Hammer for pitching - masonry - Hammer Set

["George Graham" <georgergraham@zzzzzzzzzzz>]

Norman,
Great questions, as usual!
When I've needed to make a block with a rock pitched face that is 18" tall
for example, I start with a quarry block with a good clean split face, and
then pitch the ends and corners. You have to plan ahead and save the split
face surfaces, or get a block that you can drill and split in half so you
have 2 split face blocks that are usable. Pitching slabs over 12" thick is
very difficult with hand tools, and the waste of stone when using a bull set
makes is very expensive, when you are working with expensive slabs of
granite. At this thickness , drilling and splitting is way more efficient.
When you have a ridge of stone in the middle  that did not get pitched off,
you have to get creative. A point or splitter can sometimes knock the high
stuff off, or cutting a ledge do the tools can get a good bite is needed. Of
course any time you hit the stone you leave a mark.
Pitching off an angled , beveled or rounded surface is very difficult, and
sometimes impossible. You just have to try, or do the pitching first, and
then the carving.
George Graham, PS, I haven't been using the spell checker recently, as some
may have noticed, sorry!

Norman asked,