Pouncing Bear

Virginia Soapstone

12 inches long, 23 lbs.

Soapstone contains talc, which creates the slippery feel that gives it its name. It varies greatly in hardness and density.

Virginia Soapstone is the hardest of the soapstones that I use. It comes from a quarry in Albemarle County, Virginia, near Charlottesville. Native Americans used it for bowls and ornaments, which can be seen in museums today.

It is acid and alkali-proof, so it is often used for sinks and countertops, even in chemistry and biology labs. It is soft enough to shape with basic tools, but dense and fine-grained so that it resists staining.

This is the only soapstone that can be left outdoors for an extended time. It is much harder than the Brazilian stone, but can still be scratched by hardened steel.