I am making a forend for this carbine, wish to duplicate this grip work - so would like to know how this roughened grip surface was accomplished. Can't call it checkering as such, and have not seen any info on such work. Is anyone familiar with this style, know what it is commonly called, and can you point me to a source of info on how it is done?
Thanks for any assistance.

Stippling, but that is the densest stippling I've ever seen.

Made with a stippling punch and a whole lot of very closely spaced punches.

Thanks - does look like stippling seen on other items - even some metal finishes. Is there a source for good stippling punches, or does a guy go to the small punch drawer and try to grind/file/shape something?

Could also have been blasted with a coarse media.

Brownells makes stippling punches for wood.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=396/Product/WOOD-STIPPLING-PUNCHES

Possibly but blasting wood generally results in the softer portions of the wood being eroded much more quickly than the harder portions.

This is good - helpful - thanks much for the note on Brownells. I shoulda thought of them.

Now, to get the correct tool and learn how to do this. Looks like - given the density of the current stippling - the tightest punch (20 lpi) in their ad would be best the choice to help match the existing pattern. Anyone agree?

The existing has no "regularity" or crosshatch figure - has fine textured random tiny dimples - so some special skill/technique may be required - may be a bigger challenge than anticipated.

Common sense may get it done, but will be looking for a "how" tutorial. If you all know of a good article/post, please note it.

Thanks again.

I predict you'll have a bunch of stippled pieces of scrap wood laying around before you tackle the real thing.

Could an electric engraver work? I'm thinking of my multi-speed Dremel. It's just a sharp hard point that vibrates at different speeds that determine the depth of penetration. Not really engraving, but more like stippling.

Paul

nsaqm, you are prescient - that prediction is right on the mark if this stippling work is anything like other new stuff tackled around this place. Just got some walnut scraps out last evening. Am burned out on checkering and have not done any for a while. If I can get even close to a match for this buttstock it will be fortunate.

And, Paul39, thanks for that. Will get the old/cheap metal engraver out - the one that puts shaky writing on metal - and see if it works to effect. If it does, has to be better than 1,000+ light hammer strokes on a punch.