Stone carver carving lettering on slate 

Hey Stu... my pleasure....I'm glad that you liked the video... Haha..no backsies... take care...All the best.....Andy

Stuart, I'd like to thank you for asking Andy to do this piece for you as it gave us a chance to see what a skilled stone carver Andy is. Thank you so much🙏 Stay safe. -Mike😷

@@mpart_woodlathe-stuff it was easy , I knew he was the man 👨 for the job

Oh yes, I forgot to say I only carved on wood. Usually Honduras mohogony, redwood or red cedar or signfoam. Never tried stone. I have been told that you can use wood tools to carve slate though.

Hi Margaret... Haha... they were very clever those Romans... I'm glad that you liked it... Take care my friend...All the best.....Andy

Hi Tom... I'm not sure that I'm quite at that level but thank you so much for your very kind words... I didn't know that you had slate in America... we live and learn... Take care my friend...All the best.....Andy

@Andy's Cornish Creations yes there was quite a migration of very talented Welshman that quarried the very hard slate here at the Maryland/ Pennsylvania border. The slate roofing material from this region is said to last two hundred years. Lol ,My home just celebrated its 100th birthday so I will let you know if it makes to to that 200 year mark in the distant future. The carvers here would soak the slate to work it when doing " fine" art work Take care, yes...we should learn something new everyday

Hi Calvin... thank you for your kind words...Haha.. definitely no plumbing or electrical skills here ... there is too much to go wrong with those trades... the hardest thing is to not get any large chips on the edges of the letters... slate is quite delicate when cutting through the layers of what is a bed rock... a large chip would mean grinding the whole surface down until the chip has gone... I'm glad that you enjoyed the video... you and yours have a blessed day too.... take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Arthur... thank you for your kind words... I'm not sure that I am deserving of such praise but I'm glad that you enjoyed watching this one... its tricky to strike a balance between keeping the video short and still showing the process...take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Karen... Thank you... my pleasure... I hope that your carving of the house number is going well... If you have trouble drawing the numbers just print it out on paper full scale and trace it onto the stone.. Keep your chisels nice and sharp and enjoy it... Any questions.. don't hesitate to ask... Take care my friend...All the best.....Andy

@@AndysCornishCreations The carving is going great, thanks for asking. I've already done a small one with just the numbers, 31, 4 inches tall. Now I'm doing the larger one in 2 lines, top that has the numbers and second line has name of road. To balance it out I'm doing a meandering branch on both sides of the numbers. All your advise is greatly appreciated. I could not have had such good results without skilled tradesmen as yourself, sharing knowledge. Thanks again!!

Hi Kimsey... thank you very much... I'm glad that you liked it... take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Pog... sorry about the delay... no notification... thank you very much... I'm glad that you liked it and found it relaxing to watch... take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Alan... Thank you so much for your kind words... Take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Jacob... Thank you... I'm glad that you liked it... Happy new year.. Take care my friend...All the best.....Andy

Omg... hi Bryan...we are ok thanks... how are you and Beth doing bud... still enjoying life in France... I hope that the renovations are going well... I guess that you are growing lots of vegetables etc at the moment... take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Bram... thank you... I'm glad that you liked it... take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Shukokai ... thank you... I'm glad that you liked it and hope that you enjoy my channel...take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Rowan Tree... thank you for your kind words...I'm really glad that you enjoyed the video...take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Graham... thank you very much... I'm glad that you liked it... take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Steve... Thank you very much for your lovely comments... very kind... I'm glad that you enjoyed the video... Take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Frederick... Thank you for your kind words... Take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Frank... thank you very much for your kind words ... I'm glad that you enjoyed the video and I hope to keep them interesting and varied.... take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Ken... Thank you so much... Take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi YourAshique... Thank you so much... Take care my friend and all the best from Andy

Hi again Phil... 2 in one night or rather day for you... I have been trying to catch up on some videos this evening... thank you for your very kind words... take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Martin... Thank you so much for your very kind words... I'm glad that you enjoyed watching this one... Take care my friend...All the best.....Andy

Hi Roman... thank you... take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Jason... sorry.. didn't get a notification... thank you very much... I'm glad that you liked it... take care...All the best.....Andy

No worries Andy keep up the good work 😀

Hi Billy... thank you very much... it wasn't raining then but boy has it rained since... Haha... take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Dr DurrellShepherd... Thank you so much... I'm glad that you liked it... Take care my friend...All the best.....Andy

Hi Gary... thank you very much... there is no one more relieved than me when these things turn out ok... I'm a bit rusty on lettering... take care my friend...All the best.....Andy

Thank you very much... Take care my friend...All the best.....Andy

Hi Mrs Ross... thank you for your kind words... I'm glad that you liked it... take care...All the best.....Andy

@@AndysCornishCreations you are welcome. Have a wonderful day :)

@@RuralLifeWithTheRoss you too 😉

Hi Chris... thank you very much... I'm glad that you liked it... take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Mike... thank you so much for your kind words...I'm glad that you enjoyed it... I didn't realise that it was edge of the seat stuff... the 6x speed woodpecker Haha... it always reminds me of using an air tool ... the squirrel chatter... the 1st couple of letters that I did.. I wasn't happy with the camera position and I was whittering on but you could barely hear what I was saying so .. needing to keep the video short.. I zipped through that part...thank you for watching the whole video and great comments... take care...All the best.....Andy

@@AndysCornishCreations 👍

Hi Michl... thank you very much... I'm glad that you liked it.... take care...All the best.....Andy 🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿👍

Hi Gurkirat.... thank you very much... take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Aashique... Thank you... Take care my friend and all the best from Andy

Hi Peter... Good luck with your fireplace mantle... What material is it made from? I hope that you aren't going to inscribe " Roman's go home " on it !!! Haha Are you a slate splitter? Or have I missed something... Take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Rav... thank you very much... I'm glad that you enjoyed my knocking video.. Haha... a Roman stone Carver... hmmm... I should have worn a Toga....take care my friend...All the best.....Andy

Hi Vic... Thank you... Take care my friend and all the best from Andy

Hi Joe... thank you very much... one slip and it's no good I'm afraid... yes I do think that wood is a little more forgiving but I have never cut letters on wood... should give it a go... take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Grahame... thank you very much.... I don't do much carving anymore so I too was a bit scared... luckily it worked out fine.... take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Gene... I'm assuming that you carved wooden signs as you were using gouges... I use about 10 different sizes and shapes when sculpting on stone but generally only use 3 when cutting letters... It sounds like it's time to get your tools out and create something... if you do.. send me a picture... Take care my friend...All the best.....Andy

Hi Huw....thank you for your kind words... I had to smile to myself when I saw your house sign ... what a coincidence... I hope that you did a video of it... it would be interesting to see.... take care my friend...All the best.....Andy

@@AndysCornishCreations Hi Andy, I did think of videoing it but I think it would have been a boring video to watch, as I Pyroed the letter, nothing fancy at all. I' going to make a few more so I will video one of those. Cheers, Huw

Hi Geoffrey... thank you very much... very kind... I'm glad that you liked it... take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi J Elmo... thank you very much... Rosslyn Chapel is just a little too far a commute from Cornwall I'm afraid but I would love to work on it... take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Claes... thank you very much... Haha... I had to Google "Romani ite Domum" ... then watched the Life of Brian video...its been a long time since I watched it last... so funny... I must watch the whole film again... I like comments that make me think... and laugh...nice one.... take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Flaming furnace... Thank you so much for your kind words... It's a long time since I bought my tools. But I have recently bought a new dummy mallet and some stone from... Southern Stone... They have a good range of tools.. carving sets and stone .. The stone is a soft Limestone which you could carve with any chisel.. They sell Cold steel / fire sharp chisels which are good for softer stone, softer marble. Slate and limestone..and are cheaper.. They sell tungsten carbide tipped chisels which are good for hard stone and marble, slate and even granite although I don't recommend carving granite.. too difficult... I used tungsten carbide chisels on this video because that's what I own from my work as a monumental Mason and they keep sharp for longer... I would also recommend a diamond sharpening stone to keep your chisels sharp... essential... You can manage letter cutting with just chisel.. a half inch.. But a 1/2 inch.. 3/8 inch and a 1/4 inch or similar is a good combination...and a small dummy mallet... Southern stone is based in Dorset... southern-stone.co.uk/collections/stone-carving-kits I hope that this helps and good luck with your carving... Any questions about carving please don't hesitate to ask... Take care my friend...All the best.....Andy

Just realised that we've chatted before. On your Tudor rose. Living in Devon now. Would be good to meet up and show works. ATB. Don.

Hi Don... I hope that you are enjoying making your slate sign despite the problems that you are having.. The slate that I am using is , I think , from Portugal... it is used for slate sills and worktops and for tiles.. It came from the builders merchant so is not too expensive... Where I live is only 5 minutes from Delabole slate quarry and I also worked there for 2 years... So I know the material well... it is a little harder than the slate I used... The tungsten carbide tipped chisels that I use are very sharp and a fine cutting edge... I sharpen on a diamond stone with 400 and 1000 grit.. Slate is very prone to chipping because it is a bed stone... The reason that mine sounds more solid when cutting is that I stick the piece to a piece of worktop. About 3ft high and 2ft wide leaning against my workbench . I screw a supporting piece of wood under the piece and then use plaster of Paris to stick it to the worktop... This stops the piece moving and also stops it vibrating so you can get a better cut.. The video that I did with the sign for Trefrank farm was Delabole slate but it was an old slab and had softened a little... If you want to pop in just let me know and I can give you my address and work something out... I hope that this helps... Take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Claire... thank you for your kind words but if only I was brilliant at everything... I shorely would be a wealthy man... Haha love that you thought of the spelling... now that I look at it ...I can see what you mean... I'm surprised that no one else thought of it... what does that say about you... Haha .. thanks for the laugh... take care...All the best.....Andy x

@@AndysCornishCreations She's a naughty one eh ?

@@mpart_woodlathe-stuff Pasties don't mean the same thing in all parts of the world, which is why this is open to interpretation. She could be naughty, or just hungry. LOL!

@@lizday8140 Oh dear. Color me greatly embarrassed ! My apologies to all, especially to Claire 😌 Thank you Liz 🙏

@@mpart_woodlathe-stuff By the way, one pronounces the meat pie version as "pass-teez", not "paste-eez", as in the other meaning.

Hi Robert... Thank you... I'm glad that you liked it... I hope that you enjoy your carving hobby... Answers... 1...it is acrylic paint... I use a colour that is a good contrast to the pencil lines and also the slate as I am cutting the letters... 2... I prefer using a 4H pencil as it gives me nice fine lines ... the white pencils tend to be softer and need sharpening more often... also I can trace lettering or a design using carbon paper onto the painted surface.. 3... Slate is a very stable stone... I was a Monumental Mason for 25 years and a walk around an old Churchyard would soon show you just how long slate can last... I have seen memorials from the 1600's that look as crisp as the day that they were carved... and these were generally carved with very deep letters... so the depth of the letters is not an issue... 4...I use a diluted linseed oil to give a nice finish on a project... but this is not to protect the surface... just an aesthetic thing... I would not recommend putting any kind of finish that moisture could get behind and cause the face to blow... especially in colder climates... 5... the board is just an offcut of laminated worktop... I just lean it against my bench and screw a timber across at a convenient height to sit the project on... if the project is large this is fine as is but if the project is quite small it tends to bounce around as you are working... so I will mix some plaster of Paris and stick it to the board.. allow it to dry for an hour and then it won't move or vibrate as you are working... when you are finished carefully tap around the sides with a hammer and bolster until it comes away from the back... the plaster scrapes off easily then... If the project is a half inch thick or more you would have to hit it VERY hard to break it... I can imagine that there is quite a difference between San Francisco and Cornwall... I hope that this helps and good luck with your carving... Take care...All the best.....Andy

​@@AndysCornishCreations -- thank you so much for taking the time to share all of this useful information! I am looking forward to implementing your advice. Thanks again!

Hi Luie... thank you for your kind words... it's a water based paint... because you can't see the pencil lines very well... its also a contrast to the slate when cutting the letters... take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Ian... I use .. tungsten carbide tipped chisels... If you are in the UK.. try Southern Stone... They have a good selection of chisels, mallets and stone... Their Limestone is very soft and easy to work.. Then you can use the fire sharpened chisels, which are cheaper.. instead of tungsten carbide tipped chisels.. They supply sets to get you started... You will eventually need to sharpen the chisels.. I use a Faithfull diamond block with 400 grit on one side and 1000 grit on the other.. A small dummy mallet is nice but you can manage with any hammer... I hope that you will enjoy having a go... Take care my friend and all the best from Andy

Hi TT... I used water based acrylic paint... It was a buff colour... it doesn't matter what colour it is as long as it contrasts with the pencil lines and also when you cut the letters you need to be able to see a difference between the paint and the material underneath... traditionally we used to mix red raddle powder with yellow clay and rub that on the surface of marble, stone and limestone... use a 4H pencil and keep a fine point to mark your letters... regarding your previous question about the limestone I have found out that it is Maltese Limestone that Southern stone supply... it's good for carving but too soft for smaller lettering... take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Thomas... Thank you so much... I use a faithful diamond sharpening steel... 400 grit on one side and 1000 grit on the other... If the chisels need re shaping then I use the bench grinder... Take care my friend...All the best.....Andy

Hi sameoldmatt... Thank you very much... You can use fire sharp chisels for slate and limestone but I prefer tungsten tipped chisels because they hold their sharp edges for longer... I haven't bought any chisels for many years now... But I have bought some limestone and a dummy hammer from... Southern Stone... Wimborne Dorset.. If you are having a go at lettering on slate I would recommend... If the letters are not larger than about 2 inches in height you could manage with just a 12mm tungsten tipped lettering chisel and a 400 gramm dummy hammer... The addition of a 6mm tungsten tipped lettering chisel could be useful... If the letters are much larger I would add a 20mm tungsten tipped lettering chisel and perhaps use a heavier 600 gramm dummy hammer... You do need to sharpen and keep your chisels sharp... I use a faithfull double sided diamond sharpening steel... 400 grit and 1000 grit... I hope that this helps and that you have fun with your lettering... Please don't hesitate to ask about any information you need... Take care my friend...All the best.....Andy

Hi tipthebalance... Its linseed oil diluted with paint thinners... Take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Robert... all the coats were the same... if I remember correctly I put 4 coats of oil based enamel paint...only thin coats mind ... or the paint builds up in the corners... if the paint is oil based and suitable for metal outside it should be ok ... not spray paint though... it seems to get brittle and flakes off in time...take care...All the best.....Andy

Thank you... take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Erikdog... I have carved designs on all kinds of granite... My father used to cut letters on granite for many years... Later on we used shotblasting to cut letters and I used diamond wheels and pneumatic tools for carving... Granite is a very hard stone to cut so well done to you... you do need tungsten tipped chisels.. they make a heavier duty chisel for granite.. Take care my friend...All the best.....Andy

Hi Tamer... Cornish Slate... Take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Robert...its a dummy hammer from Southern Stone... I'm pretty sure that it is mild steel with a wooden handle... take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Ian... Thank you very much... We used to use a pale clay mixed with water... This was just some old emulsion paint that I had.. so long as it is a contrast between the slate and the paint then its ok... Take care my friend...All the best.....Andy

Hi Kevin... Lapidary sounds like a interesting hobby ... I had a polishing kit as a child but have not tried it since.. I live in Cornwall and only 2 miles from a slate quarry which I worked in for a couple of years... Having said that.. this slate is not local... it is Portuguese... I'm in the building trade and we use this Portuguese slate for window sills and kitchen worktops... It is 1 inch thick... most of our builders merchants stock it... So you could try looking for slate window sills through builders merchants or slate supplies... They generally come in stock sizes ... 6inch... 8inch...12inch... wide.....4ft.. 6ft... 8ft... long and 1inch thick. I hope that this helps... Take care...All the best.....Andy

@@AndysCornishCreations Thank you Andy. That gives me some other sources to search for. Maybe someone has a busted billiards table. Basic lapidary is pretty easy but the machines are a lot more expensive then they should be. I like faceting more as it's like machining with crystal and I like the precision but again the machines are a lot more expensive then they should be. Faceting machine designs mostly haven't changed in 50 years.

Hi Howie... Thank you so much... I'm glad that you liked it.... I use pure Olive oil.. applied lightly with a cloth and buff to remove excess... Take care my friend...All the best.....Andy

Hi Jude... thank you again for your very kind words... I used to be a Monumental Mason in our family business in Sheffield..South Yorkshire... I did this for 25 years and learned carving and lettering....then we moved down to Cornwall in 2005 and I worked in Delabole slate quarry for 2 years making house signs amongst other things... then became a general builder which is what I still do now... so yes I have always worked with my hands... I'm afraid that Stuart liked the sign... Haha A thumbs up and a Chapeau ...thank you!! I hope that you have a lovely weekend too Jude.... take care...All the best.....Andy 👋

@@AndysCornishCreations Andy!!! Do they teach monumental masonry to toddlers up in Sheffield??? I am looking at these figures thinking, soooooo much hard work has gone into these bones from such a young age, and there you are, still going strong, further exploring your immense talents at only 58… I am standing in awe, Andy, thank you for your time and energy 🙏🏻😊 Monumental masonry is creating headstones or ornamental elements on buildings and the like, right? And general builder is building everything from houses or office blocks to roads and what not? By the way, I know all the roundabouts up in Sheffield… back in 1997 driving up to Scotland with my sister, she kept turning the road map and I kept turning around the roundabouts 😬😂 Continental Europeans driving in the UK 🤪🙄 That and a stop at a chemist’s shop (I needed some “drugs” for my really bad chest cold…) are all I have seen of Sheffield, I felt so poorly that day that all I wanted was to get done with the driving and we did not stop and visit… Now I am thinking, what a shame 😔 Well, so be it… I wish you a lovely and hopefully sunny ☀️ Sunday and a good working week, Andy! Take care 🙏🏻 cheerio 👋🏻 Jude

Hi Vaughn... This was an offcut of Portuguese slate from a window sill... Take care my friend...All the best.....Andy

Hi Ollie...thank you very much... I've been a general builder for the last 13 years but prior to that I was a monumental Mason for 26 years where I learned how to carve and letter memorials...although I was more of a Carver than letter cutter and I am a bit rusty and out of practice now... thanks for your interest... take care...All the best.....Andy

@@AndysCornishCreations 26 year is certainly a lot of experience and expertise! Beautiful work Andy!

Hi Oinc.... Yes... a half inch tungsten carbide tipped chisel ... I use the corner a lot but also the flat edge for straight lines... If you goof you have to grind it out and start again... I was a Monumental Mason for 24 years carving and lettering memorials... Slate window sills from the builders merchant are fairly cheap for practicing... Wood carving is very different due to the grain as you say... But the principle is the same... Carving can be very therapeutic... I also love looking at old slate memorial's... Take care my friend...All the best.....Andy

Hi Sana ... that's a difficult question to answer.... you can learn some basic techniques in a week but to be good takes years... I haven't done much for about 15 years so I'm a bit rusty but before that I was a monumental Mason for 25 years and was still learning... Take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Steve...thank you very much... getting the excess paint off takes a while but not too hard... do you know of Delabole Slate .... it's just up the road from me and I worked there for 2 years... about 14 years ago now... omg .. how time flies... take care...All the best.....Andy

​@@AndysCornishCreations I used to live in Cornwall in the 90s, Redruth and later Liskeard. Can remember driving about and seeing the waste slate on the roadside on the north coast.

@@steveellis8746 ahh yes .. I remember you mentioning that you lived in Cornwall before... you see a lot of the waste slate on the way over to Trebarwith strand which is our nearest beach.. at low tide...take care...All the best.....Andy

Hi Rick... I was a Monumental Mason for 26 years up in Sheffield... it was a family business and I learned hand lettering and carving from my Dad... we've been living in Cornwall now for 16 years so I am a bit rusty... take care...All the best.....Andy