For those of you who are new to sculpting, you need to make sure to protect yourself properly before you start your stone sculpture. While sculpting stone, many small pieces will fly off, and they can cause a lot of harm to your body. For instance, pieces of stone can get in your eyes, your lungs, or your skin. In order to prevent these incidents from happening, there is some protective gear that you should definitely have.
Protective gear includes eye-wear, gloves, and a respirator.
When choosing eye-wear, you should look for a large pair of goggles that will cover your eyes completely. Also, you should make sure that the goggles are durable, so that they can handle the stone you are working with. It is imperative that no stone particles get into your eyes in any way, so a good pair of goggles is worth the investment.
When choosing gloves, you should get a pair that is very thick and made out of a rough material. If you use gloves that are thin and weak, they will tear easily, and they will basically serve no protective barrier between your hands and the stone. Remember, it is always better to get the most protection, even it feels uncomfortable.
Finally, when choosing a respirator, you need to be certain that it fits over your mouth and nose correctly. Outside of that is pretty much up to you. The reason a respirator is so important is because it will prevent you from inhaling particles of stone that can be detrimental to your lungs. There is going to be a lot of unwanted stone flying around in the atmosphere, so a respirator is a must.
With your eyes, hands, and lungs protected from harmful stone, you are ready to go ahead and begin your masterpiece. Always remember: Safety first!
