How To Protect Soapstone Carvings

Many customers choose to leave the stone untreated.

How to protect soapstone carvings. It may largely be composed of the mineral talc and is thus rich in magnesium. I usually work outside wearing all equipment. If you want to make your soapstone countertop or sink darker you can simply apply some mineral oil.

You just have to handle it with care its pretty fragile stuff. Use a soft cloth to keep it free from dust and if your sculpture has a lot of texture and crevices use a paintbrush to dust away any dirt that has become embedded. How to repair an African soapstone carving.

Wear non slip gloves such as latex gloves to support it and keep it clean. It has been a medium for carving in cultures around the world for thousands of years. These products are designed to seal porous stone that can stain like marble and granite.

Hold the carving in one hand wet the carving and the sandpaper in a container of water and begin sanding. The carving of your soapstone you can put a glossy finish on the stone by the following the steps outlined below. Even if you are carving small quantities of stone the stone itself may contain asbestos or silica.

Unless you are working with a power tool that throws large pieces of stone hard safety goggles and a respirator should protect your face while carving soapstone. Use a fine-grade sandpaper for repairing minor surface scratches. Make sure you support any area youre dusting since soapstone is so soft.

Stone sculptures made from soapstone will need to be handled with slightly more care than carvings from harder types of stone. It is safe to remove safety equipment while you are wet sanding. Also known as steatite is a metamorphic rock.