Transferring design

["George Graham" <georgergraham@zzzzzzzzzzz>]

Norman,
I'll add my thoughts to stir the pot on this subject.
One school of thought is that hand cut lettering on stone is meant to look
hand cut and not machine perfection. If your spacing and style is
consistent, then small imperfections will be invisible to everyone but you.
To get very sharp and clean edges and corners, carve just to the line with
your mallet and chisel, and then cut the last 32nd of and inch by hand,
using the extra sharp chisel like a knife.  This may be one way to remove
the tiny flakes without making more flakes. Even though you can clean up
edges by hand, the same rules apply, always work into the letter, so if you
slip, your less likely to scratch the surface Try to carve the stone as if
it were wood. Its the same idea.
Finally, one of my books says to go over your slate with some 400 or 600 wet
or dry sandpaper to remove little chips and scratches, and then oil the
stone with linseed oil. Has this been tried by anyone else out there? I know
the oil will darken up the slate, but it seems to me that it would fade if
it was left outside.
As I reread your problems with chipping, I'm starting to think that it may
all be starting with the angle of attack you are using when cutting.
Hope this helps,
George Graham
http://www.grahamsculpturestudio.com

Norman said,