Checkering/Stock re-finish glitch

[Uncle Alvah]

I am re-finishing the stock on a commercial Mauser bolt action.
The finish was a dog to remove, strippers didn't work well, so I ended up using a card scraper on most of it. In the checkering on the postol grip, te finish and stripper have left a "stain" so to speak.
Thats gotta go.
I see three options:

-Re-cut the checkering by hand.

-Try to clean it up with a riffler.

-Remove the checkering all together. This is actually what I'd prefer to do, but without having a way to measure the depth of the checkering accurately, I'm afraid it might take a LOT more rasping/sanding than I think it would.

Opinions appreciated!

 

[243winxb]

Stain the wood dark walnut.

 

[rcmodel]

Put some water on it and look at it again.

It may look like beautiful wood grain with water, or a finish popping the color on the rest of the wood.

rc

 

[Blue68f100]

It could be oils still in the wood from the original finish. May try a solvent and see if it will lift it.

 

[BADUNAME30]

It looks to me like some checkering oil will blend it Unc.
Tape off the checkerin', finish the stock then apply the checkerin oil.
It wants to go places you don't want it to.

 

[PzGren]

Count the lines. Checkering comes most commonly in 20 lpi, lines per inch. You can get a Dembart 2 edge spacer and handle at Midway U.S.A. to recut it. A single line cutter should take care of the border.

With just a little practice you should be able to do a good job and it will enhance the checkering and make it look much more lively.