Hand checkering the front strap on a 1911.

[SPRINGFIELDM141972]

I just finished the filing of this front strap. My eyesight is starting to make this work difficult. I still need to parkerize the checkering.

[G W Wade]

Tough job especially with old eyes and fingers. Never been brave enough to attempt myself. Did a redo on a bullseye 1911 that a NG member who went to school for armorer. He cross hatched front strap with a small hacksaw. Ugly to say the least but shoot really great! Good job and now time to shoot GW

[stubshaft]

I've done it a couple of times and it is a difficult task. Yours looks good to me.

[huntinlever]

Looks great, congrats.

[Green Frog]

As your eyes follow the straight lines, any departures or curves really stand out starkly. To my old eyes at least, your work looks quite good. I'd be right proud to have checkering like that on the front strap of any of my auto pistols.
Froggie

[Gtek]

I have done several and not too bad in work, but many many slow controlled strokes required. The files were purchased from Brownells and when they stop cutting and start skating which is nice for the depth control feel. I used two, foot long pieces of aluminum stock for clamping in vice and used a small carpenters speed square for 90 control. The most tedious part for me was controlling the edges, stop this side at edge break or follow through. Well, after screwing it up and carrying through edge I found I liked it that way. It breaks the front grip line, smoothly transitioning into those sexy VZ grips, yea, that's what I tell myself!

[jmorris]

My buddy uses a fixture on a rotary table and a tap with all flutes but one ground away. Lays out a perfect grid that he then goes back by hand with a file to finish it off.

I always just use grip tape because even with good eyes it’s a lot of work.

Good job.

[DougGuy]

I done a whole bunch of those by hand. The hardest are the stainless frames. I used two flat pieces of aluminum with holes drilled for the grip screw escutcheons, they hold the frame nicely and let you wrap over the edge and fair the grooves out to a feather edge just before the grip panels.

Then I file and polish a relief at the top up under the trigger guard so the checkering is standing proud.