Hand-Cut or Sandblasted Lettering
Letters can be cut into stone by hand with a chisel or blasted through a stencil. Both are legitimate; they look different and suit different jobs.
Hand letter cutting
Letter cutting is inscriptional lettering closely related to monumental masonry and stone carving. The skill lies in setting out the letters carefully and cutting them at a consistent angle and depth. The classic form is the V-cut, in which each stroke is a groove with two angled faces that catch light and shadow.
Sandblasting
Sandblasting, or abrasive blasting, propels abrasive material against a surface under high pressure. For lettering, a resistant stencil is laid on the stone and the exposed letter shapes are blasted away. It is fast and repeatable, and it suits hard stones and complex layouts.
How they differ
- Hand-cut letters show small variations that reveal the maker's hand.
- Stencilled, blasted letters repeat very evenly from one line to the next.
- Ask which method the workshop recommends for the stone you have chosen, and why.
Raised letters and relief
In relief work the background is removed so that the letters stand proud of the surface. It takes longer and is a different skill from incising; ask to see examples.
Machine engraving
Many workshops also use computer-controlled machines. Engraving in its general sense means incising a design into a hard surface; whichever method a workshop uses, ask how it is done and see the result in the stone you have chosen.
Cut 2026-10-22