Checkering my Tisas SS Carry

[dao]

Since I'm now finished with both, and I put a thread in this forum for the RIA, here's what my Tisas looks like start to finish. I'm not sure if I didn't like it better without the "border" on the top, but I found it quite hard to go back over it to finish cutting the pyramids until they were sharp, without running the file up onto the front strap above the top line. So it became necesary to touch up those errors by filing in a border. Doesn't look bad, but the factory checkering I have on other guns does not include a border. Machines, when set up correctly do not cut beyond the lines they are programmed to stop at. I guess I'd make a poor machine.
After working on each gun for a bit more than 5 hours each I didn't feel inclined to completely finish them on the days I worked on them. But by waiting for some time before going back to them I found that it is possible to finish the cuts nicer so that the tops of the pyramids are pointed. Each of them feels much more grippier in hand now than before. I now feel that 30lpi would be better on a lightweight frame because if the gun jumps around during firing the 20lpi would act like a grater. As in cheese grater.
I also took the opportunity to install a solid trigger in the gun while I had it apart to put the finishing touches on it. You can see this between the third and fourth pictures.

[BirdsThaWord]

I’m a little partial to the border and how it cleans things up/gives a definitive start/stop point. I’ve had a few nice 1911’s with checkered front straps that had that border line. True, a machine can start/stop perfectly, but I honestly prefer the border. Not just trying to make you feel good by saying that either.
Are you done? Any other mods planned, or moving on to another one?

[dao]

Not sure yet what else I am going to or can do to these two. Thought about removing the matte from the frame of the Tisas, so that it looks more like the RIA, and also like my SS Colt OACP but I haven't yet decided. I'm also considering getting one of the new Springfield Garrison Commanders that are all steel and actually blued, and then checkering that too. Since it's blued, and I bought some bluing, theoretically I could reblue it after checkering it. I was considering some of the Van's Instant Blue but saw that my LGS had some Birchwood Casey yesterday when I was in there so I bought some of that. Also got some aluminum black.

As for checkering alloy frames with these files, what do you think the chances are that the material will load up these files to the point were they can't be used? I do know that pure aluminum will load up dremel stones quicker than you can say dog snot and it's impossible to get off the stone. Any experience with a alloy frame and filing it?

[BirdsThaWord]

Not sure yet what else I am going to or can do to these two. Thought about removing the matte from the frame of the Tisas, so that it looks more like the RIA, and also like my SS Colt OACP but I haven't yet decided. I'm also considering getting one of the new Springfield Garrison Commanders that are all steel and actually blued, and then checkering that too. Since it's blued, and I bought some bluing, theoretically I could reblue it after checkering it. I was considering some of the Van's Instant Blue but saw that my LGS had some Birchwood Casey yesterday when I was in there so I bought some of that. Also got some aluminum black.

As for checkering alloy frames with these files, what do you think the chances are that the material will load up these files to the point were they can't be used? I do know that pure aluminum will load up dremel stones quicker than you can say dog snot and it's impossible to get off the stone. Any experience with a alloy frame and filing it?
Aluminum black? Gotta look that up. I take it that it does what the name says?
Sounds like short of the possible finish on the frame of the Tisas, you’ve got them just how you want. The Garrison would be a new blank slate, with new possibilities being carbon steel. My next two, an officer and govt, will both be carbon so I can try out some stuff as well.
I’ve only done a bit of filing or stoning of aluminum, so can’t say too much. Some of the alloy frames are very thin at the front strap though. I wonder if oil, such as wd40 could be used to sort of wet sand and prevent load up?

[dao]

Not sure about wd or oil of any kind Bird. For the SS I've been using sidewalk chalk which seems to work very well.

Got to thinking tonight, I just might do some checkering on my Colt Officer. I like the way both of these turned out. The 30lpi looks a bit better but the 25lpi feels grippier, so I'm not sure which route I would go. But I'm getting to the point were I like to be working on something or other. I'm sure you relate to that. And it would be nice if I had checkering on each of the Officers that I carry. Not all at once of course :D

I know nothing about the Aluminum Black yet, but like you my take is that it does what the name implies. I might test it on some raw aluminum to see. I would image that different alloys might take the color a bit differently.

I didn't know that about the alloy frames being thin at the front strap. I wonder why? Seems like they should be thicker given their not as strong as steel? I don't doubt you, I just don't understand the manufacturers reasoning for it.

[Bawanna]

The aluminum black works pretty well usually. I have a couple bottles of it. It's like cold bluing, kind of hit or miss. The last piece I did, can't even remember what it was worked really good.
There's also lots of cold blues out there. Brownells Oxpho Blue, and some of the others are kind of a gel. I use them all, till I get what I want. some leave kind of a flat finish, others bring out a shine.
I intend to try some of the Vans one of these days, never heard of it before but it looks good.
My CC got hacked so I gotta wait for a new card to access my minimal play money. Same of jazz, different day ya know?

[BirdsThaWord]

Not sure about wd or oil of any kind Bird. For the SS I've been using sidewalk chalk which seems to work very well.

Got to thinking tonight, I just might do some checkering on my Colt Officer. I like the way both of these turned out. The 30lpi looks a bit better but the 25lpi feels grippier, so I'm not sure which route I would go. But I'm getting to the point were I like to be working on something or other. I'm sure you relate to that. And it would be nice if I had checkering on each of the Officers that I carry. Not all at once of course :D

I know nothing about the Aluminum Black yet, but like you my take is that it does what the name implies. I might test it on some raw aluminum to see. I would image that different alloys might take the color a bit differently.

I didn't know that about the alloy frames being thin at the front strap. I wonder why? Seems like they should be thicker given their not as strong as steel? I don't doubt you, I just don't understand the manufacturers reasoning for it.
I did see the chalk being used. May have been in the vids you shared. I’ve seen WD40 being used in sanding. Just thinking, like chalk, it may help prevent the load up, but unlike chalk creating a barrier between the teeth and the bits of metal that might nest in them, that the oil would just make the two bits too slick to bind up in there. But, maybe chalk is all that is needed.
Please let us know once you test the aluminum black. I’ve looked at a few stains and anodizing products for aluminum, but have never bought any. So curious your outcome. Always nice to have various ways of altering our stuff tucked away into our bag of tricks.
It may just be on the Light Weight frames that they are so thin. I think they would take a checkering, but each one of the valleys would leave a paper thin area between them and the magwell. I could imagine a real good squeeze at the range creating a crack. :2eek:

[BirdsThaWord]

The aluminum black works pretty well usually. I have a couple bottles of it. It's like cold bluing, kind of hit or miss. The last piece I did, can't even remember what it was worked really good.
There's also lots of cold blues out there. Brownells Oxpho Blue, and some of the others are kind of a gel. I use them all, till I get what I want. some leave kind of a flat finish, others bring out a shine.
I intend to try some of the Vans one of these days, never heard of it before but it looks good.
My CC got hacked so I gotta wait for a new card to access my minimal play money. Same of jazz, different day ya know?
I told ya to stay away from them seedy juke joints man. They always tap that cc.
Sorry to hear. Hopefully the company is covering any charges made? I’ve had a few over the years, but the cc company has been real good about it.

[yqtszhj]

I told ya to stay away from them seedy juke joints man. They always tap that cc.
Sorry to hear. Hopefully the company is covering any charges made? I’ve had a few over the years, but the cc company has been real good about it.

There has been a couple of times where my CC got hacked and the CC company was good about it. I like how now I can get a text every time a charge is made too. That works for keeping up with the wife’s charges. Fortunately she hasn’t figured it out yet where she can get a text to track my firearm related purchases. :rolleyes::cool:

[Bawanna]

My Bank is good about fixing the bad charge. The bad thing is they just lock the card on any suspicious activity but don't bother to tell me. Only way I find out is I try to buy something and they reject my card. Happened 2 or 3 times. Have to have the wife call since I don't hear on a phone and they go over the charges, figure it out and have to wait for a new card. Pain in the back side.
Never happens to the wife's card. I seldom use it in person, usually online stuff so that's probably the issue.

[Tilos]

Since I'm now finished with both, and I put a thread in this forum for the RIA, here's what my Tisas looks like start to finish. I'm not sure if I didn't like it better without the "border" on the top, but I found it quite hard to go back over it to finish cutting the pyramids until they were sharp, without running the file up onto the front strap above the top line. So it became necesary to touch up those errors by filing in a border. Doesn't look bad, but the factory checkering I have on other guns does not include a border. Machines, when set up correctly do not cut beyond the lines they are programmed to stop at. I guess I'd make a poor machine.
After working on each gun for a bit more than 5 hours each I didn't feel inclined to completely finish them on the days I worked on them. But by waiting for some time before going back to them I found that it is possible to finish the cuts nicer so that the tops of the pyramids are pointed. Each of them feels much more grippier in hand now than before. I now feel that 30lpi would be better on a lightweight frame because if the gun jumps around during firing the 20lpi would act like a grater. As in cheese grater.
I also took the opportunity to install a solid trigger in the gun while I had it apart to put the finishing touches on it. You can see this between the third and fourth pictures.
I've been lurking here...
I didn't look back on the other threads to determine what type of files you used, but want to ask...
What type of files you used here and if it was what I call riffler files that are curved.
They are easier to end a groove without a lot of over-run.
20944
If that's what you used, well, never mind. :o
.

[Bawanna]

That's a nice set. I use a few doing wood. Like to have a set like that. Dang it, now I gotta going shopping again.

[BirdsThaWord]

There has been a couple of times where my CC got hacked and the CC company was good about it. I like how now I can get a text every time a charge is made too. That works for keeping up with the wife’s charges. Fortunately she hasn’t figured it out yet where she can get a text to track my firearm related purchases. :rolleyes::cool:
I like the text idea! Wish they did that with mine. I’m like the Colonel, where I don’t know until I get a rejected card.
Nice thing you with the wife not knowing. Mine is a hawk. Could be mid day while she’s at work. I’ll buy something and a few minutes later she text me “Did you buy something for $34.97?” Can’t get away with anything around here.

[BirdsThaWord]

I've been lurking here...
I didn't look back on the other threads to determine what type of files you used, but want to ask...
What type of files you used here and if it was what I call riffler files that are curved.
They are easier to end a groove without a lot of run-over.
20944
If that's what you used, well, never mind. :o
.
Never seen a set like that

[dao]

I've been lurking here...
I didn't look back on the other threads to determine what type of files you used, but want to ask...
What type of files you used here and if it was what I call riffler files that are curved.
They are easier to end a groove without a lot of run-over.
20944
If that's what you used, well, never mind. :o
.

This is the set that I have. I used one of the riffler files but then finished each job with one of the round files in this set. I would have liked to need to use just the riffler but because of a couple of slips with the checkering file (on each gun), I needed to make the border at the top larger and for that I found the round file what was needed to finish up.

[Tilos]

I've been lurking here...
I didn't look back on the other threads to determine what type of files you used, but want to ask...
What type of files you used here and if it was what I call riffler files that are curved.
They are easier to end a groove without a lot of run-over.
20944
If that's what you used, well, never mind. :o
.
I stole that pic off of MSC:
Value Collection - File Set: 12 Pc, Swiss - 00647206 - MSC Industrial Supply (mscdirect.com) (https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/00647206)
There are a lot of different sets there, some are $500+, I'm guessing those are diamond:
File Sets - MSC Industrial Supply (mscdirect.com) (https://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tn?navid=2100196&searchterm=Riffler+files)
so there's that,
.

[Bawanna]

Was just looking myself, there's lots of different sets out there. Some are rasp, diamond and some they call smooth or medium cut. Everywhere from 10 bucks to really big bucks. Trying to decide how badly I need them. I have some individual files I've accumulated, none were new but they'll probably get the job done for me for a while longer.

[Tilos]

This is the set that I have. I used one of the riffler files but then finished each job with one of the round files in this set. I would have liked to need to use just the riffler but because of a couple of slips with the checkering file (on each gun), I needed to make the border at the top larger and for that I found the round file what was needed to finish up.
Nice
I have used thread files to cut "checkering" in wood, I think it was 32 TPI but it could have been 27 or 28 TPI.
Your checkering looks finer than that though, and thread files are 60 degrees.
Anyway, here's some thread files at MSC:
Value Collection - 7/16 x 8-3/8″ External Pipe Thread Restoring File - 79342176 - MSC Industrial Supply (mscdirect.com) (https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/79342176)
So yeh, TPI is threads per inch which would be lines per inch (LPI?) as to checkering.
.

[dao]

I paid $22 for mine in the red sleeves, used. The checkering of this gun was 30lpi (lines per inch), the Rock Island I did in 25lpi. I used actual checkering files for them. And those files come in 20, 25, and 30. At least that's all I've seen them in.

[kenemoore]

You know, my CZ-PCR just has vertical lines running up the front and back strap. Maybe 3/8" wide, I would guess the lines would be the same as about 25 tpi.. It works pretty good. Way better than nothing. Never felt the need for skateboard tape.
Have you tried just a few vertical lines, to see how it felt?

[dao]

No, but if my understanding is correct vertical lines only will mostly prevent the gun from twisting in your hand but not be as effective at controlling recoil as horizontal lines would.

edit: Some Sigs only have horizontal serrations, no verticals