Many varieties of soapstone do contain asbestos -- but
not all. Soapstone is a good stone to learn the basics
of carving with. The varieties sold by most of the
major sculpture supply houses have been tested and are
asbestos-free. If you are purchasing soapstone from a
major sculpture supply house ask for a materials data
safety sheet or the test results sheet for the
particular stone -- the big suppliers can't afford to
purchase from quarriers who have not had their stone
tested because of liabilities, and those quarriers are
anxious to provide the test results (it's a big selling
point for the growing market of novice carvers) .
But my advice is that if you can't get a copy of their
test results being free of asbestos, don't buy it. If
you don't know if the stone has been tested, don't use
it. Even if you filter out the asbestos during the
working process with a organic-vapor cartridge
respirator, you know the dust from carving gets
everywhere (if you don't know that you can just ask my
spouse when she is trying to clean house!). Even if
your studio is away from your living quarters, what
happens when a month later you want to sweep the studio
and you unthinkingly raise a cloud of dust with the
broom -- are you going to have your respirator on then?
Is the little kid playing in the yard next door going to
have a respirator on? Don't take the chance.
Personally, I have my students begin with Indiana
limestone - which will not take a polish (too porous)
but is relatively easy to carve and locally very easily
and inexpensively obtained. For my students with a bit
more cash in their pockets, or those who just gotta have
a polished surface, the purchase of alabaster is the
next step. Montoya is a good source in Florida -- it is
all imported (domestic alabaster from Western states, or
from Mexico, Spain, Italy, etc.) Marble will also give
a polish for about twice the elbow grease and a bit more
from the billfold -- but it can be very frustrating for
the novice because it goes so much slower -- but if you
are a determined individual that will not stop you, will
it?
Milt Liebson's DIRECT STONE SCULPTURE book is good, but
some others are also THE MATERIALS AND METHODS OF
SCULPTURE by Jack C. Rich published in 1947 but in
reprint now by Dover Publishers, who also publish the
reprint of 1970 edition of CONTEMPORARY STONE SCULPTURE
by Dona Z. Meilach. And though it may sound like I am
trying to sell Dover books, THE CRAFT AND CREATION OF
WOOD SCULPTURE by Cecil C. Carstenson is an excellent
(and inexpensive) introduction to the process of carving
-- and though it refers to woodcarving techniques and
tools, much of the information about process and
approach is well-applied to the carving of stone as
well.
There are a lot of other good books out there, and each
of these mentioned has it's own weaknesses, but if you
can combine the wealth of traditional information Rich
provides with the somewhat more-up-to-date introduction
of power tools and great photographic examples of a wide
variety of stone carving from Meilach (or Liebson),
with the basic sound nuts-and-bolts approach of
Carstenson you'll have the basics of Stone Carving 101
covered for the best price around. The rest, you just
have to find out by 'doing.'
Re:
Patrick's note:
"I would hasten to add to Mr. Liebson's health warning
that most varieties of soapstone contain dangerous
levels of ASBESTOS. I, for one would be far more
concerned about asbestos than talc!"
and to Howard:
"I live an South Florida and am interested in starting
to stone sculpture. Can anyone recommend what I should
do first? Where can I get instruction? I will use my
garage as a studio. What would be the ideal set up
requirements? Any advise would be appreciated."
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