Walked into an old refinery gig last week and saw something I haven't touched in years

Tbh the older guys used to keep their own soapstone stubs in their pocket for layout marks, now everyone just uses those yellow marker pens. I was helping a younger guy with a firebox repair and he didn't even know what soapstone was. Has anyone else noticed this shift or am I just getting old?

2 comments

2 Comments

gibson.sean6d ago

Honestly I gotta push back a little on this one. I still carry soapstone in my bag and pull it out pretty often on hot work where marker just melts off.

richard_wells594d ago

Hot work where marker just melts off" - yeah, because nothing says "precision layout" like trying to scratch a line while you're sweating through your shirt and the soapstone keeps slipping out of your greasy fingers. I get it though, soapstone has its place (especially when you're working on something that's actually on fire, I guess). But man, I've seen guys lose their soapstone mid-cut and then spend 10 minutes digging through sawdust trying to find it, which is hilarious to watch but terrible for productivity. Honestly, if it works for you, more power to you, but I'll take a sharpie and a prayer over dragging a rock around any day.