Rock-Cutting Tools

To cut rocks, it is important that you use a material that is harder than the rock itself. There are many different types of rocks; some are soft, while others are hard. For instance, if you have to cut granite, you will use a tool harder than granite, which is diamond. The hardness of rocks is measured on the Mohs scale of hardness. Diamond, which is the hardest rock in the world, has been assigned a 10, while granite is assigned a 6. The softest rocks, such as Talc, are given a 1 as a score.

Diamond-tipped saws can easily cut concrete pavers, concrete pipes, clay bricks with iron spots and heavy blocks. These saws come in various sizes and weights. When you have to work for long hours, even a few ounces of extra weight can make a big difference. Keep this in mind when purchasing a saw. When using the saw, cut from the top down rather than across.

You can get an ordinary blade designed to cut marble or softer stone, or you can get one with a diamond tip, used for harder rocks. Diamond-tipped blades can typically cut paper-thin slices. However, keep in mind that it takes time to cut a rock. If you force the blade, it will overheat the tip and will cause premature wear and tear of the blade.

Steel stone hammers come in different sizes and strengths. To work with rocks for long hours, you should buy a steel hammer with a longer handle (about 14 inches), so you can handle it comfortably.

Pitching tools or handsets are used to knock large pieces of rocks off the edge of a bigger block. These tools are very effective if you want to remove small pieces of rock quickly.

Steel chisels are used for cutting hard rocks, while carbide-tipped chisels are good at cutting softer rocks. For reaching into deeper rocks, you will have to use a chisel of at least 18 inches. For average-sized rocks, a 12-inch chisel should do. Both pointed and flat chisels are used, depending on the nature of your work.