Repairing Parker checkering borders

[B. Dudley]

This is something that I posted on my website some time back, but did not share it here. I figured that some might like to see what can be done with a spoiled checkering job.

This DH had its checkering recut at some time by an inexperience hand. The checkering itself was not all that bad, however it was fully pointed and too coarse for a D grade Parker. Where it all had fallen apart was the borders. The one side had a very poor single line border and the other had no border, but was full of over runs.

Border Before 2.jpeg
Border before 1.jpeg

Even though all this looked like a bit of a mess, I was able to work with it. I converted the single line border to a proper Mullered border. And was able to put a Mullered border on the other panel while covering up the over runs.
I touched up what needed work in the checkering pattern, and then finally burnished everything down as to eliminate the sharp points.

Border After 1.jpeg
Border After 2.jpeg
Border After 3.jpeg

Granted the checkering is still a bit too course for the grade, but there is not much that can be done about that. And it is a bit deeper than what is typical. The finished result is a fine correction of a major issue that would not raise any major concerns to someone observing the gun.

[OH Osthaus]

Nice work Brian

[Mills]

[charlie cleveland]

brian you sure done a good job on this..if i were not looking at the pictures i would say that it would not have made so much better in apperance..just out standing... charlie

[CHE]

Brian, how do you do the mullered border?

[Dean Romig]

Whoever the inexperienced checkerer was, he replicated the Remington borders very well on one side... and didn't finish the other side. What year is the gun and are there any Remington codes on the barrel flats?

Nice work Brian.

[David Noble]

Nice save Brian!

[B. Dudley]

Dean,
It was not a remington gun and it did not have any repair codes.
The border was spaced a bit too far away from the pattern to be correct for Remington era guns.

Tom,
I use a combination of two different comercially available checkering tools to cut the Mullered borders. One pass to lay out the guide lines and then a second to put the dish down the center.

[Angel Cruz Ortiz]

Outstanding work Brian!!

[Double Lab]

Very impressive Brian. If I ever have any more stock work done I know who to send it to.