# Checkering tools



## DEAN C. (19 Jun 2014)

Hi,
I am new to the forum and wondered if anyone could guide me to where I can purchase checkering tools for checkering/outlining gun stocks.

Thanks,

Dean.


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## bugbear (19 Jun 2014)

DEAN C.":3kuu4nby said:


> Hi,
> I am new to the forum and wondered if anyone could guide me to where I can purchase checkering tools for checkering/outlining gun stocks.
> 
> Thanks,
> ...



Probably America.  

BugBear


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## GLFaria (19 Jun 2014)

You might try making your own. I did, many years back. Not as perfect as professionally made ones, but worked well enough. I used low-quality chisels (4mm, I believe) as a raw material.
It "just" involves annealing the chisel, bending it, cutting the teeth with a three-square needle file, then re-tempering and hardening. A bit of work, a lot of patience, but nothing that can't be done.


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## marcros (19 Jun 2014)

I would suggest either the USA where there seem to be a number of suppliers, or you could try Wilco Flyer on here. He has made me a fantastic paring chisel and I am sure that he could make a checkering tool for you.


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## Cheshirechappie (19 Jun 2014)

Henry Taylor make them. Here's one UK retailer - http://www.toolnut.co.uk/products/carvi ... rs_punches


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## marcros (19 Jun 2014)

Are they the same thing- they are just a punch for a bit of texture aren't they? The tool that I imagined that the OP required was http://m.woodcraft.com/product/2020946/ ... l-kit.aspx for example.


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## Cheshirechappie (19 Jun 2014)

marcros":3dtdzxmu said:


> Are they the same thing- they are just a punch for a bit of texture aren't they? The tool that I imagined that the OP required was http://m.woodcraft.com/product/2020946/ ... l-kit.aspx for example.



Oooo. Dunno. I'm not much of an expert on gunstocking. I thought they had textured bits to aid the grip, but how the texturing is done I know not. I just sort of assumed carver's punches might be an option.

Anyways, he knows where he can get carver's punches AND fancy 'checkering tools' now!


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## rwyoung (19 Jun 2014)

marcros":1z5rigct said:


> Are they the same thing- they are just a punch for a bit of texture aren't they? The tool that I imagined that the OP required was http://m.woodcraft.com/product/2020946/ ... l-kit.aspx for example.



Nope, not punched.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lbK3us_JCY

Google barfs up LOTS and LOTS of tool sources, here's one : http://www.kvwoodcarvingsupplies.com/product_category/gun-stock-checkering-tools/

Searching using google.co.uk might return more "local" tool sources than the USA search results I get.


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## GLFaria (19 Jun 2014)

marcros":25n8x39r said:


> Are they the same thing- they are just a punch for a bit of texture aren't they? The tool that I imagined that the OP required was http://m.woodcraft.com/product/2020946/ ... l-kit.aspx for example.


Thats the thing. If memory serves, Dem-Bart is a well know (in the US) supplier of gun tools and accessories. 
The one shown in the picture feature replaceable cutters (for different nos. of lines per inch)
The checkering made with these tools is cut, not punched (although there are alternative methods, often used in competition guns where aesthetics are secondary, that recur to punching or pressure; like the one on the photo (not very well finished, I'm afraid) that I made some years ago for a Webley and Scott air pistol)


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## KevM (19 Jun 2014)

I bought some Dem-Bart tools a few years back in the US, I keep meaning to do something spectacular with them!

There do seem to be some dealers over here:

http://www.peterdyson.co.uk/acatalog/CH ... TOOLS.html

http://www.blackleyandson.com/acatalog/ ... _wood.html


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## Skeety (19 Jun 2014)

Midway uk and Midway USA do gun smithing tools as do Brownells.

Check out shotgun world forum, some very very helpful stockers and gunsmiths on there.

I have a gun I need to get round to finishing, just the woodwork to do and make a new butt pad.

What gun are you doing?

Jon.


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## DEAN C. (19 Jun 2014)

Skeety":3bbhc5ny said:


> Midway uk and Midway USA do gun smithing tools as do Brownells.
> 
> Check out shotgun world forum, some very very helpful stockers and gunsmiths on there.
> 
> ...



I have finished or refinished/sculptured and chopped quite a few custom stocks made by various makers, mainly for Air Arms 400 series as I compete with a couple of Air Arms MPR 400's and a Pro Target. I have just completed a stock for my own use in air rifle HFT competitions from a blank that I had inletted, and made it to my own spec and to my preferred balance. This incorporated three hold positions for the grip/trigger area shaped perfectly for my own hand. 
I do my own stippling which is what is on the phot of the pistol grips in the post above. I was really after an outlining checkering tool in order to put a neat border around the stippling, which I do with a Dremel type tool and a 1.2mm ball engraver bit.

Brownells look like a good lead thanks, as they seem to import the american made stuff! Up to now I have used needle files for bodering.

Thanks Guys.


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## GLFaria (19 Jun 2014)

DEAN C.":dxa3a5b3 said:


> Skeety":dxa3a5b3 said:
> 
> 
> > Midway uk and Midway USA do gun smithing tools as do Brownells.
> ...


I used needle files for bordering, too. Points annealed, bent, hardened and tempered.
The stippling on the photos, like others I did, was done with a single-point punch and lots and lots of light hammer taps. One has to hold and keep the punch slightly above the surface of the wood, so the holding fingers have a spring action on recovering from the tapping. The punch-holding hand must be slightly displaced after each tap - no superimposed tapping. I made and tried a stippling tool, but the results were not as consistent by far as with the single-point one.

I no longer do this kind of work (for a number of reasons, I got away from guns altogether a number of years ago).


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## Skeety (19 Jun 2014)

Brownells are US based, you need to check as sometimes it's cheaper overall to bring it in from the US.

Briley also have an EMEA site PSHQ-Europe but still ship everything from Texas.

The cheapest way of getting stuff from the US is to find a friendly supplier and fill a USPS Priority box at $27 total postage.

Jon.


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