Building a Lap Steel Guitar

Tools needed

Sharpening

To get maximum enjoyment from your hand tools, they should be properly sharpened. Newly-bought tools always need to be sharpened before first-time use and also at regular intervals later on in their lives. Fortunately, it takes only a few minutes to sharpen a tool by flattening two bevels so that the line where they meet (the cutting edge) is made as thin as possible. A dull edge always has certain radius, and it is this radius that has to be got rid of with the help of some abrasive material such as a stone.

Sharpening with sandpaper
Instead of using sharpening stones it is also possible to use silicon­carbide sandpaper: just moisten a sheet of sandpaper, put it on a sheet of 1/4" (6mm) glass and throw the paper away after use. For in­between sharpening, 1200 and 2000­grit paper is needed; for coarser work and for sharpening a new blade, starting with 600 to 800­grit is ideal.
Buy at Rockler.com

Tormek wet stone grinder
Sharpening with a machine
A machine that makes sharpening a breeze is the Tormek wet stone grinder. Even beginners will produce excellent sharpened tools with this simple machine. Several accessories are available for sharpening scissors, axes, lathe tools and so on. It‘s fun to work with this machine because the motor is very quiet. Its high price shouldn‘t put you off this useful, life­long investment. There are also other wet stone grinders available, but the Tormek machine is the only one that I know from experience.
Buy at Rockler.com

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