mallet/hammer query

[Don Dougan <dondougan@xxxxxxxx>]

Damon;

 ". . . roughing out limestone with a point is not an effective
method for working that material. traditional masonry offers much more
effective ways."

Are you referring to a pitching tool?  I agree it is much faster, but I
don't know that for a beginner a pitching tool is one of the best ways to
learn the basics of carving stone.  It is so easy to remove large chunks
that the carver must be fairly familiar with the working qualities of a
particular stone to prevent undercuts or backcuts (sorry, I don't know
the correct term used by stonemasons) due to the natural 'grain' of the
stone.

I use a pitching tool when I know exactly where I want to remove all the
waste to fit a particular design -- but most of the time I am not trying
to carve to a pre-determined design.  Rather, I am more-or-less feeling
my way with both the tools and the material towards the final form.  I
realize that method I prefer is not as efficient, but it allows me (or
any carver who works in the same way I do) to think and design as I work.

I am bringing this up because there are basically two types of carvers
out there -- to quote (or more correctly - paraphrase) the sculptor Isamu
Noguchi; "there are those who design something and then make it, and
there are those who make something and after they are done figure out
what it is they have made."

I am very definitely of the second variety, and I think that by masons by
training and nature must necessarily be of the first variety.

I know many artists, sculptors, and carvers who are of both varieties,
and I do not think either method is intrinsically 'better' except as the
individual him or herself is concerned.  As I was learning the basics of
carving stone - way back when - I was told by a number of the instructors
in the school that I was doing it all wrong by not designing first, and
then carving.  Though I was happily carving away and making what both I
and the art market at the time considered acceptable.  Those mentor's
comments bothered me for years, because I trusted the opinions of the
instructors.

Finally I realized that I wasn't the only one that worked that way, and
later in teaching I made a point of encouraging my students to find the
method that works best for them, and not to feel they had to follow my
specific methodology.

That said, I do treasure my pitching tools - especially the old one that
is about 3-inches wide with the handle-shank that has been worn down so
it is not much longer.

If you have pointers about how a mason properly uses a pitching tool, or
any other tricks up your sleeve to speed the carving of limestone I would
be very interested in hearing about them.

I look forward to reading your thoughts on the matter.

Don