Here I have the sides protected with 0.002" thick steel shim stock taped in place. I'm scratching the finish and cutting into the corner where the neck joins the body using a flexible, 0.006" thick jewelers slitting blade. I just want to score the finish and the surface of the neck wood to avoid any chips.
This is the saw I'll use to cut the neck off the body:
It's an autopsy bone saw and it is not dangerous! Read and see more about the bone saw. It cuts with an oscillating, not rotating action, so it's perfectly controllable and won't even cut my hand. It eats right through wood!
I have the saw fitted with a nearly flush arbor I made to hold the slitting blades commonly available through tool supply houses. I get mine from M.S.C.
OK, let's have at it:
Yes, I'm holding right onto the arbor, and pressing the flexible blade tight against the steel shim stock that protects the sides. That way the blade follows the contour of the sides, and cuts straight in. Remember the blade is NOT rotating, it's just oscillating back & forth a couple of degrees! These pictures were taking while the tool was actually turned on and cutting.
Tapping a wedge at the base of the heel and cutting downward toward the neck I can finish up the cut toward the center of the wide portion of the neck. I'm using a very thin kerf flexible Japanese razor saw. About a half inch before I might reach the fingerboard I can feel the saw graze the truss rod.
Now's where that bone saw will really shine!
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