Limestone or Bluestone Treads Edge treatment

[Mastermech]

Anyone know how to make the scalloped edge on a limestone or bluestone stair tread?

[David Modine]

There are a few basic tools you need to do a professional looking job.

1: Good quality carbide tip chisels. For limestone, a standard 1 1/2" wide tracer. For Bluestone, a 1 1/2" offset handset, also commonly called a "mason's chipper" for your first series of chiseling, followed with the 1 1/2" tracer for the second series of chiseling.

2: A wood handled stiking hammer. I prefer a 1 3/4 lb hammer.

You can buy these from many different stone tool distibuters. My favorites are either: Granite City Tools or Trow & Holden both are located in Barre, Vermont

The most critical tool, IMHO, is a pair of skilled hands to operate the tools listed above. The technique is not something that can be easily put in words. You need to watch someone do it, then practice, practice, practice.

Limestone is very easy & forgiving to a novice stonecutter. Achieving a nice rock pitched edge on Bluestone is very difficult. David

Mastermech wrote: