Tutorial on carving stone

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Introduction

I won’t be talking about any carving technique as a lot of books cover them in great depths. I would suggest to visit often sculptor studios or stonemasons to discover how to do it practically. A book can’t teach you everything. Books are good once you have an idea how to work with stones, and it is the easiest way to learn very quickly in a very little time. When I go to Italy to source my materials and machines, I always visit studios to learn a few tricks of the trade which are never found in any books.

1. Stones

• Afraid of carving your first project?

• Not even a stone in your shopping bag?

• Choosing stones

• Stone suppliers

2. Manual and mechanical tools

• Choosing hand tools

• Mechanical tools

• Tips on Cuturi hammers

• Choosing mechanical tools

• Diamond coated tools

3. Health and safety

• Stones

• Noise

• Dust

• Vibrations

• Miscellaneous

• Mechanical/Manual handling

4. Studio set-up and work

• Access

• Light

• Ventilation

• Storage facility

• Safety

5. Tips on tools

1. Airline and compressor

2. Maintaining tools

3.           Any hand tools

4.           Chisels

5.           Electric tools

6.           Cuturi

7. Keeping quality to a high level

8. Raw materials and tools

9. Of mind and body

6. A small but useful dictionary: stone and tools in Italian

7. Links to tool suppliers