Soapstone for carving
Raw carving soapstone, sawn blocks, beginner kits and carving tools - from one of the few Canadian suppliers that stocks soapstone for carvers, not countertops. Shipped across Canada and the USA.
Everything a carver needs, in one place
The 3x3x5 block: the size pros draw on
Professional carvers buy the same block again and again for one reason: it never changes. Every block is sawn to 3 x 3 x 5 inches, so you can draw your template on the flat faces, repeat a design, price your work and plan a class without guessing.
- Sawn flat faces - pencil and templates go on clean
- Big enough for a real figure, small enough to hold in one hand
- Brazilian stone that hides green, grey and brown veining until it's oiled
- By the block, the dozen or the pallet
Which soapstone should I buy?
Most carvers start on the 3x3x5. Schools and camps use the 3x3x3/4 class pack. Sculptors move up to 6x6x6 and 6x6x12, and studios stock rough by the pound.
| Stone | Weight | Level | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 x 3 x 3/4 in (6 pack) | ~300 g each | First-timers, kids, classes | Pendants, turtles, relief |
| 3 x 3 x 5 in | ~2 kg / 4.4 lb | Beginner to pro | Figures, bears, birds, inukshuks |
| 6 x 6 x 6 in | ~9.7 kg / 21 lb | Intermediate to pro | Busts, owls, larger pieces |
| 6 x 6 x 12 in | ~19.5 kg / 43 lb | Advanced / pro | Standing figures, tall work |
| Rough, per lb | By weight | All levels | Free-form carving, studio stock |
| Container, 44,000 lb | ~20 tonnes | Distributors | Resale, school boards |
Beginner soapstone carving kits
A pre-cut animal - bird, bear, turtle, cat, dog or elephant - a steel rasp and four grits of sandpaper. Two hours later you're holding a polished stone animal. Creators, camps and gift shops love them because they demo: someone carving at a booth draws a crowd.
- Ages 6+ with an adult nearby
- Everything in the box, no power tools
- Retail boxed, or unassembled by the case of 48
See soapstone carving in action
Real carvers, real classes and our own warehouse. Swipe for more.
Carving the elephant kit
A camp carving class
Unbox and carve
Carving at an outdoor event
Soapstone carving, explained
Finishing carvings
What's in the kit
Packing kits in our warehouse
Running a soapstone carving class?
We supply art teachers, school boards, day camps, museums and carving instructors every season. Tell us your group size and we'll put the class order together.
- 3x3x3/4 class pack - six students per pack
- 6 beginner kits or cases of 48
- Mini rasps and 36-pack tool rolls
- Our own carving workshops - all ages, all tools supplied
Not all soapstone is carving soapstone
Soapstone for carving (what we sell)
Soft, even, colourful stone cut into blocks and rough. Shapes with rasps, files and sandpaper, and polishes to deep green, brown and charcoal veining. Made for sculptors, students, Indigenous artists and hobby carvers.
Countertop and industrial soapstone
Harder, denser grades sawn into large slabs for kitchens, sinks, stoves and lab benches. Great for a countertop - frustrating to carve. We don't sell it.
Four steps, no power tools
1. DrawPencil your design on the flat faces.
2. RaspFile away everything that isn't the carving.
3. Sand wet100, 360, 600, then 2000 grit.
4. Oil and buffMineral oil brings the colour up.Keep the stone damp while you work - carve over a wet towel and wet-sand - to keep dust down and see the colour as you go.
Soapstone carving questions, answered
What is carving soapstone?
Carving soapstone is soft natural stone (steatite, mostly talc) cut for sculpture. It's the stone carvers use for animals, figures, pendants and inukshuks. It's not the dense grade used for countertops or industrial parts - it's chosen to be soft, even and colourful so it shapes with hand tools.
Is carving soapstone the same as countertop soapstone?
No. Countertop soapstone is a harder, denser grade cut into slabs. Carving soapstone is softer and sold as blocks and rough, so it shapes with rasps and files and polishes to a rich colour. We only sell soapstone for carving and craft.
What size soapstone block is best for beginners?
Start with a 3x3x5 inch block for a first real figure, or the 3x3x3/4 inch class pack for pendants, turtles and flat animals. If you want everything included, a beginner kit comes with a pre-cut animal, a rasp and sandpaper.
Why do professional carvers use 3x3x5 blocks?
Because the size never changes. Carvers draw the same template on the flat faces of every block, which makes their work repeatable, their pricing consistent and class planning simple. It's our most popular soapstone product.
What is raw soapstone?
Raw (rough) soapstone is natural, unsawn stone sold by the pound. Pieces are irregular, which many carvers like - the shape suggests the carving. We also sell sawn blocks when you want square faces to draw on.
Where does your carving soapstone come from?
Our grey, green and brown soapstone is Brazilian, from Minas Gerais, where it's mined, cleaned and cut. Our pink soapstone rough is imported from China.
How hard is soapstone?
Roughly 1 to 3 on the Mohs scale, varying block to block. You can scratch it with a fingernail in soft spots. That softness is what makes it the classic first carving stone.
What tools do I need to carve soapstone?
A rasp or file to shape, rifflers for detail, a small saw to remove big pieces, and wet-dry sandpaper from about 100 to 2000 grit to finish. Our multi-tool roll has the rasps, rifflers, saw and a knife together.
Do I need power tools to carve soapstone?
No. Soapstone carves completely by hand. Some professionals use rotary tools for detail, but every kit and block we sell is designed for hand tools.
How long does a soapstone carving take?
A beginner kit takes about two hours. A 3x3x5 figure is usually a few sessions. Larger 6x6x6 and 6x6x12 sculptures can take days.
How do I finish and polish soapstone?
Sand through the grits wet - 100, 360, 600, then 2000. Dry it, then rub in mineral oil or paste wax with a soft cloth. The colour and veining come up dramatically.
How do I keep soapstone dust down?
Carve over a damp towel, dip the piece in water often and wet-sand rather than dry-sand. Work somewhere ventilated and wear a dust mask if you sand dry - good practice with any stone.
Can kids carve soapstone?
Yes - our beginner kits are made for ages 6 and up with an adult nearby. The rasp is a file, not a blade, and the stone is soft. Camps and schools use them every season.
What's the best soapstone carving kit for beginners?
Our beginner animal kit is the bestseller: a pre-cut bird, bear, turtle, cat, dog or elephant, a steel rasp and four grits of sandpaper. The starter kit gives two flat blocks instead, and the intermediate kit adds a bigger block and a full toolset.
Can I buy carving soapstone wholesale or in bulk?
Yes. We sell by the case, by the pallet and by the 44,000 lb container. Approved wholesale accounts get wholesale pricing across the soapstone line - apply free on our wholesale page.
Do you supply schools, camps and art programs?
Yes. Art teachers, school boards, day camps, museums and recreation programs order class packs, kits and rasps from us every year. We can put a class order together if you tell us the group size.
Do Indigenous carvers buy soapstone from you?
Yes. Indigenous carvers across Canada buy from us, including many artists from Six Nations of the Grand River. Consistent blocks and reliable stock are why they keep coming back.
Do you ship soapstone across Canada and to the USA?
Yes. We ship from our Ontario warehouse across Canada and to the USA, and orders are processed in 1 to 2 business days. Heavy stone and rough soapstone ship at a separate rate and don't qualify for free-shipping offers.
How much does a soapstone block weigh?
Approximately: 3x3x3/4 in - 300 g; 3x3x5 in - 2 kg (4.4 lb); 6x6x6 in - 9.7 kg (21 lb); 6x6x12 in - 19.5 kg (43 lb). Natural stone varies a little.
Can I choose the colour of my soapstone?
Not reliably. Dry soapstone looks similar across shades - the real colour only shows once it's wet or oiled. That reveal is part of the fun.
Can I buy a full container of soapstone?
Yes - 44,000 lb containers are made to order in Brazil, with rough from 10 to 500 lb and pre-cut blocks, delivered FOB Toronto or your closest North American port. Allow about three months.
Do you run soapstone carving classes?
Yes, we run hands-on soapstone carving workshops in Ontario for all ages with every tool supplied. You can also book a private group, or use our class packs and kits to run your own.
Can I cut a large soapstone block into smaller pieces?
Yes. Soapstone cuts with a hand saw or a masonry blade. Many studios buy 6x6x12 blocks and cut their own class pieces.
What is SoapstoneBlock?
SoapstoneBlock is the carving-kit brand of Stonebridge Imports. soapstoneblock.com now leads to this page - same kits, same stone, same team.
Is soapstone good for jewellery and pendants?
Yes. Thin 3x3x3/4 pieces make great pendants - carve, drill a small hole, sand smooth and oil. Soapstone is light and warm to wear.
Buying for a shop, school, camp or studio?
Wholesale pricing for approved accounts, case and pallet quantities, full containers from Brazil, and a team that has supplied carvers since 2002. Ships from Ontario across Canada and the USA.
Apply for wholesaleContainer ordersAbout our carving soapstone
Stonebridge Imports has been bringing soapstone for carving into Canada for over a decade, first for distributors and now direct to carvers. Our Brazilian soapstone is mined and cut in Minas Gerais and is among the most even and colourful carving stone available in Canada. We stock raw soapstone rough by the pound, sawn soapstone carving blocks from 3x3x3/4 to 6x6x12 inches, beginner and intermediate soapstone carving kits under our SoapstoneBlock brand, and the rasps, rifflers and saws carvers use every day.
Our customers are carvers: Indigenous artists including carvers from Six Nations of the Grand River, art teachers and school boards, summer camps, museums and gift shops, sculptors, art therapists and first-timers looking for a two-hour project. If you're looking for soapstone for carving, raw soapstone, a soapstone carving kit, or supplies for carvers and artisans, you're in the right place.