Spread newsprint on your work area. Newsprint is the thin, low-quality paper that newspapers are printed on. You can purchase newsprint in tablets at your local art store.
Draw your intended design on the soapstone lightly. Don't worry about details, because you will refine your sculpture as you go along.
Cut out large sections with a keyhole saw. This can be an effective way to roughly block out your sculpture's design without spending hours rasping away large sections of stone.
Refine your sculpture's design with rasps and files. Start with larger, coarser files and rasps, and work your way down to small, fine-toothed rasps.
Wet-sand the soapstone to finish the sculpture. To wet-sand, dip the soapstone in water and smooth out the surface with sandpaper. Start with coarse paper and work down to fine-grit sandpaper. Add more water between grades of sandpaper.
Warm the finished sculpture by wrapping it in a heating pad for about 20 minutes. Alternatively, you can place the stone on the rack of a warm oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
Coat the warm soapstone with furniture wax. Buff with a soft cloth.