Checkering Restoration
Restored Checkering on Customer’s Browning A5 Stock
This customer brought his gun to us because someone had attempted to fix a few cracks on his Browning A5 and had damaged the stock in the process.
They didn’t clean up the cracks before gluing them, used the wrong glue, and left glue all over the gun. And, not only did the cracks get repaired improperly, but the finish and checkering were also ruined.
To start fixing these problems, I removed the glue from the wood and began to clean up the cracks. While they look much better now, the cracks didn’t close as well as they would’ve if I had been the one to fix them in the first place. After fixing the cracks, I set out to repair the checkering.
What is Checkering?
Checkering, for those that don’t know, is an aesthetic feature on many long guns. Lines are carved into the wood to form parallel channels. These grooves intersect to create various patterns—often diamonds. While mostly decorative, checkering also improves grip for the shooter—especially in wet conditions. The water seeps into the grooves and out of the way of the shooter’s hand.
Example of Checkering Pattern from Gunsmithing School
Traditionally, guns are hand checkered. Walnut is probably one of the best woods for checkering, and Stocks made from American Walnut are really common—especially on guns from the 50s and 60s. The file cuts easily and cleanly on Walnut. On woods that are too soft, the files rip rather than cut, and on harder woods, carving the lines can be difficult.
The Checkering Process
While repair is the mechanical side of gunsmithing, checkering is the artisan side. It is a slow process which requires a lot of attention to detail and focus.
Restored Checkering on Customer’s Browning A5 Forearm
In this instance, I was hired to restore the checkering because the grooves had become too shallow. While this might seem like an easy task, it is actually more difficult than checkering from scratch—just like it is harder to replicate someone’s handwriting than to simply write in your own. Every gunsmith has their own style, and it’s challenging to replicate their form of checkering.
With multiple gunsmiths checkering a single gun, there’s a danger of inconsistency in the lines. So, to ensure that I kept the gaps uniform, I used a double line tool. One part of the tool follows the previous line and the cutting end of the tool carves the new channel. Each line required multiple passes to get the grooves to the proper depth. At the end of this two hour process, I refinished the stock.
My job is to restore the checkering to its original form. If done properly, no one will ever know that I touched this gun (except that I wrote a blog post about it). It’s not my job to add a personal flare to it but to repair the work done by the original craftsman.
Learning the Skill
While at Trinidad State’s Gunsmithing School, I learned checkering from one of the best stock makers in the country Glen Morovits. He also taught me how to make and repair stocks—you can read more about that in my previous blog post here.
I took two checkering classes with Glen. Because checkering is more of an art form than a mechanical skill, this class was considered an elective and was not required for graduation. In my first semester, I took Checkering 101 where I learned the basic skills and fundamentals. There was a lot of trying and failing—slipping out of the channel and many crooked lines. Much of what I learned was how to fix these mistakes. We used practice pieces of wood only. While the final was checkering on 1911 grips, I didn’t get to touch a gun stock once in that class.
In my next checkering class, though, we began working on actual stocks. We learned how to make different patterns like flattop checkering and skip line—which is my favorite. For that final, we completed a checkering project on a gun stock.
Even though checkering isn’t one of our most common services at McCluskey Arms, I love getting the opportunity to explore the artistic side of gunsmithing. Whether it’s creating my own checkering lines and patterns or simply restoring someone else’s work, the process, for me, is relaxing and rewarding.
