Anyone ever hand checker their front strap?

[Scrambler]

Nice work jg rider. Is the word you're looking for inclusion?

[jg rider]

Hey jg, what do you use for a guide on the trigger gaurds, I have the front strap down. I do admire the trigger gaurd work you have done there.
Ethan

Hi Ethan
I use a flat piece of metal held on with a c-clamp to the trigger guard (really high tech stuff) for the vertical lines. Since I prefer the square look where the trigger guard meets the dust shield, its easy to use that corner to start my horizontal lines.
A word of caution ! I don't know what kind of frame you're checkering but be sure to check for straight edges.
If you look at the above sh&t happens photo you'll see that the left bottom of the checkering is crooked. That happened because I didn't check for parallel edges.
These are pics of my C.C. Colt Commander also a picture of the tools of the trade LOL

[jg rider]

Nice work jg rider. Is the word you're looking for inclusion?

Hi Scrambler
I'm not sure. I know it's not porosity which I think means an air pocket. I remember doing the checkering and seeing all the blueing removed from the grooves, except for that one spot. So I took a dental pick and probed,and all this black ash came out.
That's when I also noticed that my vertical lines were crooked

[jg rider]

Did I post pics of the before and the finished product ? I had everything Cerakoted

[CJB]

All this talk of chekering.....

Jim Clark senior used to give you a grip to hold... he had a chisel about a 32nd wide that he'd turn up a little curly of metal with, and he did that in a sort of diamond pattern, all by hand. It was like grabbing a zombie cheeze grater. My own method is to use the stippling punch I made from a center drill and hunk of stainless bar stock. Total front strap takes only a few minutes and its a easy grasp high tack surface. But its not cool and precise like checkering.

[Ethan Sackett]

Thank you JG Rider, I enjoyed the pictures as well as the information. I have a stainless Springfield that was my first try on the front strap, it just may be my first try at doing the trigger gaurd also.
Thanks Ethan Sackett