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Anyone tried Soapstone sculpture? Help/advice needed

7 replies

apronstrings · 23/07/2006 16:50

DH bought a soapstone sculpture in Africa, and only a few days after getting home ds2 knocked it over and has damaged it. following advice on internet I have sanded and oiled it - not a bad job, def improvement but despite using fine grade emery paper the bits I've done are not as smooth as the rest of it. Also it looked great when I first oiled it but its as if the oil gets absorbed and the scratchy looking surface comes back.

Anyone actually done this? any tips?

Thanks - I feel quite sentimental about it as it is a carving of a family - and hubby searched hard to find one that matched ours in a nice stone

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apronstrings · 23/07/2006 17:13

Where are you crafters?

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apronstrings · 23/07/2006 17:13

Where are you crafters?

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southeastastra · 23/07/2006 17:14

they're all crafting! haha sounds nice though!

mousiemousie · 23/07/2006 17:20

Found this on the web for you

"My last experiment was the most successful. I wanted a high polish on a
small virginia soapstone torso. I used the extremely refined linseed oil
that oil painters use to thin their paint. Using a few drops and rubbing it
in darkened the stone instantly and looked very good. I let the stone set a
couple of days to be sure there was now residue left of the surface, and
then rubbed on a thin coat of carnuba wood wax and in a moment of
inspiration, I used an old shoe brush to shine it up just like polishing
leather shoes. The results were immediate. I got the best, clear , clean
black polish ever."

apronstrings · 23/07/2006 17:26

thank you - I'll try that

would still love to hear from anyone whose actually done it

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fairyfly · 23/07/2006 17:30

That's a shame as i nearly specialised in Soapstone sculpture a few months back but picked something else. That info is obviously no use to you but i could ask at the 3d design teacher or anyone in his class. The only problem is i'm not back till setember.....

apronstrings · 23/07/2006 17:41

thank you fairyfly - I will try the advice given and let you know if I don't manage to fix it. I am really proud of my efforts so far - there were some sizeable chips etc and I have had to reshape it quite significantly in some places -I feel so near and yet so far!!!

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