How to soften surface of split slate for hearth

[RJRock]

Hi all.
I'm making a slate hearth with blue slate (recycle from a wall). I'm splitting the slate to approx 30mm thick then cutting it to required shapes - all fairly random.
After splitting the new exposed surface if a bit flaky/rough - its the look I'm after but some flaky bits are sharp. Is there a way to easily soften the surface?

The slate is blue slate and local and isn't perfect hence the split surfaces aren't 100%

Any advice welcome.[/b]

 

[pinenot]

Polishing the slate with wax is a favorite way of making it shine, therefore an application of a hard wax might be a suitable way of applying a softening effect to split slate.

 

[onecog]

I live in a slate area and i know how sharp them bits can be so be careful.
I have just polished my slate window sills with briwax and they are now shinier than mr sheen.....try it.
Or you can buy slate oil that seals the slate and gives it a bit of a sheen and not so shiny as briwax.

 

[RJRock]

I live in a slate area and i know how sharp them bits can be so be careful.
I have just polished my slate window sills with briwax and they are now shinier than mr sheen.....try it.
Or you can buy slate oil that seals the slate and gives it a bit of a sheen and not so shiny as briwax.

thanks for the tip re briwax. I did a sample cut and used a boiled 50:50 linseed oil/white spirit mix as per another post on here. Came up really well. Yes those bit are sharp...