The #1 Luthier Skill You NEED

Sharpening scrapers, gouges, chisels, and planes!

I hate to break it to you, but you really can't do much luthier work without learning to sharpen tools.

You just gotta set aside a few hours, get on YouTube, and find a method that works for you.

You don't need a $200 Japanese whetstone to start, truly. Sandpaper will do if nothing else. Here I've got an old file and an old oil stone.

It took me a few tries, but I think I got the hang of it now!

New old luthier tools

New tools, new projects!

We inherited some old family tools. Some of them are perfect for violin-making! What a delight.

Some new projects are in the works. This time I'm more focused on collecting the proper tools and materials before attempting the tasks I have in mind.

What are your favorite tool sources? Antique stores are a good source of planes, for example.