Soapstone carvers use wood saws to cut the basic shape of their project. Artists draw the outline of the design on the rock, usually with pencil, and cut the larger parts of rock away. One type of wood saw commonly used is the keyhole saw, which looks like a serrated knife blade with a curved handle. Another type is the coping saw. This type has a serrated slender blade on one side of a U-shaped stabilizer bar with a handle on one end.
After the rough shape has been formed, carvers then use files and rasps to start grinding off more of the soapstone until they have a rough version of the finished project. Because the stone is so soft, the artist must be careful not to shave off too much of the rock surface.
Sandpaper and steel wool are used to further shape and smooth the project. Artists start out with rough sandpaper and steel wool. As the stone gets smoother, carvers move up to finer grades. The sanding continues until the stone is smooth to the touch and ready for polishing.
Soapstone carvers use a variety of materials to polish their work. Some prefer oils, such as that used for cooking. The oil is rubbed on the soapstone using a soft cloth and often needs more than one application. Furniture or floor wax works well. Other artists prefer to use paraffin or beeswax on a stone that has been preheated. Some soapstone art pieces are left unpolished or have only certain areas polished to provide contrast.