If you had a gun with known cut checkering, you could tell in an instant if the one you have it is pressed or cut. There is no comparison. The pressed checkering is usually rounded off it the bottoms of the checkering while cut will be sharp in the bottoms. Even if the tops are worn off, the bottom of the checkering should still be sharp, if it is cut. I have both, like I said you can tell the difference in an instant. Now there is hand cut checkering and machine cut checkering. Generally the machine cut is very precise while the hand cut has an over run here or there or an under run, the lines are not cut to the same depth. This holds true unless the guy/gal doing the cutting is very good. I have a 1949 Ithaca Model 37 and a 1968 Model 37. The '49 has cut checkering and the '68 has pressed. Even thought the '49 has been worn down some, I can tell right away which is which. Pressed checkering also had a tendency to not be even. It would have lighter pressing on one side or the other or one end compared to the other. While the cut checkering is even all across the face of it, even if it worn from use.
Good Luck and Good Shooting
