Who chisels epitaphs onto gravestones?

Professional sandblasting workers chisel epitaphs onto gravestones, often working from templates created by draftsmen within the same monument engraving company. The worker applies liquid glue to the headstone, then places a rubber stencil over the glue and cuts the letters or design with a sandblasting machine.

Newer techniques for headstone chiseling are beginning to replace sandblasting in some more advanced workshops, as of 2015. Laser etching uses a powerful heat beam to disrupt the crystals on the surface of the granite surface, creating an elevated, light-colored etching. This process allows workers to create more detailed designs and carve smaller letters onto the granite.