I know it sounds crazy but checkering is probably my most favorite part of building a gun. I still do every gun 100% by hand and to this day I have only checkered one gun on a machine, which is not to take away anything from those who checker on a machine. That is a skill I have yet to master and is nowhere near as simple as just “putting it on a fixture and running the machine”... which I think is why there are still only a few trusted sources for that service.
A routine question I often get is just “how” to do the checkering, I’ve never thought of this as a secret especially considering that I can tell someone how I do it but I can’t be there to push the file for them. Plus there are nuances to cutting and reading the pattern, reading the tool, recognizing the variations present in the workpiece, etc that will only become apparent after doing checkering a whole bunch.
For every modification performed when building a gun there is a risk/reward valuation; sometimes it is equal and other times it is disproportional. Rear slide serrations for example, they are high risk/low reward... sure they look cool when done well but the risk of screwing them up and having them look uneven, out of balance, with a potential crossed line, or worse of all having to remove them in an effort to fix the lines (if even possible) is pretty high considering they are largely a cosmetic enhancement.
In the hierarchy of custom 1911 modifications I've always considered checkering as a high risk/high reward modification. There is always an inherent risk in modifying the frame in this manner (ask me how I know) but the reward of a durable textured gripping surface is well worth it and something that has certainly become a “must have” for a gun from my bench.
A key aspect of successful checkering that is often overlooked is simply repeating the process. Much like handling any tool creates familiarity, the same goes with checkering. Pushing a file straight, whether it be in conjunction with cutting checkering or fitting a beavertail or any basic filing, is the key to being able to do this repeatedly. The benefits also show up when performing other high risk modifications such as the aforementioned rear slide serrations.
Even when I am not actually checkering I am practicing to push the file straight... that way I am
always checkering and here are the somewhat basic steps I follow...
High-cut the frame and insure a flat workpiece...
... before
... after
Once it is high-cut I can lay out the vertical and horizontal lines. Here the verticals have been established and the horizontal lines are about the be started.
Now the pattern is ready to cut until full depth...
After a bunch of pushing the file as well as some clean up the pattern has come to points...
... zoom on in...
Register
Login
FAQ
