Cleaned up the checkering:

[Bruce P Bruner]

I was pleasantly surprised how much checkering remained when I cleaned the panels. I used an old can of “Forby’s Furniture Refinisher”, it's just a thin stripper. Careful application with a toothbrush and removing the buildup of shellac or something from long ago with a terry cloth rag worked well. It take’s awhile but the results are rewarding. Aesthetics aside, the grip is much more functional too.