This may be a lost cause, but can the typical pressed checkering used in the 60s and 70s be recut you look like something better? More specifically, can the skip line patterns be made into something more traditional? Many thanks.

I saw an article years ago where someone took a Remington stock with the impressed checkering and by using standard checkering tools, recut the impressed panels and it turned out very well.

I've thought about trying it myself but haven't had the nerve to start cutting on a stock.

Yes, it can. Jim Carmichael wrote about doing this in either an old Gun Digest or one of his Outdoor Life gunsmithing books.

I've checkered a couple of Remington 700 stocks with impressed checkering. Just grab a checking tool and have at it.

I prefer a bent checkering file or riffler. Slower but then you don't make mistakes as fast. Like digging out too much wood so the checkering has a sunken appearance.

I am afraid my attempts would render a good gun stock into fire wood in short order. Thanks for the info. Does anyone know of a checkerer who will do this?

I saw a magazine article about a fellow by the name of Jose Valencia who would take soome of that pressed stuff and rewoked it. Particularly that basketweave that was on Model 88 Winchesters. It looked darn goood,but he used one of those high speed hand pieces that dentist used

Save yourself some work. Sand it out smooth and do it right! Or not rechecked at all.

I've done the rework thing twice. Both sucked. Maybe it was just me, but I sanded them both down and did it right.

Be it noted I hate checkering, and other than touching up existing work no longer checker my stocks. Makes no diff in the field and I happen to like the looks better. And it's a he k of a lot easier to refinish as needed.

Having owned several Rem 700's, the first thing I would do is to recut that UGLY pressed checking. The skip line was easy to recut as regular. Just go slowly until you get the hang and then do it as a liesure hobby, not a 9 to 5 job that has to be done on schedule.



Jim

Can anyone recommend a stock maker to send a mini-Mauser stock to to be slimmed down, re-checkered, and refinished?

Far easier than trying to sand to depth is to raise the old impressed checkering... Sand a little of the finish off so the ridges have their tops cleaned off then with a damp rag laid on the checkering and a towel on that press it with a hot, hot iron. Most of the impressed areas will start coming up. The old finish will prevent a full raising, but by sanding lightly as it comes up it will gradually increase in speed swelling up.

Generally it will leave good lines to follow and come right up to flush.

I have steamed dents out of stocks but never thought of that. Thanks.