Sharping levers are used on folk harps to facilitate key changes. Installing a lever over a string allows you to raise the pitch of that string one-half step by engaging the cam handle against the string. Thus an F-string can be raised to F# by a simple flick of the lever. Similarly, a B-string may be tuned to Bb so that the lever will raise it to a B-natural and release it back to a B-flat, as needed

Most folk harp players set the key signature (sharps or flats) on the harp before starting each piece of music. For the key of G, you would engage the levers on all the F strings to produce the F# needed for that key (making sure all other notes on the harp are natural). If the following piece were then to be played in the key of F, you would then release the levers on all the F strings to produce F-natural, and also release all the B-string levers to produce Bb.

You may install a lever over every string on the harp, but if you think you may never use all of them, it would be more cost-effective to select which keys you think you are most likely to use, and then install only the levers necessary for those keys:

KEY OF G:	requires F#
KEY OF D:	requires F# and C#
KEY OF A:	requires F# and C# and G#
KEY OF F:	requires Bb
KEY OF Bb:	requires Bb and Eb
KEY OF Eb:	requires Bb and Eb and Ab