Few people realize that a hole can be punched easily in roof Toronto slate by using a sharp object – slates of standard thickness do not need to be drilled. Traditionally, holes are punched in roof slate using any slate hammer, all of which have sharp points for that purpose. If the hammer doesn’t have a slate punch on it, it’s not a slate hammer. A crude way to cut slate is to use the pointed end of a slate hammer (or a hammer and nail) and perforate holes along a line on the slate, then break the slate on the dotted line.
Once the slate is cut, the jagged edge is tapped straight-on with the hammer to remove the roughness. In this manner, even hammers without cutting shanks can he used to cut slates. Also, this slate-cutting technique can be performed with any hammer and a nail, so that even the average do-it-your-seller can cut roof slate without special tools.