RE: Question for soapstone stove users

[firefighterjake]

As some of you soapstone stove users know I have soapstone stove envy so I purchased a soapstone top for my Oslo . . . which looks sharp in my own humble opinion.

However, this morning while pouring water into my steamer I noticed a fairly large hairline crack in the center of the stone. It appears to be following the natural vein in the stone and as mentioned is hairline . . . however, it also looks like it has gone through 3/4 of the stone's depth and 3/4 of its width (front to back). I cannot tell what the stone looks like on the other side since it was still rather hot this morning when I discovered this.

My question is this . . . is there anything I can do to prevent this stone from cracking in two pieces? OK, a second question . . . what could cause this?

 

[Motor7]

Did you ever spill any water onto the stone while filling? Soapstone is porus, & absorbs moisture out of the air, which is why we have to "break-in" the stoves each season by starting several small fires, letting the stove cool dow between each one. This lets the moisture out of the stone slowly. If the stone was holding moisture & was fired right up, it can cause cracks. Some stones will crack anyway moisture or not, but most cracks don't go all the way thru. The stove I just rebuilt had 5-6 cracked tiles, several all the eay thru prob due to the overfire damage & general abuse. I used the Hearthstone cement which has ground soapstone powder and fiber in it to fill the cracks using a razor blade. Once dry and sanded, I can't see most of the cracks.

Soapstone cookware instructions are to "grease" the stoneware completly in cooking oil, let it sit for 24 hrs, then fill them with water and bring it up to heat slowly. I am guessing the oil seals the stone. Thermal shock....heating the stone too quickly seems to be the no no that causes cracks.


RD

 

[Adam_MA]

No answer for you, but would you happen to have a pic of this soapstone top? Sounds interesting!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Did you ever spill any water onto the stone while filling? Soapstone is porus, & absorbs moisture out of the air, which is why we have to "break-in" the stoves each season by starting several small fires, letting the stove cool dow between each one. This lets the moisture out of the stone slowly. If the stone was holding moisture & was fired right up, it can cause cracks. Some stones will crack anyway moisture or not, but most cracks don't go all the way thru. The stove I just rebuilt had 5-6 cracked tiles, several all the eay thru prob due to the overfire damage & general abuse. I used the Hearthstone cement which has ground soapstone powder and fiber in it to fill the cracks using a razor blade. Once dry and sanded, I can't see most of the cracks.

Soapstone cookware instructions are to "grease" the stoneware completly in cooking oil, let it sit for 24 hrs, then fill them with water and bring it up to heat slowly. I am guessing the oil seals the stone. Thermal shock....heating the stone too quickly seems to be the no no that causes cracks.


RD

RD, all soapstone users do not have to have break-in fires each season. We did break-in one time and that is the end of that. However, I know that Hearthstone does require break-in. Maybe it depends on where the stone comes from, but Woodstock stoves do not require it.

 

[Motor7]

BS, I re-read the manual, you are right. It does state that even after break-in if the stove is not used frequently, a relativly slow fire should be used to fire a cold stove. I guess my pea brain mistook that as a seasonal break-in... but, hey it's been 25+ years since I started up a Hearthstone.........:>!

RD

 

[firefighterjake]

No answer for you, but would you happen to have a pic of this soapstone top? Sounds interesting!

I have pics and a thread here somewhere . . . try a search on Oslo soapstone top or something to that effect.

 

[firefighterjake]

Did you ever spill any water onto the stone while filling? Soapstone is porus, & absorbs moisture out of the air, which is why we have to "break-in" the stoves each season by starting several small fires, letting the stove cool dow between each one. This lets the moisture out of the stone slowly. If the stone was holding moisture & was fired right up, it can cause cracks. Some stones will crack anyway moisture or not, but most cracks don't go all the way thru. The stove I just rebuilt had 5-6 cracked tiles, several all the eay thru prob due to the overfire damage & general abuse. I used the Hearthstone cement which has ground soapstone powder and fiber in it to fill the cracks using a razor blade. Once dry and sanded, I can't see most of the cracks.

Soapstone cookware instructions are to "grease" the stoneware completly in cooking oil, let it sit for 24 hrs, then fill them with water and bring it up to heat slowly. I am guessing the oil seals the stone. Thermal shock....heating the stone too quickly seems to be the no no that causes cracks.


RD

There may have been a few drops of water spilled when refilling . . . but no great amount.

I may try some of the Hearthstone cement . . . I suppose if worse comes to worse I might be able to get the stone place to drill and intall a metal bracket to keep the piece together as one solid slab. Right now the stone is still in one piece and it's difficult to see the crack as it really is a hairline type of crack.