Can anyone elaborate on the history/timeline of checkering and the diamond on old Smith grips?
Was the checkering pattern on Smiths done by hand, or by machine? Or if both, when did this change?
What's the reason for the diamond? I thought it might be purely design, but there must be some reasoning behind it. I can see the grip screw might interfere with the checkering process; it looks like the diamond shape may be a natural result of avoiding the grip screw area while gouging out the lines that form the checkering.
Was there a progression of grip designs over time, or is it not as simple as saying a certain grip style was used from year x to year y?