Purfling — Lutherie Encyclopedia

PurflingType: glossaryA narrow decorative inlay strip set into a channel around the edge of the soundboard or back, also serving to arrest crack propagation.## Definition Purfling is a narrow decorative strip, or set of strips, inlaid into a shallow channel cut around the perimeter of the top or back plate of a stringed instrument, just inside the binding. On violins and members of the violin family, purfling is a critical structural feature as well as a decorative one: it prevents cracks that start at the plate edge from propagating into the body of the instrument. On guitars, purfling is primarily decorative, adding visual detail to the edge treatment. Traditional purfling consists of three thin strips, typically black-white-black, made from dyed wood fiber or plastic. The strips are bent to match the body contour and glued into a channel routed or cut into the plate surface before the binding is installed. ## In Practice Installing purfling requires precision routing of a narrow channel at a consistent depth and distance from the plate edge. On violins, this channel is traditionally cut by hand using a purfling cutter and a sharp knife. On guitars, builders may use a router with a guide bearing or a specialized binding/purfling channel cutter. The purfling strips must be bent to follow the body contour, including the tight curves at the waist and bouts. Mitering the purfling at the corners, particularly at the points of a violin's bouts, is one of the hallmarks of skilled craftsmanship. Many guitar builders incorporate purfling as part of a multi-layer binding stack, combining functional edge protection with decorative visual…