Slate is a hard material to work with and I am often asked what I use to break it up with. In truth, there is no single tool that is best, although, if hard pushed I’d go for a hammer as that can do most jobs!

Instead there are a number of different tools I use, depending on what kind of slate I’m working with and how I’m trying to cut it. So today I thought I’d share a few of these tools with you.

Have you ever created a mosaic that didn't turn out quite as you imagined it would? A couple of years ago, at the start of the pandemic, I created a mosaic inspired by images I had seen of star trails.

The simplicity of the concentric circles was appealing, but the first mosaic I made inspired by the star trails ended up being more of a swirling spiral!

‘Where do you get your slate?’

This is something I get asked a lot. The most common reason for asking, is that people want to know how to source slate for their own artwork. After all, slate is an attractive rock and works well in mosaics.

So let me tell you a bit about the slate I use in my mosaics, where it comes from and offer a few suggestions for sourcing your own slate.

I’ve been cutting up slate into rods on my wet saw this week, making sure I have enough for an upcoming residential course, as well as for adding to my mosaic kits. And as I stood there all kitted out in my overalls and safety gear, getting messy, the thought ‘why do I bother with this?’ crossed my mind. Afterall, there are other (much less messy) ways to prepare slate.

I have my reasons for doing this though, and I thought I’d share a bit more about them today, along with some general hints and tips for cutting and working with slate rods.