Once you have your stone sculpture in the general shape of its finished product, it is time for you to begin the final stages. For this portion of sculpting, like other portions, you will need specific tools to get the job done. The tools that are used in the final stages are rasps and rifflers, which help add precision to your sculpture.
A rasp is a steel tool with a rough makeup, that is perfect for removing excess stone, sort of like a grater. This tool will be useful for removing smaller pieces of stone, which is why it is generally used in the final stages. If someone were to use it as the main tool throughout the stone sculpting process, it would take them way too much time.
A riffler is similar to the rasp, except it is used for smaller, attention-to-detail type of work. If you are interested in creating more refined details such as strands of hair or ripples in the skin, then the riffler is the tool you are looking for. Basically, it is the tool that you want to use if you are trying to give your stone sculpture its smallest and most definitive properties.
The rasp and the riffler are each important tools in making your stone sculpture yours. Using these tools takes your work, and it transforms it into something that is much more identifiable to the masses. When people see each and every detail that you added to your stone sculpture, they cannot help but be appreciative of all of the hard work that went into it. So, of course, you can skip the final stages if you would like. After all, it is your stone sculpture. But if you want to get the most out of your work of art, the final stages are well worth your efforts.
