Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing re-checkering an old stock..problems

I've repaired cracks in an old (1925-ish) Savage stock, and I'm trying to re-point the checkering. I've done this before with some success.

It has the straight line cuts, instead of the diamond point cuts, and the surface layer keeps flaking off when I make the perpendicular cuts. Even starting shallow then trying to go deeper in three or four cuts, I lose the surface material, and I have to start again.

Any trade secrets about rejuvenating the old dry wood, to help it hold the checker lines better?

I'm not sure what you are describing, but I have had good luck re-pointing old checkering in rather punky wood by first infusing it with watery CA (cyanoacrylate, super glue). In fact it was an old wood turner who taught me that trick, and I thought why not try it with soft checkering too?.

Yup,that's the sorta trick I was looking for, Thanks Gnoahhh!

...what does one "water down" super glue with?

I've heard people that should know mention the super glue method but I never had to resort to it so didn't comment. Would be my first option. For refreshing old checkering I use a bent triangular file, the kind Brownell's sells for finishing checkering. It takes a smaller bite so less chance to flake out. Is a good bit slower though, but leaves sharp diamonds with well defined valleys on good wood.

I'm kinda retrograde on my own stocks. I tend to sand 'em off and leave it at that. Can't see it makes a difference in handling - just looks - and my stocks get all beat to hell anyway. Figure I'm ahead of the curve when it comes to refinishing as needed....

As long as the thing kills, the handle doesn't matter much. I realize there might be a some different opinions out there, but +/- MOA is my Grail- and fug the rest.

Not that I haven't/won't squander(ed) a whole lot of time on the two nicely figured stocks..... Which still get beat all to hell. I gotta do something about my caribou gun- I last refinished the stock in '75- it's checkered, and getting a little ragged....

There's a product in the marine industry called git-rot/gitrot. It's a thin epoxy that soaks into the wood and hardens.
Same concept as mentioned earlier but different product.

When I said "watery" CA, I was referring to the regular (not gel) basic CA.

There are some nasty fungicides and such in the various rot-stablizer epoxies and for that reason I would avoid them for something where dust may be breathed while working.

I have used a sanding sealer made of shellac thinned with ammonia. Soaks in to the wood well and doesn't change your color. This is what I use to seal the grain before staining, as well. Be sure to thin it well and let it dry for a few days or it can gum up your checkering tools.

Ammonia? Ammonia is an alkaline and as such will break down shellac. It can also do wonky things to the color of the shellac and can potentially change the color of the wood. Clean your shellac brushes in ammonia if you want but don't thin the shellac with it! Alcohol remains the preferred thinner for shellac, period.

+1!!! WOW!!!

The things you see on the internet!

Wow, indeed. It has always worked well for me as a sanding sealer. Never colored the wood and allows the shellac to penetrate deep into the wood without the oily after effects of paint thinner. Period.

Used the shellac/Ammonia sealer again today. Damn, it still works......