Keyboard: Keys rounded over

A good keyboard has all sharp wooden edges and corners eased to avoid discomfort. In addition, the front portions of the naturals have their edges and corners noticeably rounded over: this is partly cosmetic, but I think it also protects the fingers when the hands skim along the keys during performance.

I eased both naturals and accidentals with 600-grit sandpaper; a few swipes were usually enough to do the job. To round over the front parts of the naturals, I used 320-grit paper and sanded up to the first scribe line, holding a razor blade on edge in the line to keep from sanding too far back:


This rounding-over provides some nice shadow lines, in addition to being comfortable under the fingers.

The only thing left to do now is apply finish to the keys. I plan to use two coats of a clear Danish oil (an oil/varnish blend), followed by a light application of paste wax. Perhaps at some point in the future this might need to be re-done when the keys wear, but reapplying an oil finish is not at all difficult. Polyurethane is to be avoided on keyboards, as I've heard it wears off irregularly and looks awful after a while.