Soapstone is one of the softest stones around, with only a hardness of 2 Mohs. As a result, while carving and handling the stone, you may scuff or scratch it. Some scratches are not too visible, and may be safely ignored as ‘scars of battle’. However, some are deep, and may influence the aesthetic beauty of the carving. How to remove scratches from soapstone carvings?
Removing scratches from soapstone carvings depends on the scratches itself. Deeper scratches may need more aggressive treatment, while lighter scratches may not. The key is to assess the scratches properly, and apply suitable treatment using the right tools and materials. You also need to refinish the carving after treatment.
This article discusses how you can remove scratches from soapstone carvings. You start by assessing the scratches, before applying the most suitable treatments. Finally, you refinish the carvings with a layer of linseed oil.
How To Assess The Scratches On Soapstone Carvings?
Start by cleaning the carvings with a brush to remove dust and lint, and give the stone carvings a good wipe down to ensure a proper clean surface. Having a clean surface allows you to assess the scratches properly and to start treatment immediately.
To assess the scratches on your soapstone carvings, you may need to prepare the following:
- Soft brush
- A microfiber cloth
- Some water, depending on your stone carving’s size, you may need either a small bowl, or a pail of water.
- Start by removing the larger dust particles, using a brush. Remember to use a soft brush to avoid introducing more scratches to your soapstone carving.
- Once done, you may wet your microfiber cloth, and wring it to remove excess water. Wipe the stone carvings to ensure a clean surface.
- While wiping, before to be gentle to avoid over rubbing. Over rubbing may lead to either more scratches, or worse, you may break your stone carvings at the more delicate areas.
- Now that the stone carvings are clean, you may now assess around the carvings and see if there are any scratches.
- If you notice a scratch, try to run your fingernails over the scratch.
- If the surface feels smooth to the touch, you may consider the scratch as minor, and only on the surface level.
- However, if you notice a ‘drop’ of your fingernail into the scratch line, and some resistance to pull your nail out from the scratch line, you may need to consider it as a deep scratch.
If The Scratches Are Not Deep
If the scratches are not deep, you may consider either removing it with a finer-grit sandpaper, or just try to make the scratch less obvious by applying an additional layer of oil. The key with minor scratches is to assess if it is worth it to spend additional time to remove the scratches, and risk damages to your store carvings.
Once you have assessed the scratches, and decided that the scratches are minor and not deep, you may want to think about the following:
Should I remove the scratches, or just try to make it less obvious?
This is because removing scratches takes some time and effort on your end. On top of that, trying to remove scratches may also introduce additional risk to your stone carvings, as you will be handling the stone carvings, introducing additional force.
This means if you are unlucky enough, you may drop, or break the stone carvings at its vulnerable areas. That or you may remove too much material in your attempt to smooth out the scratch and alter the look of the carving.
If you think the scratches are not worth the time to remove, you may consider to make it less obvious. This can be achieved by simply adding some finishing, such as linseed oil. Just add in a generous amount of linseed oil to a clean microfiber cloth, and lightly rub the cloth onto your stone carvings in the affected area.
However, if you think the scratches are annoying enough that you want to remove it, you may do so with some fine-grit sandpaper, and a piece of wet microfiber cloth.
To remove fine scratches on your soapstone carvings:
- Start by clearing the surface again, with a wet microfiber cloth.
- Prepare fine grit-sandpaper. You may start at 600 grit, and adjust as you go.
- If the scratch is not long and large, you may just not need a large sanding surface. Simply tear out a small piece of the sanding paper, and sand the stone carvings using your index finger.
- When sanding a small surface, consider using a circular motion, instead of a back-and forth.
- If the scratch is a long line, you may want to scratch back-and-forth, but only on the area where the scratch is.
- While sanding, be sure not to apply too much force, to avoid removing too much soapstone. Too much force may also break your soapstone or remove too much material, particularly at the vulnerable areas.
- Once done, wipe the sanded area with your wet microfiber cloth, and observe the surface again.
- If the scratches remain, repeat the sanding process until satisfied.
- If the scratches have been removed, you may stop sanding and continue to clean the whole stone carving with your microfiber cloth. This prepares the stone carving for you to reapply the finishing again.
- Leave to air dry for refinishing later.
If The Scratches Are Deep
If the scratches are deep, you may need more aggressive sanding. Consider using a coarser-grit sandpaper. For really deep scratches, you may need to use a file to remove it, although this is not common.
With deep scratches, you may also need to think about whether it is worth the effort and risk to remove the scratches.
This is because with very deep scratches, sanding alone may not be enough, and you may need to use a file. Using files to remove scratches is a very aggressive move, and may alter the shape and appearance of the stone carving. This may permanently alter the aesthetics of your stone carving.
You will also be more aggressive with your carving, meaning the risk of breaking it at vulnerable areas is higher as well.
As for your device, do know that a stone carving with some scratch lines may not be too bad after all, as many will always pass it as a ‘battle scar’. Perfection may not be the only way to appreciate an art piece like stone carving.
If you deem that it is necessary to remove the scratches, you may do the following:
- Start by clearing the surface again, with a wet microfiber cloth.
- Prepare fine grit-sandpaper. You may start at 200 grit, and adjust to a finer grit as you go.
- When sanding, consider using a circular motion, instead of a back-and forth.
- If the scratch is a long line, you may want to scratch back-and-forth, but only on the area where the scratch is.
- If sanding fails to remove the scratches to your satisfaction, you may either switch to a coarser grit sandpaper, or you may consider using a file.
- While sanding or filing, be sure not to apply too much force, to avoid removing too much soapstone. Too much force may also break your soapstone, particularly at the vulnerable areas.
- Once done, wipe the sanded area with your wet microfiber cloth, and observe the surface again.
- If the scratches remain, repeat the sanding process until satisfied.
- If the scratches have been removed, stop sanding and clean the whole stone carving with your microfiber cloth.
- Leave to air dry for refinishing later.
Refinish The Carving Surface
You can refinish the stone carving by applying a layer of linseed on to it. Simply put some linseed oil to a microfiber cloth, and wipe it down the soapstone carving. The finishing will protect the stone carving from uneven darkening, and leave a nice color.
Once you have fixed the scratches, you may want to refinish the stone carving again. This is because you have sanded some areas of the stone, and have wiped the other parts of the stone carving.
This means your stone carving has some unfinished areas, and some other areas have the finished stripped off from them.
To reapply finishing, you may consider many finishers/sealants, but linseed oil is a great start. To reapply finishing:
- Put some drops of the linseed oil onto a piece of microfiber cloth.
- Wipe the cloth on your stone carving. Ensure to be as thorough as possible, making sure all surface areas are covered.
- When wiping, ensure to be gentler and not use excessive force.
- Once finished, allow to air dry before placing it away.
