How to split landscape blocks or natural stone - NO special tools needed

No special tools … because sometimes you gotta go old school.
I show how to split landscape wall blocks with a chisel. When you have an rough face (split faced) wall or step corner or wall end you'll need to do this to make it match the rest of the retaining wall surface. This is also true of doing natural stone projects.
Following this technique will greatly increase the look and consistency of your landscape retaining wall project. Just be patient as getting a good split take some time.

[@cervega4388]

Thanks, nice instructions, will try today

[@thereefaholic]

Nice video. Which side of the chisel creates the cleaner edge. Also I have done this and if there were some bug bumps I used and angle grinder to flatten them out then used a pin scalper to remove the tool marks left by the angle grinder. Not what a real mason would do but for those of us with lesser skill at using a brick set, you are not throwing away blocks and the pin scalper works good at a final fine tuning of the project.

[@ColumbusLandscapers]

We'll the flat side will, but the whole point here it to make it look the same as the rough faced block. Thanks for your input!

[@jamesmadison9244]

Thank you for how to do this! I wonder how many times the customer has curbed their rims on the retaining wall on the edge of the driveway?

[@ColumbusLandscapers]

Lol, I asked them if they wanted it stepped down , or left away from the edge, but they insisted. .. 🤗

[@Go1US1Marines]

Thanks. Nice work.

[@eatyourlungs]

Could you do a shallow score with an angle grinder and diamond blade, then crack the block with the chisel and hammer blow?

[@ColumbusLandscapers]

Probably would work but the repetitive hammering creates small crack's making a more even break. Good luck!

[@michaelhinkley2598]

We had a mason install split face block... But they didn't use the correct corner so not there is a smooth side showing on two blocks... It is also core filled with rebar running down. It's there any way to chisel or texture the smooth side to make it match the split face? There isn't a way to remove the block and replace it. The modular is already set on it. Any help?

[@ColumbusLandscapers]

We'll, sounds like a rookie mistake. Your easiest bet will take a little technique and some luck. By trying this, you COULD potentially DAMAGE the block and end up having to replace it anyway. That being said if you take another discarded " sacrificial block" to use as a buffer, with a hammer you may be able to beat it up some and make it look rough along the outside instead of smooth. Use the old block on the outside so you'll be hitting the sacrificial piece, this will help prevent the one you're keeping from cracking but there's no guarantee of that. Probably won't match exactly but the rougher surface may help the appearance some. It's one of those "good from far, far from good solutions" . Otherwise, if you want to be safe, you can just learn to live with it. . 🙄

[@dyip32]

Would this method work on the same type of stone, but instead of splitting the width of the stone, splitting the height (ie making the stone shorter in height)? I know there are "why's" to why is want to reduce the height instead of just digging lower. I want to create a makeshift wall-cap with an obvious offset on size to distinguish it from the wall. I can't find a suitable/matching wall-cap for the choice of stone I have in mind

[@ColumbusLandscapers]

It would possibly work, but would be more difficult. The only reason to split it like this is really so that you can see the face of the block. In your situation I would just cut it and put the cut side down.