Cutting letters in stone by hand takes skill, dedication and patience. By only using a dummy and a chisel, each action has to be considered and deliberate. Working this way is slow and time-consuming. A single letter may take an hour to complete; a whole inscription can take weeks. The amount of time and work that can go into a piece can be considerable, but when it is completed the sense of achievement is rewarding.

Letters cut in stone are put there to last. At a time when many things are instant and disposable, it is pleasing to think that an inscription may be read long after those who created it have gone. Because creating something that will last is a responsibility, everything must be of the highest quality. It is quite true that if something is worth doing then it is worth doing right.