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I do not use sand paper. If the edge of the ribbon is sticking up I cut it carefully with a razor sharp very slender blade (you could use an x-acto) and you must be very careful when tapping the ribbon in not to upset (widen) the ribbon at the top as that will ruin the appearance. The traditional way to finish is to lightly burnish all the work evenly and one of the tricks is to use the burnishing tool to upset ever so slightly those areas you wish to widen as with engraving turning your chisel graver on side to carve the correct shapes into your lines or lettering. I have never seen a beginner do good work, or work worthy of putting on a rifle, so use a try stock to practice on for a few months before doing inlay on a valuable rifle. I can put inlay into a finished rifle but that takes experience, and the ability to see your art in the wood, and work with the existing circumstances. I make the tools out of bits of old scrap hacksaw blades which is about the right thickness. The edges must be tapered so that you can walk your pencil lines, wider for the straights and very narrow for the tigher curves and volutes. Poorly executed wire inlay like poorly executed engraving can ruin an otherwise fine rifle.
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