The tools nec­es­sary for cut­ting and inlay­ing pearl include good light­ing, a jew­el­er’s saw, a home­made cut­ting jig, a scribe with a sharp met­al point that is hard and stiff enough to scribe very hard wood, a few nee­dle and small mil

This pearl inlay will be in the shape of a script monogram “L” that my friend Tim drew with a felt-tip pen. It’s going to be a spidery-thin piece when it’s done, and these tips helped me cut it to the shape Tim wanted.

You'd be surprised how soft the pearl actually is to cut, file, and sand. Guitar headstocks and fretboards have pearl inlays and the luthiery catalogs are a good resource. Stewart MacDonald's has pearl (white, gold, and black) pieces and you can g