GUNSMITHING - HAND CHECKERING OF A PISTOL // 1911 Front Strap Checkering for Safety and Looks

[@TheRogueBanshee]

Would you take a file to the front strap of your 1911 to make it safer and look better? Let's hear you down in the comments.

[@Balaclavaballistics]

Yes.

[@pedromiguel3227]

Beautiful and practical improvement. You honored your weapon with this work.

[@eseh7850]

Beautiful work. Great narration. Thank you for such an awesome video.

[@TheRogueBanshee]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@WheeledandWellArmed]

What an incredible job. I've never seen this file or heard of anyone doing this. Thanks!

[@WheeledandWellArmed]

What do you call the file?

[@TheRogueBanshee]

A Metal Checkering File. This one is a 25LPI Metal Checkering File. I got mine at Brownells.

[@TheRogueBanshee]

Thanks for watching brother!

[@Kikinahm]

This is the only job, I wouldn't do on an 1911

[@WheeledandWellArmed]

@@Kikinahm I have a Tanfoglio TA90 Baby that I bought in 1987 before CZ75 were legal to have in the USA. It never gets out of the safe. A gunsmith tried to make a better trigger in 2000 but he made SAO from DA/SA.

[@terryboehler5752]

I appreciate your work. We used to checker by hand. I inherited a checkering jig that mounts on my mill. The nice part is i used it first to true up the front strap. People would be shocked if they could see how much variation exists. I attribute it to handedness. The variation is always biased. Its not unusual to have removed 25 thousandths from one area before the opposite area is trued up. I said i appreciate your work. I used to use masking tape on my hands to protect somewhat from the checkering file.i need to make a video using the checkering fixture. I think some would find it interesting. Also, after establishing the original lines, it's no simple task to move over to further establish the pattern. Well done!!!! My fingers are hurting just thinking about the old days. FYI, Caspian offers 25 lpi which is a nice option. 20 is kinda rugged and 30 feels like a cats tongue.

[@TheRogueBanshee]

I would watch that video! You should, by all means, film it. Eventhough it takes a toll on my hands, there is just something about doing checkering by hand, by all means, if I were doing production work, it would be done on a mill! Thanks for watching!

[@jjay718]

Nice job! Any videos of doing an undercut on the trigger guard?

[@TheRogueBanshee]

always on the books, but need to appease the KZbin overlords.

[@RobbFoust]

I second that motion!

[@mikewatkins7618]

Very impressed with your work! I’m trying to decide if I have the nerve to tackle this job on a stainless 1911 Commander I have. It’s not a high dollar gun, but a previous owner had trigger work and a few other things done to it, so it’s a superb shooter. I undercut the trigger guard, but that was a much simpler job than checkering. So I would hate to mess up and make it ugly!

[@TheRogueBanshee]

Thanks! If you want to practice, get a short piece of copper pipe from a local hardware store.

[@blackbird5634]

direct, informative, and clean clear video. Thanks!

[@TheRogueBanshee]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!

[@tonymaestry5671]

Looks amazing.

[@TheRogueBanshee]

Thanks!

[@crabbyturtle1594]

Great video. Thanks for sharing. You make it look easy.

[@TheRogueBanshee]

Fast Forward will do that. I think I have about 8 hours into that job. Thanks!

[@themischeifguide]

This is really impressive and looks amazing. I'm using Talon tape on my 1911 right now but I hope to have it checkered one day. My grandfather shot competitively in the late 1950's early 1960's when he was in the army, his National Match M1911 had the front strap dimpled all over with what I guess was a punch, it was irregular but it worked. I wonder if anybody still does that style.

[@craigzuidema]

Nice video. I've done my SR1911 CMD. It was very time consuming, but well worth the effort and the cost of the file.

[@TheGrandHistorians]

Great video can you make a video on how to hand polish a 1911 to a mirror finish? please. and thank you for your hard work

[@TheRogueBanshee]

That is on the list of things I want to do. I just need to get the right frame and slide. One day....

[@TheGrandHistorians]

@@TheRogueBanshee Rock island gi model is close to the original in the looks and features its under $500 whats neat about is that the slide is smooth with no markings the only little ria logo is cerakoted so it can be polished away. get the all black one. thanks i have a stainless but i want a game plan before i just start buffing. thanks for the reply.

[@TheYemcl]

Excellent video, sir!

[@davidfriend1919]

Well done .

[@pnuemagger]

It’s easier to crosscut if you don’t go to complete depth on the first direction. Start with the long serrations and take them to about 1/4-1/3 depth. Then switch to cross serrations and do all of them to like 1/3 depth, too… when you do it this way, the file still skates mostly smoothly and doesn’t vibrate/chatter almost at all. Then go back and do the verticals and three then across, alternating every 25% depth or so until you sneak up on the final points. And because significant depth exists, each time you alternate now there’s no chattering. Dykem before the last few passes and the last few alternations should only be a few swipes in each direction to square up the points perfectly.

[@TheRogueBanshee]

You are absolutely right about the depth. I usually don't have problems on Aluminum frames but steel ones like this... yea don't cut to depth completely before changing directions (not bad advice for aluminum frames either).

[@actionjksn]

Well after watching several tutorials it looks like this is the one I will be referring to when I do mine. I got a steel frame 80% 1911 that I still have to cut the rails on and drill. Still waiting on that jig to come. Where did you get this jig at and how much does it cost?

[@joefw2446]

Nice job. Thanks!

[@TheRogueBanshee]

Glad you like it! Thanks for watching.

[@litoteh]

That blueing he was using is "Dykem layout fluid, steel blue" Can be found on Amazon. Not knowing the name, and the CC of this video did not help. I cannot find the checkering jig he is using anywhere so I went with the 1911 auto universal checkering guide readily available on MidwayUSA. I chose a 20 LPI file. Now to dive into this project.

[@thanapornkeawnuratchadasor9318]

May I ask what brand of checkering file did you use?and where to buy it?

[@TheRogueBanshee]

sorry, I just saw this. The File I used is a 25 LPI checkering file from Grobet USA. It is a Cut 0 you can get them at Amazon - amzn.to/4cZIDIE

[@thanapornkeawnuratchadasor9318]

@@TheRogueBanshee thanks a lot sir!

[@thomaschristiejr265]

How long did that project take you?

[@TheRogueBanshee]

That took me about 7 hours to do. But that was also setting up cameras and lighting. Aluminum frames don't take as long as steel ones like this.

[@JavierBonillaC]

I waited all the video to see the final product. Anyway, it was very interesting.

[@TheRogueBanshee]

There are limitations to what I can and cannot show on KZbin. Thanks for watching!

[@AFTBLOW]

Would you post a list of all the tools please. Great job btw.

[@Whitehawkvisionfilms]

Can a Glock be checkered? If so what LPI?

[@mrfrm1975]

🇺🇸 Thank you!

[@TheRogueBanshee]

You bet!

[@Nobodycares2024]

Glad I watched this before I invested in some tooling. Seems like more hassle than I want to try and do. I'll just pay a professional.

[@daveq8745]

Have a question, have you ever done a 60 degree diamond's. The Mainspring housing I'm looking at is diamond checkered. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

[@TheRogueBanshee]

I have not. My jig can do them but I am lazy and it looks like it will take a while. I may do one in the future though.

[@daveq8745]

I really like your videos, very detailed and informative. Well done.

[@TheRogueBanshee]

@@daveq8745 Thanks for watching. Glad you enjoy the videos!

[@x0j]

what is that powder you put on the file?

[@TheRogueBanshee]

File chalk. That helps you keep your file clean of chips.

[@x0j]

@@TheRogueBanshee thanks

[@ianjaca3416]

lower receiver is hard chrome or not???

[@TheRogueBanshee]

No that is just a steel frame.

[@axminsterz4151]

Beginners should practice on something cheap like a Wilson

[@TheRogueBanshee]

I tell beginners to practice on a piece of copper pipe.

[@JeffZumbrock]

Dudes got a big sack to take a file to that..

[@bleon2368]

Hello, approximately how much would you charge to do a Springfield Armory Operator? Thank you

[@TheRogueBanshee]

I am not a licensed gunsmith anymore so I would not be able to do this type of work for money. Your best bet is to find a local gunsmith and talk to them. Thanks for watching!

[@lindboknifeandtool]

I’m assuming this is aluminum..

[@TheRogueBanshee]

That is actually a steel frame.

[@ianjaca3416]

can i do this checkering on a metal with chrome????

[@TheRogueBanshee]

I guess you could. However Chrome is very hard and if the gun is chrome plated, you will remove the chrome from the frame.

[@jpchiesa]

I'm sorry, your video was a pleasure to watch and a real education. But it was obvious that a master gunsmith was doing this and if you gave those files to me, no matter how careful I was, I'd ruin the gun! Maybe if rather than speeding up the film you had slowed it down, thus showing your file stroke technique that might avert disaster for me...... Nahhhh!

[@TheRogueBanshee]

It is all about patience when checkering. This is actually an older technique that I used and changed things up a little to cut down on the file chatter on the cross cut. I have a few hours into that front strap you saw. Thanks for watching!

[@EnriquetheSquirrel]

This is definitely not a job for me.

[@TheRogueBanshee]

It is a labor of love.

[@EnriquetheSquirrel]

@@TheRogueBanshee I don't doubt it.