Tungsten Carbide Tip Keeps History Alive

Mr. Marsolais demonstrated how the work is done. Using a Tungsten carbide tip, embedded in a steel shank, he angled the blade against the marble and gently tapped the end of the chisel with a dummy, or mallet. Slowly, what began as a scratch on the surface began to take form as an angled cut, called a V-cut. The work requires patience and a steady hand. Mistakes in stone cannot be corrected.

"It's a high-wire act," Mr. Marsolais said, describing the essentials of the trade: "A sharp chisel, a steady hand and a patient mind." He learned the essentials of letter carving in an apprenticeship at the John Stevens Shop in Newport, RI, a letter carving business that dates to 1705.



Mr. Marsolais, who grew up in Hudson, has a degree in creative writing from Naropa University in Boulder, Colo. But traditional publishing had little attraction for him. Letter press printing, the other facet of his business, allows him to design and create a variety of print products for customers who want something original, from wedding invitations to business cards.

He became immersed in letter press printing while at Zephyr Press, an independent press in Brookline, and later at Firefly Letterpress in Boston, where he worked for six years under the direction of operator John Kristensen.

His side of the workshop includes two massive letter press machines, including a 4,000-pound Colt's Armory Thomson, which dates to 1916. The type is handset, and the ink pressed on to the paper.

"With both crafts, I'm being asked to participate in some of the most meaningful events of a person's life," Mr. Marsolais said. The authentic result reflects the process: "Using real tools, achieving an honest result, for people who are interested."

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