View Single Post
  #3  
Old 04-16-2016, 04:28 PM
Rudy4 Rudy4 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 8,796
Default

I've done hundreds of nut slots using only a German-made Blintz back saw that I purchased 30 years ago; it's somewhat comparable to the small X-acto hobby back saw.

I use only the fine blade that came with the interchangable blade set (somewhere around .015") and rock the blade to the side for wider cuts. All my slots are finished off by wrapping a sheet of 220 around the bottom of the correct sized strip of metal that works with the slot size I'm working with. The strips are available in finer hobby shops, and come in precise thicknesses. I keep a bunch of these handy, and even round the edges and mount them in handles to create "Special nut slotting tools".

The smallest slots are simply smoothed and rounded with a folded piece of 220 directly in the slot created by the back saw.

It might seem that a thinner saw is needed, but I've never experianced any difficulty with slot width, as the rounded bottom of the slot prevents the string from buzzing if there is sufficient back angle, which should be the case in a properly formed slot.

There are a lot of "specialty tools" being marketed to those who didn't cut their teeth on older methods. No problem with purchasing specialty products, but I feel it's far better to learn to use tools and techniques that are adaptable to many situations.

Many of the "specialty tools" elict amusement to me, as I see tools that were created for other purposes, re-branded as 'guitar tools" and sold at a substantial markup.

A luthier supply shop owner has to put food on the table somehow...

A final tip... Pay particular attention to ANYTHING Charles Tauber posts!
Reply With Quote