Soapstone CarvingSoapstone CarvingBy Wayne Mills, Member, OMSBy Wayne Mills, Member, OMS

Soapstone Carving--Soapstone Carving--BasicsBasics

Soapstone is a great material for carving:

It is one of the softest stones

It can be carved and finished with the same tools and materials that are used on wood

It comes in a variety of colors and patterns

Conception to Reality

Decide what you want to carve

Make a pattern (front, side view)

Transfer pattern to rectangular block of soapstone big enough to accommodate pattern

Remove soapstone to outline of pattern using: rasp, jigsaw, Fordom tool and/or knife.

Smooth piece with 150-220-400-600-1500 sandpaper or 0000 steel wool

When satisfied with piece, bake at 200 ۫ F for 20 minutes and coat with paraffin (candle wax), allow to cool, then buff with a soft cotton cloth. Watco oil or neutral shoe polish can also be used.

Soapstone Carving--Soapstone Carving--BasicsBasics

Cautions: When you file or sand soapstone you are making baby power. It can get messy.

Though OSHA studies have shown it does not contain asbestos, and only small amounts of silica, it is a good idea to use a dust mask.

Look the rough material over and make sure you start with a solid piece. Soapstone can have fractures and metallic inclusions that make carving difficult.

You can remove a lot of material in the middle of (say a bowl) by drilling a lot of holes to the desired depth (called pointing).

Soapstone Carving--Soapstone Carving--BasicsBasics

Soapstone comes in many colors and patterns and is found in many locations with greenschist facies metamorphic rocks (tremolite, actinolite, serpentine and jade

Montana

Catalina Is.

Olancha, Ca.Alaska

Volcano, Ca

Monterey coast

N. Of Coulterville, Ca

Camp Paradise

Soapstone Carving—Historic Soapstone Carving—Historic ExamplesExamples

Roman Serpent ring soapstone, about 500 BC

Byzantine icon, soapstone, about 1000 AD

Slot and Tab tomb, Dahlonaga, Ga

Roman scarab ring bezel

1648-1539 BC

Chennakesava temple, Belur , India 1117 AD

Inuit soapstone auks “vintage” carving

Soapstone Carving--Soapstone Carving--CharmstoneCharmstone

Conceive idea, make pattern, select material (a sanded rectangle or square is a good place to start). Transfer pattern and cut out. Use a miter or coping saw for thicker material, a power jig saw for smaller pieces.

Soapstone Carving--Soapstone Carving--CharmstoneCharmstone

Use a rasp or file to bring to shape. Round files help smooth sharp corners.

Soapstone Carving--Soapstone Carving--CharmstoneCharmstone

Soapstone Carving--Soapstone Carving--IntarsiaIntarsia

Create pattern, cut out pattern,

Soapstone Carving--Soapstone Carving--IntarsiaIntarsia

Cut out stone to match pattern pieces. I used a Dremel Jig saw. Some (or a lot of) grinding may be necessary to make pieces fit together.

Soapstone Carving--Soapstone Carving--IntarsiaIntarsia

Glue pieces to backing board with 330 Epoxy. (Glue goes on the back of “puzzle”

pieces).

Sand with 150, 220, 400, 600 and 1500 grit wet dry paper. Bake at 200 for 30 minutes.

Let cool, cover with clear candle wax, let dry, and polish with soft cotton cloth.

Soapstone Carving--PipeSoapstone Carving--Pipe

Decide what to make. Make a template. Choose material big enough to accommodate the material.

Soapstone Carving--PipeSoapstone Carving--Pipe

Trim with radial arm saw. Mount on lathe and turn, turn, turn. Make sure you have a solid piece, or…

Soapstone Carving--PipeSoapstone Carving--Pipe

Disaster may strike…

(Soapstone can have metallic inclusions, and because it forms in metamorphic areas, it can have fractures…

However, if you choose good material…