hand carving memorials/resperators

["George Graham" <georgergraham@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Paul,

My respirator has cartridges on the sides of the mask and exhales in front,
so maby it won't help the fogging  face shield problem. I don't use goggles
or a shield,,, because they fog up! I have to wear glasses anyway, so they
serve as eyeprotection. When fogging gets to be a problem, I set up a fan to
blow across my face. It helps keep the glasses clear, and does a nice job of
clearing off the stone dust and chips. When I'm working on granite I always
use my dust mask. I ruin at lest one pair of glasses a year. Its just the
cost of carving stone.

My approach to carving granite and using carbide chisels can be boiled down
to being very flexible. The basic rules of keeping your chisels sharp, never
carving towards an edge or corner, and being patient, apply to all forms of
stone carving.

Talking about the chisel means you must include the air hammer as well.  The
hammer must be well lubricated so that it hammers smoothly at very low
pressure. Throtteling down the air pressure allows you to let the hammer
"rest" on the chisel,which in turn rests on the stone. Weather you are using
a mallet or air tools to carve, you must be relaxed and comfortable in order
to work for long periods of time.

I use 3 kinds of air hammers, which differ from each other by the size of
the hammer (piston) inside which actually hits the chisel. My 1" is the most
useful. Its good for heavy stock removal , roughing out and fine carving as
well. My 3/4" and 1/2" hammers are only for very delicate and fragile areas.
They are also good for a final finish of work done with the 1".

When I'm doing light finish work, I control the chisel with my finger tips.
If you are gripping the tools like you are trying to strangle it, or pushing
into the stone so hard that the hammer cannot freely hammer, you are working
way to hard. You need to match the right hammer to the job. Heavy work calls
for a heavy hammer. But even when I'm using a 4 point bumper in a 1" hammer
with the pressure turned wide open, I let the hammer work freely, with just
enough strength to keep it from bouncing away. For the lightest work, I use
a small hammer and control the chisel with just my thumb and forefinger.
There are infinite degrees of pressure and control, which you will have to
learn from experience.

My experience with different kinds of granite is limited to monument quality
stone. Barre granite, Wisconsin mahogany, Wausau, Ebony Mist, Blue Pearl,
Canadian pink, Mountian rose, Indian black, red and mahogany, are all
excellent stone. Carolina pink and Georgia granite are also fine carving
stone. The funny thing is that eventhough all of these stones look very
different, they all carve pretty much the same. You would thind that the big
chrystl stones would be very fragile, but if you follow the basic rules,
sharp chisel, cut in the safe direction, and use the right hammer for the
job, you can cut anything you want.

I haven't even mentioned the effect diamond wheels and grinders have had on
the commercial statuary studios. Needless to say, its found a very prominet
place in the tool box. Professional carver of granite , while not doing
original art ,are doing work that pays bills, are keeping their skills sharp
while they fight for the few  creative commissions that come around. If you
ever get a chance to visit a studio in Barre Vermont , for example, you will
be amazed at how aggressive they are when they get serious.

Thats enough for now,
George Graham