If ever you fancy a try at stone carving your own house sign or even a stab at sculpture, it might be of some help to understand the various tools and their uses.
There are basically three different sets of tools depending on the type of stone or marble you are intending to use, though there is a fair bit of overlap. Some tools being useful on almost any type of material.Wood Handled Masons chisels: For working with softish sandstone’s, i.e.; Bathstone, Cotswold etc. These look similar to the wood working chisels commonly available. However, the steel is tempered differently and they are heavier duty . They come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes.
These specialist chisels are used with a lead dummy. A lead dummy is a kind of mallet, basically a lead cylinder about 2 inches in diameter and 3 inches high mounted on a wooden handle.Bulb End steel chisels: These steel chisels are heavier duty tools than the wood handled type and are used for working harder limestone’s such as Portland
stone. They come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes.
These chisels are designed for use with a traditional wooden masons mallet. These round shaped mallets made from Italian Yew come in various sizes and weights, from four inches in diameter to nine inches.
Steve Walker has been a craftsman in stone and marble for 40 years. Leaving school at fifteen he entered an apprenticeship as an ecclesiastical marble mason with an old London firm, and in his long career have practised as a stone mason, letter cutter, restoration carver, marble mason and carver, fireplace designer and manufacturer.
He has worked in old fashioned traditional stone firms and in modern marble workshops, in almost every type of stone marble and granite.
He is now the sole owner, and craftsman of
StoneEngravings House signs – www.stoneengravings.co.uk
