SOFT AS GRANITE

摘要

Perhaps second only to nautical parlance, the building trades have provided a plethora of colloquialisms and sayings that have become part of everyday language. 'On the level', 'square deal', 'like putty in his hands', 'here's mud in your eye', 'tough as nails' and 'hard as granite'. Indeed, fresh granite is hard, but very basic tools have been used to shape blocks of granite for buildings since prehistoric times. Although traditional tools and methods were relatively sophisticated, careful selection of granite was a major consideration to maximise the efficiency of the tools concerned. It is essential at this point in the discussion to explore some definitions and terminology associated with granite. Firstly, the strict definition is much more precise than the general label applied by stone masons and quarrymen. Geologically, granite is an igneous rock slowly cooled and crystallised at depth with a chemical composition that varies between specific limits. The main minerals within a true granite are quartz, feldspar and mica along with a selection of dark ferromagnesian minerals.