Checkering

[jonnyone]

I recall unpacking my brand new HW80 in 1984 and gazing in wonder at this hand crafted piece of German shooting iron. Sure, I wasn't aware then that the spring guide had been carefully made by Eric Bloodaxe with a blunt instrument and swarf would be going walkabout inside the action but anyhow down to checkering of the hand cut variety.
Seems this is a rare commodity these days. Is any manufacturer hand cutting checkering these days? Is it seemed 'old hat'. Is it deemed desirable in some quarters? Would anyone want a stock hand crafted anymore? Would anyone pay a premium for this? What would you think any such premium would be if so?
I know some of the laser cut checkering that can be achieved these days is pretty impressive. But does anyone out there still appreciate the skill and crafted end product of hand cut checkering or is this process dead and buried? Is laser cut checkering the new king? Have we come to expect more?

Dave

[les allam]

I love to see quality checkering On a nice stock, Craig P on here did some fantastic skip line checkering on his Hw77 project gun .
I wish I was that talented with the checkering tools.
Les..

[steptoe1966]

I have done a few carvings on stocks for people from a full wolf scene to just a plain deer head , it is fun to do that but the chequering I could never master , the tool to do it are so expensive as well , I am sure there are cheap Chinese knock offs but like with my carpentry tools you only get what you pay for and my chisels 4o years old and still mint and as are most of my other tools , when I use to be in the trade I use to clean the tools once a week with wd40 and wire wool ,my tools are still going strong ,back to the chequering mate I am not sure what price you could put on it as some will say once you can do it and know how to it is easy others will tell you it is so hard to do , reminds me of being in the building trade when I use to go price a job and people use to get the breath sucker as I call them the one that says ohhhhhhhhhhhh sucking in air as they do that will be more expensive lol .

I would love to be shown how to do it and have a person who does it teach me as then I could always recut worn ones hey ho ,I would guess there are not many left still doing it by hand it is a bit like wooden barrel makers (coopers) or even people that repair them few and far between I think only 3 left in the UK doing it

good luck in your quest

[pothunter]

I have done a few carvings on stocks for people from a full wolf scene to just a plain deer head , it is fun to do that but the chequering I could never master , the tool to do it are so expensive as well , I am sure there are cheap Chinese knock offs but like with my carpentry tools you only get what you pay for and my chisels 4o years old and still mint and as are most of my other tools , when I use to be in the trade I use to clean the tools once a week with wd40 and wire wool ,my tools are still going strong ,back to the chequering mate I am not sure what price you could put on it as some will say once you can do it and know how to it is easy others will tell you it is so hard to do , reminds me of being in the building trade when I use to go price a job and people use to get the breath sucker as I call them the one that says ohhhhhhhhhhhh sucking in air as they do that will be more expensive lol .

I would love to be shown how to do it and have a person who does it teach me as then I could always recut worn ones hey ho ,I would guess there are not many left still doing it by hand it is a bit like wooden barrel makers (coopers) or even people that repair them few and far between I think only 3 left in the UK doing it

good luck in your quest

Hi Bud,

you're bit out with your numbers, there are 300+ working in Scottish distilleries alone.

[arnie2b]

There are at least 70 people doing hand checkering in the uk.
Them are the one's if I were to scratch my head I could name so the true number will be much higher.

[Craig-P]

I love to see quality checkering On a nice stock, Craig P on here did some fantastic skip line checkering on his Hw77 project gun .
I wish I was that talented with the checkering tools.
Les..

Thank you for the kind words, Les - appreciated mate.
Here’s a bit of work I’ve done on various stocks. Some shots are of finished work, some are progressional









Laser cut is far, far quicker (a panel takes minutes) but is soulless and when given the accuracy that the plotter can achieve, gives the operative temptation to create overly much pieces. TX200 Mk3 stock being a prime example...

[TonyL]

Stunning art, Craigy.

[MartynB]

Hi Bud,

you're bit out with your numbers, there are 300+ working in Scottish distilleries alone.

Typo, he missed a couple of 0's

[jonnyone]

I have done a few carvings on stocks for people from a full wolf scene to just a plain deer head , it is fun to do that but the chequering I could never master , the tool to do it are so expensive as well , I am sure there are cheap Chinese knock offs but like with my carpentry tools you only get what you pay for and my chisels 4o years old and still mint and as are most of my other tools , when I use to be in the trade I use to clean the tools once a week with wd40 and wire wool ,my tools are still going strong ,back to the chequering mate I am not sure what price you could put on it as some will say once you can do it and know how to it is easy others will tell you it is so hard to do , reminds me of being in the building trade when I use to go price a job and people use to get the breath sucker as I call them the one that says ohhhhhhhhhhhh sucking in air as they do that will be more expensive lol .

I would love to be shown how to do it and have a person who does it teach me as then I could always recut worn ones hey ho ,I would guess there are not many left still doing it by hand it is a bit like wooden barrel makers (coopers) or even people that repair them few and far between I think only 3 left in the UK doing it

good luck in your quest

I hear what you are saying and yes quality tools last. You do get what you pay for. This is why there is now a market in old carpentry tools. And likely other trade tools also.
Not so much a quest as a question. I've not got any stocks that need a re cut as such. Though your post did remind me of the fact that a few years ago I gave an old mate two spare HW80 stocks to have a go carving with and I must say I was pretty impressed with the results. That's carving not checkering though.
Dave

[jonnyone]

Thank you for the kind words, Les - appreciated mate.
Here’s a bit of work I’ve done on various stocks. Some shots are of finished work, some are progressional









Laser cut is far, far quicker (a panel takes minutes) but is soulless and when given the accuracy that the plotter can achieve, gives the operative temptation to create overly much pieces. TX200 Mk3 stock being a prime example...

Works of fine art there mate
And I totally get what you are saying about laser cut checkering.
Dave

[SRV1]

Craig-P: Stunning work, stunning......

[Craig-P]

Thanks again all.
I’m still learning and enjoying it all - chequering is relaxing madness

[MartynB]

Thanks again all.
I’m still learning and enjoying it all - chequering is relaxing madness

What tool(s) do you use out of interest, any pics of them ?

[Neil54]

I bought a set of tools to do checkering.
I wanted to reproduce some checkering, cost about £60 for two handles and the cutting heads. Left, right, and skip left and right.
Takes a long time but is therapeutic.
Your always one slip from disaster.

[Craig-P]

What tool(s) do you use out of interest, any pics of them ?

I use Dembart tools, Martyn - available from most gunsmiths shops ( I use Peter Dyson ) - they’re decent enough but blunt easily and there’s no way to resharpen them, you have to replace the cutters when they dull ( around £7 per cutter, a cutter is decent for about 2 panels so I’ve found ). I’ve looked at Ulman cutters which are said to be good for around 20 stocks before they dull but they’re very expensive.
Shaun and I are looking into making some tools but we’ve not found much success as of yet, seems a very dark art.