For a small musical instrument I need a thin sheet of spruce (1.5mm). Normally I’d just buy a guitar or lute top, but for this one I need the highest quality I can get, with very narrow rings. So my idea is to saw down a blank for a violin top (25mm at its thickest point). I need to do this with as little waste as possible, because a good spruce top can cost 100-300€.
Is there a way I can do this with hand tools?
Musical instruments have been made far longer than there have been power tools. Methods of cutting veneer with hand saws are documented from hundreds of years. Roubo on Marquetry covers it well enough for your purposes I think. DM me and I’ll send you a .pdf.
Where in the world are you located? I have material in yellow cedar- a tone wood very similar to spruce- in pieces 6" wide x thick veneer to 3/8" thick, very tight vertical grain that I can supply you with at an attractive price.
It looks like you’re in Europe so shipping may be prohibitive. I’m in the USA.