So.

I bought a Treebone Win Model 70 casting from Brownells. It was, well, excrement. Dull checkers, sand inclusions along the edges of the checkering pattern, and the lines of the checkering were crooked.

Add to that, that the price had gone up between the time it was ordered, to the time it came in. Like doubled. Ouch.

I should have sent it back, and been done with it, but I had it, wanted to move forward, etc. So much for hindsight.

After spending enough time picking away at it with assorted needle files, trying to save it, I finally realised I was never going to like it, and filed off all the cast in "detail" and polished it up a bit with files and sandpaper. So now I have a plain polished butt plate that looks like a decent start.

Question is, where to find decent checkering files for metal? Sharp pointed bottoms and all. The thread restoring files that we have here at work do not produce the same shape as I would like to end up with, though I could see how they would be useful for cleaning up damaged checkering.

Is it as simple as laying out the lines, filing the pattern in, then finishing? Of course it is. The devils in the details, however, and I'd like to hear up front what details I might not have in hand, and what to look out for.

Shoulda bought that Manllicher (spelling?) trapdoor buttplate and matching pistol grip when I saw it at the last gun show I went to. $40. But the Treebone one was coming in the mail...

Cheers
Trev

I recently did a Sports Afield column on buttplates & pads and got samples of most of the available steel buttplate. (McFarland from Brownells is best.) I didn't think the Treebone all that bad, but I haven't used one either. Checkering a steel buttplate is very difficult, so much so that it is too complicated to explain the problems.
A fellow used to charge me $350, that's 15 years ago, to hand checker one. He said he did it with a chisel. I thought it extravigant, but VERY nicely done, he won't do them at any price any more. I talked with Kathy Forster about machine checkering one just last week, she said the last one she did (years ago) she wasn't at all happy with. Engraver Larry Peters sent me to Kathy when I asked him to do one.

There is Biesens' checkered steel, but the screws aren't right, need to make new screws, and the Brownells Niedner that is too small for my use.
Please let me know if you come up with an answer.
Best,
Steve

My friend at Firearms Outfitters has used my electric checkering tool with carbide blade to checker Colt Government Model frames and similar for years, but the LPI for that application is about twice as fine as typical buttplate checkering. I've done some metal checkering with the Brownell's special multi-line checkering files in the medium LPI range, but only on smaller items like thumbpieces, etc. Brownell's also sells a curved single-line triangular file in both 60-degree and 90-degree forms, made for pointing up wood diamonds but works OK for steel also. The Brownell's multi-line files work better if I grind away most of the width of the file, leaving only about 2-3 parallel rows of cutting teeth instead of 8-15 rows.

It's a problem finding nice stuff, I have long been a hoarder of fine gun furniture items for that very reason but my supply has run out!
Regards, Joe

The best route might to bite the bullet and have it hand checkered.

Friend and I started making the hammers for Winchester lever actions (the 73s, 76s, 86s, 92 & 94s).

Biggest issue that we had was the checkering on the spurs. We originally had them hand cut, but that got pricey, looked at having the checkering CNCd, or having a stamp/roll made, but all kinds of issues with the compound curves.

Last batch we had the checkering burned in using an EDM type process. It looks very good and doing quantities is fairly low cost. But again we are doing quantities of a dozen each at a time.


Mike Hunter

Been finding checkering files listed at some of the Jewellery Suppliers sites, but with a less than satisfactory description of the cut size, really, on most.

It's getting to the point where I would like to see the stuff firsthand, before committing the $30-$50 and up, for each file.

SDH-MT,
I, honestly, would not have bought this particular plate, had it been a case of being able to see it first. It looks really nice right now, though.:) I am unsure if I got a bad one, or if the one I got was representative. Should have took some pictures before I had at it with the files, I guess. It was really poor.

I am pondering a straight line pattern across the mid section of it, at this point, similar to an aluminum Remington plate that I picked up. Thinking of tweaking the lines of the profile a bit too, just to narrow it up a wee bit.

It rankles a bit (OK, a lot) that I could have bought a used Winchester plate in decent shape for less than I paid for the Treebone one after the price increase. And hindsight being what it was, that trapdoor plate and grip cap were an absolute bargain, that someone else was wise enough to latch onto. DoH!

To be perfectly clear, I am doing this for my own edification, so time is not really of the essence, neither are the hours I bury into it, up to a point. On a per hour basis, it's still cheap entertainment. To a large extent, it is a personal effort to end up with a firearm that I most certainly could not afford to pay someone else to build for me. And I learn a few things along the way, which is always good!

Cheers
Trev

Trev, I have an orphan original M70 steel buttplate that I'd trade for your smooth one, if you're interested. I have no interest in restoring any M70s but acquired the buttplate as a target of opportunity in a trade. If it'll help you, I'd trade for the price of the mailing, as a way of paying forward some of the help I've received here & other places in the past. Treeblood1 aht ayowell daht cahm.

BTW the price you passed up on the Mannlicher trapdoor BP & GC was about $100 (or more) less than it was worth. Too bad....
Regards, Joe

Mike, I'd be glad to have it hand-checkered, who would I contact?
Mine doesn't need to follow any factory pattern.
Thanks!
sdh at montana.net

(Let's see some 1885 hammers next!)

Thanks for the kind offer J.D.!

I'm going to take a pass at this time, and ponder the possibilities. I am slowly working in the general direction of a BSA Martini action, into a 22 Hornet and posibbly a 17 AH switch barrel outfit for gopher and general pest shooting. A lot of this project is just about getting my hands moving.

I'll post a picture of my plate results later today, if life does not interfere too much.

Re: the one that got away. Yup. <sigh>. Sometimes the other guy getts the deals. <shrug> Sometimes I do!:D I made out good at that guys table and was only getting started at that particular show.

Cheers
Trev

Steven

Are you wanting to get something hand checkered?

If so I’ll drop you a note with his name & number.

1885 Hammers… it’s possible. Right now we’re doing the 73s, 76s, 86s, 92s and 94s both standard and set trigger hammers. Guaranteed to work, look smell and taste like the originals.

Getting ready to make some rear sight elevators for the 1876 in 50-95 WCF (50-95 elevators are unique).

1895 hammers might be a challenge due to the amount of variations. One day I had three 85s apart here in the shop, each one had a different trigger set up….it’s almost like all the 85s were built by the Custom Shop.


Mike

Mike, Yes I would like that contact.

I know about the 1885's, but am very glad to hear about your other parts!
I've hand-filed more than one Marlin elevator, copied from my original.
Best,
Steve

Well, a day late, but here it is, not looking too horrible.

Got hung up yesterday fixing my car.

Cheers
Trev

Photo for Sports Afield (10/08) column:

Mook Machine solid & skeleton (Glen Fewless); Treebone cast steel; McFarland solid (shotgun shape) & skeleton (rifle shape).
The cast one doesn't look so good but I guess I saw too many second rate castings when I built muzzleloaders. According to my notes the cast one cost $30 while the others are $90-$150.

IIRC the list when I ordered it was $25, and it was priced at $50 when I got it.

That one looks about on par, maybe a bit better than the one I got

Cheers
Trev