From:
Jeff Rice <stonecarver001@xxxxxxx>
Date:
29 Mar 2002 03:30:46 -0000
Subject:
Color and polishing
* Follow-up to message from: The Hobby Rock
* Original date (y/m/d) was: 26 Mar 2002
* Original subject was: Color and polishing
In reply to Jeri's question about polishing
alabaster and soapstone.....and a little about
myself, being a newcomer to the list. I work
for a company that does historic restoration
as a trim carpenter. Carpentry is a my job but
not my passion, stone is. My sister in-law
lives in Albamarle Virginia. Steatite country.
I have been carving the black Virginia
soapstone for some time and have gone about
polishing the stone in a few ways. One way is
to just sand the heck out of it. Working it
with finer grades of wet-dry sandpaper until
it shines. This method won't make it black but
will get it to shine. The old cherokee pipe
makers used to grease it to get it black these
days pipe makers boil the pipes in water and
then melt beezwax on the stone. If you do this
wipe it off while it is still hot or you will
be scraping wax out of the cracks. Then sink
it in cold water. Like Arnold says, wax and
alot of other things are temporary. You can't
leave alabaster outside anyway rain will
destroy your work.I tried heating a pink
alabaster piece and it turned white.Hope I can
help. Wax on buff off and wax is for indoors
the sun is hot. Jeff Rice
- References
- message 00317: Color and polishing - The Hobby Rock (26 Mar 2002)
- Previous by Thread: message 00329: Color and polishing - George Graham (29 Mar 2002)
- Next by Thread: message 00323: gluing limestone - Greg Lewis (28 Mar 2002)
- Previous by Date: message 00333: Liebson sculpture book - Stonecarver001 (29 Mar 2002)
- Next by Date: message 00334: gluing limestone - Pwwhitley (29 Mar 2002)
