Soapstone

peter nap

peter nap

Joined
Nov 27, 1999
Messages
3,745
Has anyone tried Blackpearl Soapstone for handles. It's supposed to be harder and more chip resistant than ordinary soapstone.
 
Don, I picked up some multi colored soap stone a couple years ago but haven't tried it yet. Maybe I'll give it a try. I think it would work better as a block than slabbed. Thanks for the reminder!
 
How bizarre, I was just in a shop yesterday looking at some Inuit soapstone carvings and thinking to myself I'd like to try carving some and was wondering where I could find some and what do you know I bring up Shop Talk and there's a thread on soapstone! What a coincidence! Of course I was thinking on ways to incorparate it in knife handles as well.
 
We hated the stuff back in my coal mining days. Damn stuff'll kill ya dead. Doesn't stick very wel to the roof when gotten damp.

RL
 
I like it and have used it. It is kinda soft, but takes a nice finish. Both the gaurd and pommel are Black Pearl Soap Stone in the below pictures. I don't know how durable it is.

f2c.jpg


f2d.jpg
 
So - where do you get the stuff?

Sean I sure do admire the lines of that knife. What are the other handle materials?
 
To soft. On a 1-10 scale diamond being 10 and 1 being dust soapstone is about 2-3.
You can carve it with a nail. Scratches easy and wears very quick.
TJ
 
I bought mine from here:

http://www.blackpearlsoapstone.com/

The other handle materials are African Blackwood and Thuya Burl. Everything on that knife came from my scrap pile (including the blade). I love the lines too. I tweeked it a bit from the Jade Fighter by dropping the handle more. Made a world of difference. It looks good from a far, but it is far from good. :D

Actaully it is not that bad, just too many little voids in the cable damascus for my liking.

What TJ said is very true; the stuff is soft and I would not use it on a knife that would see heavy usage. But for a letter opener or "trailer queen" it has its applications.
 
I'm going to run over and get some soon Dave. They sell it in random sections in 65 LB boxes for about $85.00.

I'm going to try some for knife handles on ornamentals like Laredo's and my wife wants a bowl or two made :(
My son wants to try a piece two. That will leave plenty left over. I'll let you know when I get it Dave.

I want it to use in place of Corian. I hate plastic no matter how nice t works.
 
Soapstone is softer than mother of pearl, coral, and most bone. Think about it. And "pearl?" Real pearl is harder.
Just an observation.
 
peter, isnt soap stone a little impractcal? it looks great, but its heavy and its still will chip and break under heavy abuse. it would look really good on a collectors knife or a wall hanger, but i dont think it would be great on something ment to be used alot. i dunno though, ive never use a knife with a soap stone handle.
 
peter nap said:
. I'll let you know when I get it Dave.

I want it to use in place of Corian. I hate plastic no matter how nice t works.
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That'd be great Don, thanks. I like your idea of replacing Corian with it, they're probably very much alike in physical properties, and Corian isn't as weak as I thought it'd be. I think the soapstone looks cool, too. "Ornamental" is probably the right word for its use and on the right knife should serve its purpose just fine.
 
It is pretty soft. Some like to hand etch or paint figures and pictures on. It's easy to work. It is heavy but soft. You can almost rub your fingers upon a dry specimen and see it come off in your hand. Myself, I would not select it as a knife handle material.

RL
 
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