After much searching here and on other sites, I'm still confused about winding checks (I'm talking metal, not rubber). From what I can tell from the few rods that I've inspected, the check goes on Over the thread to hide the start of the wrap. If this is the case, why do I read so much about the close tolerance fit needed to the blank dia? That would be evident if it went on before the thread was put on.
My elderly neighbor that is teaching me has always used rubber to hide the start of the wrap and applied it afterwards. I'm about to begin my first 'serious' build and want to use metal checks from here on. Am I missing something or am I just dense? Maybe this is one of those things that you guys just take for granted that everyone knows. As a gunsmith, when I read about 'tolerance fit' I expect it to be tight.
Can someone please enlighten me to the ways of the metal winding check?

I put mine on first then wrap right up to it. It hides the sometimes "boogered" up end on the foregrip and with a little finish put on at an angle makes a nice ramp.

A winding check is just a cosmetic decoration and was originally done to hide the glue line
or transition from cork to blank. It will cover the hole in the grip if made a bit to large and
provide a clean look. I think they were fist done because the boo rods are hex and the hole
in the cork was round and the first nice metal checks were made hex to fit nice on the boo
and cover the round hole. The object is the same regardless of material used to make the check
or hosel. They generally to thin to hide or cover the start of any thread wrap.

A metal check that fits to tight on a round blank can restrict the hoop deformation when the
blank flexes at the check and cause a failure. Fitting to tight isn't good and fitting to loose looks
bad.

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/13/2009 11:34AM by Raymond Adams.

Ahh, plain English! That's what I needed. Thx guys!

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