Anyone ever hand checker their front strap?

[b4uqzme]

I'm preparing to refinish the Para and thought I'd give it a whirl. Any tips or advice appreciated.

[Bawanna]

I think JG Rider does some metal checkering. If my memory is working today.
I wish I could do it but never have so far.

[jocko]

I think u outta give it a try colone find some ol peaces of metal and play with it. U hav ethe talent, Course I would not let u do any of mine!! Just sayin

[Bawanna]

Thanks for your support ya old goat!

[marshal kane]

Can be done if you are careful, patient and have an aptitude for working with metal. Suggest you look on the Brownell's site for tools and accessories. They also have a phone number for technical advice.

[leftysixty]

What Jocko said ! :yo:

[b4uqzme]

Ya know. I never did go forward with that. I just cleaned her up and stuck her back together. Still on the table though. Thanks for the advice. Think I'll get the tools and start practicing (on the patience that is).

[jg rider]

I'm preparing to refinish the Para and thought I'd give it a whirl. Any tips or advice appreciated.

Hi b4uqzme
I have checkered my K9 and a Para frame with 30 lpi checkering. I choose 30 lpi on the K9 because of the smaller pistol size. But for the wide body Para it was for precautionary reasons. The wall thickness going around from the grip flats to the front strap got thin and I worried about cutting all the way through the corners with 20 lpi deep checkering grooves.
I also checkered the back strap and msh 30 lpi

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p100/jgriders/Kahr%20Pistols/My%20Kahrs/02JohnsK9.jpg (http://s126.photobucket.com/user/jgriders/media/Kahr%20Pistols/My%20Kahrs/02JohnsK9.jpg.html)

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p100/jgriders/Kahr%20Pistols/My%20Kahrs/03JohnsK9.jpg (http://s126.photobucket.com/user/jgriders/media/Kahr%20Pistols/My%20Kahrs/03JohnsK9.jpg.html)

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p100/jgriders/Kahr%20Pistols/My%20Kahrs/04JohnsK9.jpg (http://s126.photobucket.com/user/jgriders/media/Kahr%20Pistols/My%20Kahrs/04JohnsK9.jpg.html)

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p100/jgriders/1911%20Pistols/Para/01ColtGovt-Para.jpg (http://s126.photobucket.com/user/jgriders/media/1911%20Pistols/Para/01ColtGovt-Para.jpg.html)

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p100/jgriders/1911%20Pistols/Para/02ColtGovt-Para.jpg (http://s126.photobucket.com/user/jgriders/media/1911%20Pistols/Para/02ColtGovt-Para.jpg.html)

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p100/jgriders/1911%20Pistols/Para/03ColtGovt-Para.jpg (http://s126.photobucket.com/user/jgriders/media/1911%20Pistols/Para/03ColtGovt-Para.jpg.html)

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p100/jgriders/1911%20Pistols/Para/04ColtGovt-Para.jpg (http://s126.photobucket.com/user/jgriders/media/1911%20Pistols/Para/04ColtGovt-Para.jpg.html)

I didn't use any checkering jigs.
What I use is a muffler clamp tightened around the grip for the start of my horizontal lines.
And a piece of aluminium angle iron laid along the side of the frame and held in place with c clamps or a vise to start my verical lines. You do need to remove the grip bushings

I use either a piece of tightened wire, or a plastic tie wrap under the trigger guard to act as a stop for vertical line over runs.

I hope this helps

I recently finished an RIA frame with 30 lpi checkering to use with 2 different .22 Marvel Precision slides that I use in Steel Challange competition.
They are all out being Cerakoted as I write
I'll post pics of them, along with my wife's burgundy cerakoted PM9 slide, and my blackened K9 slide.

[Bawanna]

You did a super nice job on those. Look perfect in every way.

[b4uqzme]

They sure do --- thanks for the tips.

[RRP]

Very nice work, JG Rider.

I've looked at file sets, watched a few videos, and I think I could learn how to do this. What I lack, however, is the testicular fortitude to make the first cut.

[Bawanna]

That's the giant step for man kind right there. Nice thing about grips is if I screw up, into the scrap pile they go. A frame? Not so much.
I do hope to try it sometime, I'd love to be able to do it myself. Gotta be a lot of pride in showing a piece and saying I done that, especially if it looks as good as JG's does.

[gb6491]

You da man jg rider! I always enjoy seeing your work:).
I notice that you even checkered the grips screws on that K9:cool:
Regards,
Greg

[jg rider]

You da man jg rider! I always enjoy seeing your work:).
I notice that you even checkered the grips screws on that K9:cool:
Regards,
Greg

Thanks every one, but sh#t does happen !

As I wrote I recently sent out an RIA frame for Cerakoting. I was a second attempt on a RIA frame.
The first one was done with 20 lpi front strap and msh checkering. A wide grip safety was fitted. etc. etc. etc.
The last thing to be done was to checker the trigger guard with 30 lpi



While checkering this happened.
http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p100/jgriders/1911%20Pistols/RIA/DSC00002.jpg (http://s126.photobucket.com/user/jgriders/media/1911%20Pistols/RIA/DSC00002.jpg.html)

It was a flaw in the casting caused by dirt build up. There's a name for it but I forget what it is. I seriously thought about installing an insert like mine or my wife's birthstone in the hole. That's how almost centered the hole was.

RIA was good enough to replace it with another frame. And this one I decided to do in 30 lpi. It came out as perfect as I'm able to do.

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p100/jgriders/1911%20Pistols/Marvel%20Precision/RIA-MarvelPrecision012.jpg (http://s126.photobucket.com/user/jgriders/media/1911%20Pistols/Marvel%20Precision/RIA-MarvelPrecision012.jpg.html)

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p100/jgriders/1911%20Pistols/Marvel%20Precision/RIA-MarvelPrecision01.jpg (http://s126.photobucket.com/user/jgriders/media/1911%20Pistols/Marvel%20Precision/RIA-MarvelPrecision01.jpg.html)

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p100/jgriders/1911%20Pistols/Marvel%20Precision/STITrigger.jpg (http://s126.photobucket.com/user/jgriders/media/1911%20Pistols/Marvel%20Precision/STITrigger.jpg.html)

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p100/jgriders/1911%20Pistols/Marvel%20Precision/RIA-MarvelPrecision04.jpg (http://s126.photobucket.com/user/jgriders/media/1911%20Pistols/Marvel%20Precision/RIA-MarvelPrecision04.jpg.html)

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p100/jgriders/1911%20Pistols/Marvel%20Precision/DSC00004-1.jpg (http://s126.photobucket.com/user/jgriders/media/1911%20Pistols/Marvel%20Precision/DSC00004-1.jpg.html)

[Ethan Sackett]

Hey jg, what do you use for a guide on the trigger gaurds, I have the front strap down. I do admire the trigger gaurd work you have done there.
Ethan

[Scrambler]

Nice work jg rider. Is the word you're looking for inclusion?

[jg rider]

Hey jg, what do you use for a guide on the trigger gaurds, I have the front strap down. I do admire the trigger gaurd work you have done there.
Ethan

Hi Ethan
I use a flat piece of metal held on with a c-clamp to the trigger guard (really high tech stuff) for the vertical lines. Since I prefer the square look where the trigger guard meets the dust shield, its easy to use that corner to start my horizontal lines.
A word of caution ! I don't know what kind of frame you're checkering but be sure to check for straight edges.
If you look at the above sh&t happens photo you'll see that the left bottom of the checkering is crooked. That happened because I didn't check for parallel edges.
These are pics of my C.C. Colt Commander also a picture of the tools of the trade LOL

[jg rider]

Nice work jg rider. Is the word you're looking for inclusion?

Hi Scrambler
I'm not sure. I know it's not porosity which I think means an air pocket. I remember doing the checkering and seeing all the blueing removed from the grooves, except for that one spot. So I took a dental pick and probed,and all this black ash came out.
That's when I also noticed that my vertical lines were crooked

[jg rider]

Did I post pics of the before and the finished product ? I had everything Cerakoted

[CJB]

All this talk of chekering.....

Jim Clark senior used to give you a grip to hold... he had a chisel about a 32nd wide that he'd turn up a little curly of metal with, and he did that in a sort of diamond pattern, all by hand. It was like grabbing a zombie cheeze grater. My own method is to use the stippling punch I made from a center drill and hunk of stainless bar stock. Total front strap takes only a few minutes and its a easy grasp high tack surface. But its not cool and precise like checkering.

[Ethan Sackett]

Thank you JG Rider, I enjoyed the pictures as well as the information. I have a stainless Springfield that was my first try on the front strap, it just may be my first try at doing the trigger gaurd also.
Thanks Ethan Sackett