Poor chequering - can it be re-finished?

JMikeyH

Well-Known Member
I have a gun stock which has very poorly finished chequering and I hate having to look at it, what are my options? Will consider everything, even thought about sanding out the chequering and cutting grip tape or something similar to fit into the shape of where the chequering was!

I'm struggling to find examples of people re-finishing chequering. See pics below

I should note I didn't do the original chequering and I may do an even worse job of refinishing if it's possible :)

Cheers
 

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You could try touching it up with a swiss needle file, all you need is a bit of patience and finesse. Essentially you will be recutting it along the same lines.

F
 
What's "poor" about it? It's honest, gives you a grip and came included in the price you bought the gun for. I've found that you can get by using files, chisels, even scalpels to cut chequering on new unchequered wood. But that to refresh or to re-do old existing chequering then a proper cutter of the identical pitch and identical cut angle used by the gun's maker is the easiest and best solution. I know that it may look like the proverbial mote in your eye but from my side of the computer screen the existing chequering looks OK enough. And the the deer or the foxes won't know if you don't tell!
 
If you use the gun enough it'll wear down and take on the patina of age. New, crisp chequering looks ugly, imo. It's when it's almost smoothed away through use that the gun develops real character.
 
Jimmy Wills of Bath is very good at chequering. 01225- 445062
I had a spare forend made for my Styre by him and when he chequered it I watched him, very interesting indeed.
After the first chequer he gave me some oil to rub in and then told me to bring it back at the end of the season and he would deepen the chequer.
 
What's "poor" about it? It's honest, gives you a grip and came included in the price you bought the gun for. I've found that you can get by using files, chisels, even scalpels to cut chequering on new unchequered wood. But that to refresh or to re-do old existing chequering then a proper cutter of the identical pitch and identical cut angle used by the gun's maker is the easiest and best solution. I know that it may look like the proverbial mote in your eye but from my side of the computer screen the existing chequering looks OK enough. And the the deer or the foxes won't know if you don't tell!
This.

K
 
Yes - checkering can be recut to sharpen it up. You can extend the checkering panels so the patterns are a different shape. You can also go more extreme and reshape the stock - so that you remove the checkering and can then start again. Most factory stocks are a bit on the chunky side compared to a fine handmade stock and a bit of reshaping can really help. Obvious is fore end going to a oval or even rounded shape, thining the stock behind the pistol grip etc and reshaping the grip.

I love the shape of many Dorleac & Dorleac rifles https://www.dorleac-dorleac.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/DD-1001.HT-01-980x476.jpg
 
Suggest you PM Keith Rippin on here. His DIY stockwork has to be seen to believe. He is based in the Bath area.

D
 
Nothing wrong with that checkering, the lines are straight, equally spaced and are not crossing over. either get a pro to point up the diamonds or leave it alone, one slip and it will look ten times worse!!

Ian.
 
Yes it can be dolled up. In fact the original shallow lines will provide a ready made guide, reducing the time needed to get good sharp diamonds. I used the shallow lines on my BSA CF2 to achieve a nice result in a very short time. I used to use a diluted 2 pack clear finish in the checkering to harden the diamonds and get longevity. Theres nowt like holding a really well cut panel in the hand.
 
Chequering looks just fine to me. It's taken time, and a lot of handling to get that sort of perfectly-acceptable wear onto it. If it were mine I wouldn't be worrying about it of little bit. In fact, I'd like to bet refinishing it would make it look awful. You'd lose that lovely patina
 
Is the walnut highly figured? Or might be akin to putting lipstick on a pig? It's all in the eye of the beholder, of course.
 
I would leave it as it is to be honest. Yes you could get the points done but as has already been said (I think) you’ll end up with a two tone stock. I reckon that would look pretty bad.....
 
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