Rounding the Heads

Next, we'll eliminate the wood underneath the notches in the keytops. As shown on the left below, make a cut at roughly a 45 degree angle from the rear of the head. A coping saw is the tool of choice for this. Be careful to avoid cutting into the top of the head and/or tail. This beveling of the key stick eliminates the possibility of the adjacent sharp interfering with the wood beneath the head key covering when the sharp key is depressed. It also is aesthetically more pleasing to the eye as well and makes the key stick slightly lighter.

Once the 45 degree cut has been made, use a chisel to cut away the excess wood so that the key looks like the photo on the right.