Summarize:

If you want to carve stone into a shape for a project, or carve curves into stone, you have options as well. First, you need to gather some tools. The process of carving and shaping stone is a bit more delicate. You will need a chisel set containing the following types of chisels: a large, heavy chisel, a point chisel, a claw chisel, a flat chisel, and a file. Chisel sets can be purchased online and at most hardware stores, but can get pricey. A set may cost up to $100. You will need dust masks to wear during the shaping process, as well as safety goggles. Leather gloves are a good idea as your hands may get sore while carving. To start, making a drawing of the object you're trying to carve. This can help guide you during the process. You may be making a fancy shape, like a flower, or just making a curved corner or a tile for a larger project. At any rate, sketch a rough drawing of your shape. You can use found stones, or slabs of stones you purchase at a hardware store, for your project. When selecting a stone to use, especially with found stones, you want to select something close to the shape you want. If a stone has a curved edge, for example, this would be a good option to carve out a curved corner. This will result in less extensive work for you as you shape the stone. From here, draw out your design on the stone itself. If you're carving a curve, draw the direction and shape of the curve along the edge of the stone. If you're drawing a fancy shape, like a flower, for example, draw out the shape of the petals, buds, and so on against the stone. You can use a marker or a pencil to draw on your stone. Now you can begin shaping to stone. Take your largest, heaviest chisel to start. You will use this to carve out the rough shape of the stone. Do not worry, during this process, if the stone does not look much like your desired shape. You will go through several different rounds of carving, and you're just trying to get a very rough outline here. Scrape your chisel along the stone, carving it into the rough shape you want. Carve along the edges of the drawings you've made. Make sure to wear your safety goggles, as bits of stone may fly off during this process. Do not break off big chunks of the stone. Instead, take out small bits of stone one at a time. Try to make a series of groves in the stone with tiny bits of stone wedged inside. You'll remove these lines later, with other tools. A large chisel can be rough on stone, and is not delicate enough to remove such lines. Once you've carved the rough outline, grab your point chisel. You will use this to further carve out the shape. You'll be making small lines in the stone by scraping your chisel along the stone. These lines will be leveled later, with your claw chisel. You should hold the claw chisel at about a 45-degree angle. However, the angle varies slightly depending on the roughness of the stone. For particularly rough stones, you may have to go for a steeper angle as you scrape the chisel along the stone. Once again, go slowly. Remember, it'll be awhile before your stone truly begins to take shape. Make a series of small lines in the stones running along the exterior of the shape you're carving. Make lines about 1 to 1 and a half inches apart. Then, make a crosshatch pattern by drawing lines the other way. This levels the stone, creating small bumps that can be removed with a claw chisel. Your stone should look something like the shape you desired, except the exterior of your shape will be bumpy and uneven. From here, you can begin to refine the shape by using your claw chisel to smooth out these bumps. Use the claw chisel to remove lines and bumps by gently tapping or scraping the chisel against the bumps and lines. The bumps should come off fairly easily. Keep working until you've smoothed out most of the bumps and lines from the previous chisel. In the process, however, you may create some lines and cracks with your claw chisel. That's okay. These are removed with the flat chisel. Your stone should really begin to take shape here. It should look mostly like your desired shape, only a bit rough on the edges. Now, you can take your flat chisel. Gently scrap the chisel along the stone, removing any lines or bumps created by the claw chisel. The flat chisel has a flatter edge, so any lines created here will be less noticeable and can be filed out later. There may be some loose stones and rough edges on your shape now. Take your file and rub it against the stone. Target any sharp edges, rubbing them until they soften, and look for any loose stones or pebbles embedded in your stone. These can be gently dislodged with the file.
Gather your tools. Make a drawing of the shape you plan to carve. Choose a stone close to the shape you want. Draw your design on the stone itself. Outline rough shape with your large, heavy chisel. Use your point chisel to carve out small lines in the stone. Refine the shape with the claw chisel. Remove lines with the flat chisel. Carve out loose stones and soften edges with a file.