Checkering color

[Dylan Rhodes]

I am but an amateur, so please forgive me if I am asking silly questions. I have now recut the checkering on several of my low grade utilitarian Parker’s and while the quality of the job seems acceptable I just can’t get that same original color out of it. Original Parker’s seem to have darker colored checkering compare to the rest of the finish than what I have recut and then brushed finish into. Is there some special finish or is that abstract color just an artifact of age?

Thanks

[J. Scott Hanes]

I believe that Brian Dudley recommended in a different thread, using shoe polish to simulate the "gunk" that accumulates in the checkering over time.

[Dylan Rhodes]

Yep that was my thread. Those dots just connected for me. Little slow on that one. Thanks

[Dean Romig]

I had an 1893 Grade-1 16 gauge TA hammer gun that was all original in every single respect. It was the closest to ‘mint’ condition that most of us have ever witnessed… It is my opinion that the darker checkering is due to oil, grime and whatever getting into the grain of the checkered wood, even on seldom used guns, but used nevertheless.
This one has never been in the field or fired to the best of our collective knowledge.
Judge for yourselves.

.

[David Livesay]

Thanks for posting that one Dean. That's a real treasure and hard to imagine that it hardly ever, or never got used. You said you HAD, did you sell it?

[Dean Romig]

Yes, I sold it in 2013 when I was “downsized” and still had a mortgage. I sold it and another Parker and paid off my mortgage. It would have been foolhardy to have done otherwise.






.

[Brian Dudley]

When recutting old original checkering, if the recut checkering is not darkened by some means, it will always end up looking lighter than the stock and will absolutely SCREAM that it has been recut. If anything the stock overall has been darkened with age to where even though both are natural wood, the fresh cut wood will be lighter, even with just oiling.

[allen newell]

You can daken the recut checkering with a little shoe polish.

[Brian Dudley]

See here examples of original checkering before and after recutting. Right after cutting is light, after staining and oiling, the checkering matches the stock more.


In this particular case on the wrist, the staining did not darken the checkering as much as I would usually like due to oil in the wood preventing penetration of the stain. But it looks acceptable.

138888

138889

138890

138891

138892

[Dylan Rhodes]

Thanks Brian! does anyone have a recommendation for shoe polish? Or will it all do about the same thing? Something about taking a black sticky goo to my stock I just slaved over is messing with my head. I don't want to accidentally stain it black. If it's a "secret", could someone provide guidance on any specific formulations to avoid?

[Brian Dudley]

When I mention “stain”, i personally use a trans-tin dye in black color moxed with distilled water. I brush it on the raw checkering and when it dries it looks kind of grayish colored. And then I oil it with sealer or finish. It darkens the checkering, but still allows the grain to show through. I used to use black leather dye, but it made it BLACK with no transparency. I got away from that.

When I mention using shoe polish, it would be for simulating old wear and dirt/grime. Usually reserved for if a small area needs to be repaired and I am trying to blend everything with the surrounding look. Like in your case.

[Dylan Rhodes]

Thanks Brian, I have a VH that is in a completely recheckered state, taking your comments to heart it sounds like I should use some sort of stain or dye and NOT shoe polish?

To your previous comment, it screams that is has been redone.

[Stephen Hodges]

I love those fully checkered forends:)