one or make one.

[arnie2b]

Single line 60 degree V-cutter when all the points are already diamond shaped, if they're not you use a single line 90 degree V-cutter.
Dem-bart will do.

That's how you learn checkering recutting stuff.

[keith66]

On the few i have done i used Dem bart tools & they are very good, First one was a 1970's BSA mercury that had a panel each side on the foreend & a panel each side of the grip, I would know it instantly if i saw it again as i got one line on the left? side of the fore end a bit wonky & to me it stood out a mile! I have done a few others including a mk3 webley stock, this was done with panels with fleur de lys top & bottom & a 5mm wide clean ribbon through the middle of the panel, no borders either. Came out pretty good if i say so myself but its still not quite finished 20 years on, Must get round to it!