Introducing myself: Helen C.-Natural faults

["Sue" <zdome@zzzzzzzz>]

Hi,  I would think it is best to stabilize that area, if you want to leave
it as a rough spot basically as is.  If you want to carve it, I would say
forget that thought.  I wouldn't suggest glue of any sort to do it with and
 from experience I can tell you that type of glue doesn't work well on stone
under any circumstances.  You could stabilize it with a two part clear
polymer (not epoxy) in a more permanent way where your fault would then be
stronger than the alabaster that contains it.  The polymers can be purchased
at any well stocked hardware store (I used to get it from Ace)  It is a
little pricey but definately worth the investment imo.

If you want an even finish on your scupture you could use it all over as the
end step in polishing or you could just do the area you are talking about.
It does harden with a glossy finish.  I don't know if you would get a better
result painting over the area with this material or removing the dirt and
crumbly stuff and mixing it first with the polymer and then replacing it
into the fault crack.  If you have any similar scrap pieces of alabaster
around you might want to try it both ways on small samples before committing
to one or the other on your piece.  Typically, this polymer is used in food
packing places and is totally non-porous and extremely tuff.  There may be
some similar type product designed and labeled specifically for stone but I
have always been one to want to use what is easily attainable rather than to
have to special order.  While this was not a cheap product to use (over 30$
for a quart 15 years ago), I am sure that it is less expensive that way than
packaged as some specialty product for a limited industry.  Hope this helps,

Sue Buchenholz
Connections Contemporary Fine Arts
http://www.ccfa.net