Wet vs Dry

[RichardEmmans <r_emmans@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi there,

chiselling when wet can have benefits, though mainly I
believe when working with sandstone. It has the obvious
benefit of binding the dust, though not for very long and
also you then have to fight the sludge resulting from the
bound dust.

Anyway, if you are carving sandstone and really wet the
block well, the carving is a lot smoother. Bearing in mind
how deep the water will have penetrated the stone it is only
really effective if you are defining the final surface
texture. I wet my sandstone as soon as the form is defined
and want to do the finishing touches (texture, definition of
lines etc.)

I have heard stories of traditional Indian carvers, who keep
a block of schist or slate in a pond for a couple of days
before they start carving. I have never found out, if the
story is true or myth, and if it is true, why they do it (I
myself don't carve enough slate to claim enough experience).

With marble I know that the material hardens after it has
been broken in the quarry and this process can be prolonged
to a certain degree by keeping the blocks moist. But most of
my marble has left the quarry that long ago, that I wouldn't
notice any effects I believe.

Enjoy carving
Richard