Tall Tine handle tweak

[Lin Rhea]

Thank you Ron. That is really good to know. I'll see if I can find some examples and study them.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Hey Lin,

It's quite obvious your alteration was done with a good deal of skill. My post was primarily directed to the general audience here that may be tempted to grind on their grips rather than consult their bowyer's.

Most people have no idea how much pressure is applied to the riser of a bow, and just by altering the shape a wee bit in the wrong spot could cause a failure..... even using action wood or diamond wood has it's limitations.

hey guys...I'd be interested in that flat checkering technique myself and possibly find out what tool to use. That nicely pointed checker design is brutal on your hands. I've been playing with stippling rather than checkering because of it.   Kirk

[GRINCH]

Thats some really nice work,I can see how that would help.

[Bladepeek]

I'm just guessing here, as I've never been any good at checkering, but I would think you could do a normal checkering job and then flatten the very tips of the diamonds just a touch with some 400 or 600 paper on a semi hard backing block like an eraser and achieve a more even result.

I'd sure as heck try it on a practice piece of scrap before I attempted to do it on my bow grip. But I'm betting you do that already on any new idea you come up with for your knives, Lin.

[Lin Rhea]

Kirk, I understand completely. I would not want anyone to just start filing on their riser without regard for the limits of the materials. Thank you for pointing out the cautions.

Ron, I see what you mean. It sort of looks like a double spacing. Maybe it's just shallow. I have a set of checkering tools but I might not have that cutter. I think I can get close though. The picture helped. Thanks

[iohkus]

I've done some gunstock checkering on several rifles. To get those sharp diamonds the pattern has to be deepened till it comes to a point at the intersection of the diamonds. Untill you achieve that, the diamonds are flat topped. Just keep the pattern nice and even and stop when you are satisfied with the way it looks/feels.  

[Lin Rhea]

I thought that might be the case. I should get started on it over the weekend and will show the progress along the way. Thank you for your information.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Where do you purchase your checkering tools at guys? I haven't played with that yet, but many guys have asked about it. i sure like the looks a lot better than stippling.   kirk

[Lin Rhea]

I bought mine from Brownells many years ago. I had to wipe dust off the box to look inside. I just never got around to it but I think it's time.

[iohkus]

Midway USA has them also.(Probably any retailer that caters to "gun-nuts")    www.midwayusa.com
Search checkering tools

   I think I would stay with the lessor l.p.i. (lines per inch). The smaller (more lpi) can get troublesome,although I have never completed a pattern with flat tops - so the greater lpi MAY work just as well.

[Lin Rhea]

I've started the checkering. I'll try to post some pics as I get somewhere on it.

[Lin Rhea]

OK, I'm trying to get familiar with these tools. I got the border roughed in and started on the cross checkering. I have to get the lines evened out in depth. It shows a "run out" or two and it's all still dusty but it's a start. I think I can fix most of the problem areas. I have a ways to go so I better not speak too quick. Again, I'm just getting the feel attempting to "track the lines into their place.

 
 

[Steve O]

That is why I buy stuff.  I marvel at all you craftsmen    

I still want this hatchet...


 

[Bobby Urban]

Well I can see what's wrong right off - it is in the wrong hand??  

For a lefty like me that is.  Nice work Lin.  Not unlike the perfect handles you put on your knives.

Bob Urban

[iohkus]

Looking good so far .......... you have a lot more confidence than I would, not having done anything for a while, jumping right on your Tall Tines!
     Just a suggestion, in future leave your border till last ... that way you can cover up some/all of those over-runs.
     Are you going to leave the diamonds flat, or come to a point?

[Lin Rhea]

Thanks Bobby.

Wow. That's a great point. I already started with the border. I'll have to clean it up after getting the cross hatching done. Here is a short video clip of the checkering progress. I am completely untrained at this so I am feeling my way along.
  Checkering Video Clip Link

[iohkus]

WOW, I thought you had done this before!

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Interesting.... not having played with that at all, i had pictured more of a leather tooling process using a stamp or chisel type tool and a mallet.

So what do you think so far Lin?

Keeping in mind that the material you are working with has more of a consistent grain characteristic than many hardwoods,how would that tool work on Ebony or bubinga or Iron wood?

Are you ready to go into business yet? Looks like a labor of love thing to me.

[Lin Rhea]

I literally laughed out loud Kirk.    

What do I think? This is one of those things that when you jump in you cant turn back.

It's really not that bad. The diamond wood is a little prone to flake, but not bad. Small flakes, nothing big. Probably better than some solid woods. I think it works as good as it does because of the near total glue saturation. I'm sure African Blackwood would work very well and some other oily dense woods. Anything soft, forget it. But only because the checkering would not last unless you had stabilized it first. If I stay with it, I think it will be acceptable but certainly not a good example of checkering.

[iohkus]

From what little I know about checkering, the harder the wood the better, at least involving woods that are usually used in gunstocks. Have never heard/seen anything about woods such as Ironwood. What's the hardest wood out there?