doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Checkering tools

Harry,
Hope winter is treating you well.
Good advice you give on how to start checkering; you have to wish the person who "practiced" on that 1893 pictured here would have taken your advice.
I feel sorry for the 93 since it was probably very happy, living as a plain rifle in a desirable caliber, until some bubba ruined it. IMHO

I'd be damn happy to own such a "bubba" gun. But then I like cave art, petroglyphs and powderhorns carved by nameless old dead guys.

However it turns out, I'm pretty doubtful I'll post any pictures here.

I have heard rumors about this book from others I trust. I have been told it is a good book. Dennis Richards was in the process of doing the same thing before he died. I have preliminary copies of his thoughts. He gave them to me the year before he passed on. However, after checkering for the past 32 years and "practicing" for that long, I still like Kennedy's book. Every one learns differently. I did OK from reading the book and then applying what I learned combined with the experiences learned from others I encountered in the trade.

All my checkering tools, handles, cutters, spacers etc. I purchased from Brownells. I agree with previous posters about Kennedy's book, not much info. on checkering. The only plus I found is proper stock layout.
My grandson (17 yoa) is learning to checker as we speak, I think he will be quite good at it in time. He's practicing on some old stocks I have, the main trick IMHO is going around a curve and keeping things "even", on a flat surface not that difficult at all.
JM$.02W --- John

Joel's book is step by step, great color photos, contemporary tools, section of stock wood and suitability for checkering. Unfortunately the demise of certain carbide tool offering has caused some informational glitches. The book is loose leaf spiral bound, printed on rugged stock and perfect for shop use. He really did a nice job with it and I applaud him.

This footnote would recommend it way before Kennedy's book; a man who I visited at his Flathead Lake home in 1978, and sat at his checkering bench (shown in his book), inspected his walnut stash in his drying cabinet and discussed checkering in person.

... tens of thousands I will reap by steering would-be checkerers towards a book that will actually teach them to checker.

This was my second look at the book and I am immense proud to report that Joel took some of my advice and vastly improved the presentation and he paid me $187,478.42 in non-reportable money orders and Kugerands for my services.

In a further bout with my conscience I am revealing my full intent to review Joel Schafer's book in a national publication yet to be determined.
�And laudatory review it will be!
�And it costs a hellofalot less than one carbide cutter.

I ordered a copy yesterday and hope to learn enough to checker some tool handles that I have an abundance of.

Great, Please review here when you've read it.

Hello Brent,

Hello Brent,
I was talking with Al S yesterday about you and he mentioned that you were looking for checkering tools. He mentioned the WE Brownells tool which I just saw on Midways site. Item #Product #: 766619 WE Brownell #: Full View Holder. Its a great tool.
Happy pushing
Regards
John Mc