<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=2 FAMILY="SERIF" FACE="Times New Roman" LANG="0">In a message dated 11/8/2002 9:46:51 AM Pacific Standard Time, pianobuilders@olynet.com writes:<BR>
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<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#0000ff" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"><BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">I like the Japanese water stones but a truing block is necessary because they are generally soft.</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=3 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"><BR>
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</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000080" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SCRIPT" FACE="Comic Sans MS" LANG="0">I'm fundamentally lazy. I use a Makita powered water wheel. See <A HREF="http://www.makita.com/tools_Item_View.asp?id=61">http://www.makita.com/tools_Item_View.asp?id=61</A>. </FONT><FONT COLOR="#000080" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SCRIPT" FACE="Comic Sans MS" LANG="0">Very fast and to a mirror finish.</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=3 FAMILY="SCRIPT" FACE="Comic Sans MS" LANG="0"><BR>
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</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000080" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SCRIPT" FACE="Comic Sans MS" LANG="0">Regards,</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=3 FAMILY="SCRIPT" FACE="Comic Sans MS" LANG="0"><BR>
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</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000080" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SCRIPT" FACE="Comic Sans MS" LANG="0">Del</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=3 FAMILY="SCRIPT" FACE="Comic Sans MS" LANG="0"><BR>
</BLOCKQUOTE> The makita water wheel rules. During notching I touch up the edge as needed by frequent polishing on the buffing wheel which keeps the mirror polished edge razor. <BR>
For the side notches I use a 3" red devil, I think, putty knife. It has a wooden handle that sandwiches the blade and allows for it to be whacked with a hammer without splitting up the wooden handle. My initial side cuts are made with an exacto hobby saw which aren't that truly straight but are cleaned up later with the putty knife. <BR>
Stray thought. WHy does the word knife have a K on the front of it any way.<BR>
Dale Erwin<BR>
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