| I have run my own stone and marble workshop | | | | for first project but harder to work than bath |
| for over twenty five years and it became a | | | | stone. |
| regular occurrence to have visitors looking to buy | | | | 4: Portuguese limestone. |
| a piece of stone or marble to try out stone | | | | Tools: Hardened Steel chisels used with steel |
| carving. I have a soft spot for all wannabee | | | | hammer. Fine tungsten carvers chisels used with |
| artists so I would never charge for the stone, | | | | small steel club hammer. |
| asking instead that they bring back their piece of | | | | Advantages: : High quality stone, fine grained very |
| work so that I could see how they got on. | | | | good definition of detail. Strong enough to make |
| In all those years no-one ever came back! | | | | thin panel carvings, for example house signs or |
| Now I know that most people are really decent | | | | number plaques. |
| and would have come back to show me their | | | | Readily available from fireplace manufacturers . |
| efforts, so I have put this lack of response down | | | | Disadvantages: : Not often available in sizes thicker |
| to the fact that most of these novice carvers | | | | than 30mm. |
| simply chose the wrong type of materials to start | | | | Conclusion: : Finer grain than any of the previous |
| with and therefore never actually managed to | | | | stones. Better definition for carving. Good choice |
| finish the piece of work. | | | | for first project but harder to work than bath |
| Most of the hopefuls I saw over the years | | | | stone. |
| wanted to carve marble and so, in spite of my | | | | 5: Italian Black Slate. |
| advice to try a softer stone, they trolled off | | | | Tools: Fine steel chisels, tungsten carvers chisels |
| happily with a nice piece of white Carrara or | | | | used with small steel club hammer. |
| Italian Botticino Fiorito never to be seen again. (by | | | | Advantages: : Very fine grained very good |
| me anyway!) | | | | definition of detail. Strong enough to make thin |
| The simple fact is that stone and especially | | | | panel carvings, for example house signs or |
| marble carving is hard work. Unless you choose a | | | | number plaques. |
| soft and relatively easy to work type of stone to | | | | Disadvantages: : Hard to work, will chip easily while |
| start with and you select the right tools, you will | | | | carving. Not for exterior use. |
| easily become discouraged and give up long | | | | Conclusion: : Good start if you want to carve |
| before you are able to develop the practical skills | | | | slate. |
| necessary to work the harder stones and marble. | | | | 6: York Stone. |
| To help would be stone carvers choose the right | | | | Tools: Tungsten chisels only, tungsten carvers |
| type of stone, I have tried to create a kind of | | | | chisels used with small steel club hammer. |
| Mohs Scale of hardness of the kinds of stone | | | | Advantages: : High quality stone, fine grained very |
| that you are likely to find in your local stone | | | | good definition of detail. Strong enough to make |
| yards. | | | | thin panel carvings, for example house signs or |
| This is not a scientific scale, it is based not only on | | | | number plaques. Readily available from garden |
| hardness but also on the practical workability of | | | | centres. |
| the stone. I have assumed that you will be | | | | Disadvantages: : Very hard to work. steel tools will |
| working with hand tools not power tools. | | | | blunt very quickly, Dust is hazardous so wear a |
| The scale is numbered 1-10. 1 being the softest | | | | mask! |
| stone and 10 being the hardest. | | | | Conclusion: : Not a good choice for novice carvers. |
| 1: Cotswold Stone. | | | | 7: Welsh Grey Slate. |
| Tools: Hardened steel chisels with wooden handles | | | | Tools: Fine steel chisels, tungsten carvers chisels |
| similar to wood chisels used with a Wooden mallet. | | | | used with small steel club hammer. |
| Steel chisels with steel bulb end, for use with lead | | | | Advantages: : Very fine grained excellent definition |
| mallet or “dummy”. Can be sawn with a | | | | of detail. Strong enough to make thin panel |
| hand saw just like a timber saw. | | | | carvings, for example house signs or number |
| Advantages: Very soft to work. all types of chisel | | | | plaques. Very strong. Readily available. Ideal for |
| will work. Can be cut to size with a hand saw, | | | | exterior use. |
| excellent for practising hammer and chisel | | | | Disadvantages: : Hard to work, will chip easily while |
| technique. | | | | carving. |
| Disadvantages: : Finished carvings will have poorly | | | | Conclusion: : Super quality slate but not for |
| defined detail, the stone is too coarse to give a | | | | novices. |
| sharp finish. Risk of exposing hard shell in the | | | | 8: Westmoreland or Cumberland Green Slate. |
| course of work this may spoil the look of the | | | | Tools: Tungsten chisels, tungsten carvers chisels |
| finished job. Too weak to easily make thin panel | | | | used with small steel club hammer. |
| carvings for example house signs or decorative | | | | Advantages: : Very fine grained excellent definition |
| plaques. | | | | of detail. Strong enough to make thin panel |
| Conclusion: : May be the right material for larger | | | | carvings, for example house signs or number |
| sculptural pieces. | | | | plaques. Very strong. |
| 2: Bath Stone. | | | | Disadvantages: : Very hard to work, tends to chip |
| Tools: Hardened steel chisels with wooden handles | | | | easily while carving. Ideal for exterior use. |
| similar to wood chisels. Wooden mallet. Steel | | | | Conclusion: : Super quality slate but not for |
| chisels with steel bulb end, for use with lead mallet | | | | novices. |
| or “dummy”. | | | | 9: Marble. |
| Can be sawn with a hand saw just like a timber | | | | Tools: Tungsten chisels only, tungsten carvers |
| saw. | | | | chisels used with small steel club hammer. |
| Advantages: : Soft to work. all types of chisel will | | | | Advantages: Very fine grained excellent definition |
| work. Can be cut to size with a hand saw, | | | | of detail. Strong enough to make thin panel |
| excellent for practising hammer and chisel | | | | carvings, for example house signs or number |
| technique. | | | | plaques. |
| Disadvantages: : Risk of exposing hard shell in the | | | | Disadvantages: : Very hard to work. |
| course of work this may spoil the look of the | | | | Conclusion: : Try softer materials first, if you must |
| finished job. Too weak to easily make thin panel | | | | try marble look for a paper white marble from |
| carvings for example house signs or decorative | | | | Turkey, take the advice of your local mason! |
| plaques. | | | | 10: Granite. |
| Conclusion: : Finer grain than Cotswold etc. Better | | | | Tools: Nuclear powered laser cutters only! |
| definition of carving. Good choice for first project. | | | | Advantages: :Super Hard. |
| 3: Portland Stone. | | | | Disadvantages: : Ridiculously hard to work by hand. |
| Tools: Hardened Steel chisels with steel bulb end, | | | | Conclusion: :Try bashing your own kneecaps with |
| used with wooden masons mallet. Fine tungsten | | | | a hammer, it will hurt less! |
| carvers chisels used with small steel club hammer. | | | | That concludes “Walkers Scale of |
| Advantages: : Memorial grade is a very high quality | | | | Hardness”. I have almost certainly forgotten |
| stone, fine grained good definition of detail. Strong | | | | some stones and as the scale is based on my |
| enough to make thin panel carvings for example | | | | experiences over the years other people may |
| house signs or number plaques. | | | | have differing opinions. If you are a stonemason |
| Disadvantages: : Availability of finer grade material. | | | | or carver and have a different view, or you have |
| Some risk of exposing hard shell in the course of | | | | a local stone you think should be included on the |
| work this may spoil the look of the finished job. | | | | list please contact me and I will consider editing or |
| Conclusion: : Finer grain than Cotswold or Bath | | | | adding to this article accordingly. |
| stone etc. Better definition of carving. Good choice | | | | |