Knurled pattern on different types of surfaces What's an efficient way to make a knurled pattern on any surface? I am able to get great results on a simple square surface, but when it comes to anything else it becomes very tricky.

Here's what I made on a simple square surface:


Here's my best attempt on a circular surface. I had to make the pattern on a square surface, then do a knife project to cut out a circle. Then I just put a cylinder behind it... 



Here's what I'm modeling. End goal is a game ready asset. These patterns will be used to bake a normal



Any tips would be very appreciated! I'm doing the mag eject button, still need the trigger, safety, and slide release. Would be great to have a better way of doing this to save time.
You could make an inverted pattern that's gonna boolean cut the surface you are going to use. 
Then after using it as boolean cut over the surface you want to get that pattern on. 

Keep in mind that the pattern you are going to use to cut out the pattern on the object needs to be the inverted version of the pattern. Holes in the object are standing cylinders on your pattern cut-object.

On curved surfaces you could use array and curve modifiers to use the boolean over the surface like so: 
The boolean modifier should be applied to the object that's going to have the end result of the pattern. And the operation should be "difference".
This method works for all surfaces you would like to use.