Lettering

Devon Memorials uses a variety of techniques in letter cutting.

• Handcut. This produces very distinctive and personal work that can be tailored to exact requirements using hand tools that have changed very little since man decided to carve lasting images in stone. It is an extremely skilled, traditional craft and cannot be offered by all memorial companies.
• Lead filled. A technique normally used in stone such as Marble or Nebrasina, although it can be done in stone as hard as Granite. The letters are cut, normally by hand, filled with lead, which is then finished flush with the face of the stone.
• Raised lead. This has the appearance of lead letters stuck on-to the face of the stone –normally granite. It is an extremely skilful technique in which the letter is initially cut into the stone (normally by hand) and lead is then ‘beaten’ in and flattened. This then allows the final letter to be marked out on the lead and finally carved by hand.
• Machine-cut. A less expensive technique, achieved by sand-blasting. The inscription is laid out on a computer which produces a highly accurate stencil. The prepared stencil is then stuck onto the face of the stone and the letters are carefully sand-blasted to cut the letters into the stone