ENGRAVING & CHECKERING
Our custom engraving and checkering services can accompany your full custom product order, or be arranged on a wide variety of firearms and projects that you supply. Please take a look through the samples of our finished work below and if you see something that sparks your imagination, you have been wanting to match a checkering pattern from an old classic rifle on your new custom build, you have a nickname you want to label your barrel with, or you have a business logo you want to include on your next firearm, simply contact us with your ideas.
ENGRAVING SAMPLES
We offer in-house laser engraving on Bullberry barrels, Bullberry-supplied G2 & Encore actions and a few select accessories from $20; graphic engraving from $50. More complete pricing and details can be found below, though these are priced upon request.
Text engravings can be produced in a variety of fonts, styles and sizes. Full custom design services, including graphic design are available for your graphic engraving request. Please email your interests or call for a consultation with September to work out the particulars of your next engraving.
Scroll mimics old T/C Custom Shop's design
Scroll mimics old T/C Custom Shop's design
Whitetail tracks on barrel
on T/C barrel
CHECKERING
Checkering is performed on custom woodwork that will be finished in-house. The checkering process is done when the stock has had the initial finish layer applied. The stock receives its final finish after checkering, which seals the raw diamond cuts and creates a uniform appearance. We recommend our Epoxy finish (available in High Gloss or Satin) when deciding on checkering, though our Satin Production finish is certainly available.
Given our desire to be as custom as possible, it never made sense to September why we wouldn't offer such a classic custom firearm service ourselves, so she went ahead and taught herself how to do the work. She is always evolving her style and pattern repertoire, so if you don't see what you're looking for in the photo examples below just call or email to discuss what you're looking to have done – it's probably a possibility if it's not completely crazy.
Beyond the extremely detailed (tedious is probably a better word) process of hand-checkering we do offer Laser Checkering. This process uses a CO2 laser and (again) September's skills at design and programming to checker at a lesser cost AND do things that checkering tools simply cannot: fish scales, etc.
Please be aware that any hand checkering does add time to any custom order. Simply being hand work is time-consuming enough, but September is the only one who does the work and she also does all the T/C trigger adjustments and more, so we thank you for your patience and understanding.
ENGRAVING PRICING
As mentioned above, prices for engraving are determined on request as each job is done custom, just like our barrels and woodwork. If you see something that sparks your imagination, you have a nickname you want to label your barrel with, or you have a business logo you want to see on your next firearm simply contact us with your idea.
Please note: Barrel engravings are limited in height due to the barrel radius and limited space between woodwork and scope mounts. If you have a large graphic in mind we recommend you feature it on a frame, synthetic stock, or piece of woodwork.
*engraving is not compatible with barrels or frames finished/coated with Weathershield product.
Custom engraving on other firearms or non-firearm products may also be available. Contact us with your specific requests for pricing and availability.
Note: most used Stainless barrels and frames supplied to us for engraving work will be refinished as part of the engraving process. If you would like your blued barrel(s) or frame(s) refinished before adding custom engraving please specify that when sending in your item(s). This work will add $60 (barrel) to $80 (frame), as the process involved includes multiple finishing stages as well as a full cleaning and testing of your frame's proper function.
Custom Graphic Design Services
Over the years we have had customers look to get more personalized with their frame engraving by representing their preferred game in graphics. We now offer full graphic design services as a complement to our engraving services. If you are looking, like the above customer was, to have your actual trophy represented on your frame this is a fantastic option.
Beyond having your custom digital artwork decorating your firearm, we also offer walnut, pine, or basswood wall hangings/desk art that can feature not just the drawing you request, but also may include any text details you would like to accompany the artwork. Common details would be the hunter's name, the date and location of the hunt, firearm and caliber, trophy specifics, etc. These alone make great gifts, particularly for first-time hunters.
Graphic Design Services are available for non-firearm and non-Bullberry projects as well, as schedules and request specifications permit. September has worked on anything from logo design to commemorative knife engraving to custom signage for local Boy Scouts and Lions Club requests. Just send an email with your project needs and ideas and we will determine if and how we can help you.
CHECKERING PRICING
Hand Checkering
Standard features of hand checkering:
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20 lines per inch (lpi)
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1:3.5 diamond ratio
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90-degree points
60-degree points are available (and preferred) on harder woods than our California Black Walnut, as determined by the wood grain.
Laser Checkering
Reasons to consider machine checkering over the more intricate hand process are pattern, cost and time. If you are leaning toward a pattern or style that cannot be hand checkered (i.e. fish scales) laser engraving is a great option. This route also gives you the option of a traditional diamond texture without the expense or additional production time associated with hand checkering.
Limitations and what some may consider drawbacks still exist because of how the CO2 laser operates; wrap around patterns are not possible, grip patterns are limited in size/design as a result of the shapes/curves of our grips. Also, all designs using the laser engraving for checkering/texturing leave a charred finish on the wood surface. In order to remove that before finishing we lightly bead-blast the textured surface. This step is included in the pricing below. Cleaning up laser engraved diamond patterns with hand tools is available for an additional fee, dependent on the wood and pattern.
Note: Laser checkering is not an option on most bolt action rifle stocks due to our laser table's dimensions.
