Care for checkering cutters

[Bioprof]

I've started practicing using my new set of Dembart checkering tools before working on my Fordney build.  As I was practicing on the end of the butt that I cut off to fit the butt plate, I started wondering if there is anything special that you need to do to clean the cutters.   Is there anything special that you need to do to care for them?

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I use a toothbrush to make sure that the cutters don't get packed with dust and use the same one on the chequering to get rid of the dust.  Your cuttering heads don't require anything special but be advised that they wear out quite quickly, and need to be replaced.  You may get two small jobs out of a cutter before it should be replaced.  You'll know when you start getting skipping and mistakes.

[Dale Halterman]

You'll know when you start getting skipping and mistakes.

If I replaced my cutters everytime a got a few mistakes.......

Dale H

[projeeper]

are you using a 2,3 or 4 edge cutter? you,ll find that using a 3 or 4 edge cutter lasts a bit longer but not much.keep your cutter clean keep your cuting area clean and 2 or 3 passes should be enough then come in with your riffer to finish it up.
 if you didn,t know already that modern guns use a 3 1/2 - 1 diamond what the rifles of yore used i did not see it in any of my books

[Jerry V Lape]

The checkering cutters used for modern firearms are designed to produce little pyramids of wood.  I have never observed such a form on antique guns.  Most seem to have flat surfaces to the diamonds with small U shaped grooves or V shaped grooves.  For those who have examined longrifles with checkering, are my observations correct with what you saw? 

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I concur with you Jerry.  I think that 18th and 19th Century chequering is cut with a 60 degree cutter, with a 2:1 or even 1 1/2:1 ratio.  Even when the lines are very deep, the top of the chequering is still flat, as is English chequering.  The flat topped style provides all the enhanced grip that a shooter needs.

[Longarm]

 Most of the time I use my dembart tool and cut the lines shallow. You can always sand the tops down if you go a little deep.  I have made a "checking" tool out of a piece of hack saw blade with the sides of the teeth ground off at an angle but it is tricky to use, however you can use it to deepen the Dembart lines without getting them too wide.

[rick landes]

I have had to use a straight pin to remove chips that can get between the teeth that the toothbrush does not remove.

I also have, with a very fine ceramic stone polished the out side edge (of a single cut or 2 cut tool) to get a bit more mileage out of a cutting head.