For a time I was a rifle stock shaper/finisher at Cooper Arms of Stevensville, MT. During my breaks I would visit each of the workstations and learn each process. The most impressive was the 'Checkering Ladies', a group of older-ish women who were at the top of their game. I watched with rapt awe as they 'ruined' my beautiful finishes with some of the most incredible checkering and made it look easy. Checkering and engraving is not dead or dying in the slightest because no machine can do what these professionals could--even if one used a CNC 6-axis mill with laser precision. I learned that good good checkering is not perfect and your eyes see it and interperprets this as custom work done by an experienced artisan because it's HUMAN.

With CNC machines this art became history.

Just about the best most useful video on youtube about checkering! In 2 1/2 minutes you show more of what is needed to start checkering than all the other videos on here. Thank you

Thank you for showing how this is done without a whole bunch of useless exposition and overt self promotion.

PATIENCE and crafting skills, lost arts of todays society. Congrats for having the knowledge and fortitude to do this yourself. It sooo easy to send this off to a laser and let technology do the rest. Many props to you!!

wow really makes you appreciate the detail that goes into true handcrafted materials

Your starting line to make most checkering patterns is made lightly with something to ensure a straight line such as a ruler and cut along it with an exacto knife. After the first line is made, use a Two Line cutter or three line cutter and go over the first line with it. What that does is uses the first line as a guide as the second tooth on the two line cutter makes another line right beside it in a parallel manner. Look up checkering kits at Brownell's to see what you might need.

I wish this video was longer, like, full-length.

Hey everyone, I never expected this video to get popular. I was trying out the new camera on something that had fine details, and this was it. If you want to see more, let me know!

this is truly an art and requires lots of patient

That's actually pretty amazing to watch. I think I could watch him for hours doing that in RL, tbh.

Been wanting to see footage of this for a while, thanks, great camerawork too

I've built a number of custom bench rifles for myself & a few others over the past few years and while they have all come out quite pleasing to the eye (and accurate) I've never had the nerve to try the checkering & engraving myself until lately. Bought a few of the tools recommended by a friend that used to do it some but videos for a beginner are sorta lacking. LOVE to see you do a good video with some voice over tips from the beginning. Looks like fine work you're doing there. Keep it up.

Same thing I noticed... I should have know that's what's used to get it exactly right on the spacing. Thanks for the video!

Ofcourse we want to see more. This is great stuff!

You made it look easy. I am guessing that it is NOT. Great video, thank you!

i use a long feeler gauge for my first line. i think its .003, its thin because it can lay with the contours of the stock and gives you a straight line to work off of.

This is an impecable job, plus the camera you used is superb when in focus! Good job lad :)

Wow. I bet you're one of those people who can draw a circle freehand. I plan on doing some checkering myself, and I'm pretty sure I can't use your method right out of the gate. Amazing skills!

@plkracer We want to see more! This is really cool to watch. You are great at this man!

you sir are an artist lol it looks GREAT

i could watch this for hours.

wow that was good, i mean holy shit look at how good it looks

I use a Foredam tool with checkering head. Saves a lot of time. Expensive to buy.

Really neat video, I'd love to see a how-to video using these tools, if you ever get the chance. I can get a feel for the technique of using the tools from this video but I'd love to see how you prep the stock and mark out the pattern, etc.

Beautiful work, I need to learn to checker soetime, but I will need to make my own tools if I can because tools are expensive and I don't have a job, wish me luck!

Fucking amazing to watch! Great video, thanks for sharing

Really cool great job

WOW JUST EXCELLENT THATS SKILL !!!

I love your video! I would love to share tips with you. Keep enjoy!

That looks great! I bought the Dembart master set and I'm just getting around to using it... One question how did you get the outline so nice and straight?

Trying to get the hang of this and came across your video. Maybe you could do another and explain the various cutting blades and how you use them. Thanks for the video!

What tools do you find best to work with? what brand?. Thanks

Go to 1:10 and you will see he uses a very cool tool. There are 2 heads on it. The head on the right follows the previous line while the head on the left cuts the new line. It blew my mind!

Nice! I'd be curious to see the end result.

beautiful checkering wish we could see the final product

Super!!!!!!!!

More videos would be nice. I have never seen this done before!

He used straitner tool to draw first lines ,then started gravin'em more. Nice gob,and britty.

@plkracer we want to see more!!! like the results and where and how much the tools were

You'd think the stock would be fixed in a padded vice to stop it from moving before cutting the fine checkering. Great job, anyway!

The patience of Job

very cool man, im looking to get started making some custom stocks here, just in my spare time, and from what i can tell checkering is pretty easy if you just take your time and be deliberate. whats the finished product look like of this?

Nice !

Just so people know, he isn't freehanding those lines. The first two must have been done straight edged somehow (thats the amazing part) the rest of the lines are done with one of those tools, the one he scribes with sets in the groove of the one next to it. I'm not saying this isn't amazing, just that with the right tools and some patience, you could probably do it too. This video inspired me to go find some tools! Thank you.

Nossa que bacana muito bom mesmo esse trabalho

What about starting with a stock that is already stained and varathaned like you have done? Is it better to do this before the finishing? How do you get nice finishing on the checkering afterwards?

my guess is that you dont want the fine lines to darken, which is why you prepare the wood up front :)

Wow , did you have a straight edge for your first line ? Thanks 4 sharing !! DEv

Que belo trabalho! Que tipo de ferramentas são essas amigo?

More video this is amazing

КЛАСС!!!Тоже мечтал купить такой наборчик.Люблю работать с деревом.Для души это занятия.Люблю сосредоточенность и точность.Но в Украине это НЕ ЦЕНЯТ.

I have a weihrauch HW77 that needs re doing wish these tools were more available

Neat! Donnie D

Sir,can I ask? I admire the old thistletop trappers knives,and wanted to perform on rounded dowel size wood for handle,would the regular kits bought perform such or do I need special size for the larger diamond size? Thanks

wow that's awesome but how do you do the first lines?

Good quality vid mate but I would like to have seen the end result, dont suppose youve posted it else where have you?

show us how you did the first few cuts?

I cant find a set of checkering tools anywhere around here,nice or cheap,our most stocked,and well known gun shop "Green Top" sporting goods dont even carry them.I guess I will have to order a set.

you are awesome! id love to see more

@astrofishy35 I don't think I've ever heard a special name for it. It's a checkering tool.

Show us more! How can one use those patterns that are offered for sale? How do you start a straight line??? Tips and tricks?

PS , What are those tools called ? I have never seen anything like them before !! Thanks 4 Sharing !! DEv

For some reason I always...ALWAYS screw this part up and veer off...I can't seem to get it.

Where did you get your checkering tools? Thanks.

nice checkering i also do the same and also at 20 lines per inch in India. if you have more videos please share.

wow.

howse calles this tool porfas

what tools are needed?

Disculp3n donde puedo comprar los formones para moldear si es tan amable de decirme por favor

Name of tools? Please

Focus!

what is that tool called, and where do you get it

Qual o nome da ferramenta por gentileza?

Como se llama la herramienta que hace surcos?

Hey, what kind of knives are you using? can i buy them in europe? or internet? do you have some links? Tnx

Quais as ferramentas usadas? Quero fazer na minha mas não acho ferramenta!

What are those tools called?

where can one get these scratching tools and what are their names?

what are those tools called?

Wait wait wait, is your gun still in its stock?

What are the tools you are using? can you help me friend?

where can i get this tools?????

@plkracer Dude yes do more. what are those chisel's called?

Qual é o nome dessa ferramenta?

Where did you get those tools? All i can find is in the hundreds of dolars each.

Qual o nome dessa ferramenta???

All what need is a right set of tools....

Çizgi dışına taşacak diye ödüm kopuyor

cool but lines arent equally spaced but very good non the less

Sir please ano po name ng gamit nyo pag binili?

Cómo se llama con el que ase las lineas

@soixe1997 checkering tool- Midway USA

Why wouldn't you at least put the rifle on a soft bath towel to protect the finish. Even if you're going to refinish the stock after you're done checkering, it would seem logical to not add any more damage than necessary.

preciso de uma ferramenta desta moro no brasil e não consigo uma ferramenta assim

Tool name?

Вчера весь день потратил чтобы восстановить насечку на прикладе и цевье на тоз 34 , очень нудная и долгая работа . Правда резаки сам делал из сверла по дереву, получилось не плохо для первого раза.

Make More.

i dont know why but i wana do some work like that :|

Como chama esta feramenta que vc tá uzando amigo pode me ajuda