Why We Need To Keep Traditional Stonemasonry Alive.
Stonemasonry is an ancient craft and is used in many ways including preserving historic buildings all around the world.
We need to keep this trade alive as with many trades including stonemasonry, there are more and more machines taking over from skilled workers as technology evolves.
Using traditional skills and methods fills every job with passion, but not only passion but sweat and tears too. someone has taken time to produce a stunning piece of masonry, may it be a house sign or a statue.
Every stonemason has different ways of doing things and no two masons doing the same piece of work will have the same results. If your good with your hands, you can learn to carve stone! You need to be patient and have a good head to solve problems because stone is a natural product which can have many flaws.
Working with stone is a satisfying job, you can shape a natural mineral into a delicate piece
of art that will last a lifetime.
The chisels we use now-a-days are very similar to older forged chisels, but now with tungsten carbide tips which last longer and stay sharper for longer. Some of the chisels used are lettering chisels, points, pitching chisels, claw chisels, fishtail chisels, bull nose chisels plus many more. these allow a stonemason to cut, shape and engrave different types of stone with the help of wooden or the more modern nylon mallets.
So remember when your buying any carved stone make sure its been done buy hand, because your not just helping to keep the traditional skill of stonemasonry alive you are also keeping people in work.
