How to Crush Stone Inlay

Pick out several pieces of stone for the inlay. Stone that is a three to four on the Mohs scale of hardness is appropriate. The Mohs scale is numbered one through 10, with one being the hardness of talc and 10 being the hardness of diamond. The harder the stone, the more difficult it is to break or cut. Look up the hardness of different types of stone by name. For instance, turquoise is a five or six on the Mohs scale.

Place a couple pieces of stone into an empty coffee can. Sizes vary, but most stones sold or found for this process are between 1/2 inch to 2 inches long.

Place the top of the chisel upside down and firmly against a piece of stone inside the coffee can. This is the flat side of the chisel.

Put on safety glasses and gloves. Partially cover the top of the coffee can with your arm or a lid to keep stone chips from flying out.

Pound on the chiseled end of the chisel gently with a hammer to break up the stone piece into smaller pieces. Repeat the process with other stone pieces you have placed in the coffee can until you have a mix of different-sized pieces, ranging from the size of a grain of sand up to 3/4-inch long.