doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Stock checkerer

Does anyone have a recommendation for a checkerer in the north east area. My checkerer is retiring and I need a good checkerer.

Craig Libhart
Susquehanna Stockworks
Finished up this for me last month 26 LPI

I would also highly recommend Doug Mann, although he is in northern Illinois.
Best Regards,
JBP

Too bad none of the checkeres I know can’t or won’t do the flat top checkering that most of our vintage guns were originally cut with. Guess main reason is it’s incredibly difficult to properly do.

Which brings up another point. Many people think the checkering on their guns is worn out, sometimes being barely visible and flat. I’ve found that it’s most often not wear but the thin grooves flat top is cut with has filled in with oils and crud. Best way to ruin a vintage gun is to cut sharp point checkering. Just doesn’t look right regardless of how well it’s cut.

Flat top checkering can be easily recreated by having the checkering done as usual, pointed up, then flattening the points off with a fine riffler file. It may not pass the inspection of a concours inspector, but it looks very close to "right" when done carefully.

If you are actually going to use a gun, flat top checkering is overrated.

Some of the work I have seen by craftsmen like Doug Mann is stunning, functional, artwork applied to the stock of a gun.

Best,
Ted

Stanton, the original flat top was cut with almost parallel, thin cutters. Hardly any taper at all. Big difference. The few that can do it make their own cutters. Flat top leaves very little room for errors—each top should be the same size as all others. Good reason todays checkers won’t do it.

Here is a modern example of finely cut flat top checkering. A very well known artist building the very finest flintlock rifles made this stock for his 6.5 Swedish Mauser. He explained to me the process and it’s problems.

Thanks for that nice close-up pic, Joe. I was aware that is how FT checkering is done by a professional. I didn't ask my checkering lady if she could do it, and just went the "easy way". It turned out okay for a working gun like I was doing, and looks much more appropriate on a Sterlingworth than pointed up checkering would.

After checkering but before flat topping.



Here's how it looked after I flat topped it, but before finish.

Stan, that is a darned good looking bit of checkering on a vintage gun. Well done!

nice work stan...

as the purpose of this thread is to identify checkers who are in business for profit...

are you now offering us your services?

if so, please advise estimated cost and turn around time for field grade checkering job like you showed us here...

Not for you, Eddie. I refuse to use an acetylene torch on a gun.

Note the spell check. You're welcome.