PRESSED IN CHECKERING
OR
LASER CHECKERING
What can be done about pressed in checkering?
A lot of you have stocks with that awful pressed in checkering. There are a couple of things you an do about it!
I get a lot of requests for ideas on how to clean up that pressed in checkering. If it's just filled in with "gunk" you can try some of that finish remover on it. There's not a lot you can do with it really. It's just the opposite of real checkering, the diamonds are sunken into the wood and the lines stand up. Usually it's so filled in with finish that it's useless!
If you have the wood to spare, I suggest you do a little sanding. Just take the pressed in stuff down, enough so that it's not so rough, THEN I can go over it with the real thing! If you leave the borders and a small amount of checkering I can follow the old borders and fill them in with real checkering. Of course you will still have the same pattern, but with "real" checkering.
Often times I have gone right over the pressed in checkering. Sometimes it's just a bit deeper than what I would usually give you on a new job. So if you are not into sanding at all...send me a photo in email and I will give you an estimate on whether or not I can just go over it without sanding.
The other thing to do is to take it completely off and start fresh. Wait until you are ready for a refinishing job and just do it all at the same time.
If you find that your stock won't take another sanding job, just zip me a photo and let me see what I can do. You'll be stuck with the same old borders, but I promise you that the end result, the REAL checkering, will be much better on the eyes and hands.
There are some examples of what I have done with pressed in checkering.