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