WHAT IS SOAPSTONE?
Although Soapstone gees from all over the world, it is primarily derived from Brazil, China, and India. Some Soapstone gees from Australia, Canada, and Germany as well. Each area has its own unique beauty and colors. Soapstone, which on the hardness scale is rated at one, gepared to a diamond, which is ten, is nonetheless quite hard. It is also non-porous so it will not stain, like granite or marble. Water can not penetrate it, nor will it tear apart from freezing.
Quarried like Granite and Marble, Soapstone is a steatite stone, with its primary geponents being magnetite, dolomite, chlorite, and talc. It ranges in age from 300 to 400 million years old. True Soapstone is inert. Alkalis and acids, which affect granite, marble, and slate, do not affect Soapstone.
HOW TO DETERMINE IF YOUR SOAPSTONE IS REAL?
To determine if the piece that you have in your collection is true Soapstone, and not resin made from a casting mold there are two simple tests that you can conduct. To determine if your piece is a form of resin or plastic, heat up a standard straight pin, (the pin needs to be red-hot), then push the pin into the bottom of the piece in question. If the pin melts its way into the material then it is definitely NOT Soapstone. The other test that you can perform is to scrape some material off from the bottom of the piece. If it is real Soapstone, these shavings will have no odor and will feel like talcum powder, slippery to the touch.
CARING FOR YOUR SOAPSTONE SCULPTURES?
Caring for your fine, Soapstone sculptures, and/or carvings, should take little more than a careful dusting now and then. Soapstone is a 'soft' rock. Fingernails and jewelry can scratch it. If it is dropped, there is a possibility that will break. Like any other valuable art, it should be handled with care.
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