Thread: The Wall Of Shame

Originally Posted by Leatherstockiings

Did he answer?

I have a hone question related to this listing. The Belgian Blues I have seen are usually labeled BBW which I think means Belgian Blue Whetstone. Is the coticlue only the yellow rock?

Generally, when you're telling someone you have a coticule to sell them, it is the yellow part you're referring to. You could be selling yellow with a schist backing that has no cutting ability, and you won't be slighting anyone by saying that (as in, use of the term coticule implies there's yellow but it doesn't necessarily imply any bbw is involved). It's pretty much assumed that the back has no cutting ability unless you say the stone is a natural combo, which implies the back will be belgian blue. (or that the stone is a vintage glued stone with a begian blue back).

Marketing of the blue stone seems to be a recent thing, probably because coticules in a general sense 100 years ago weren't particularly expensive and a piece of material could be had for a carver or cabinetmaker that wasn't blue, but instead either all yellow or a natural combo. A cabinetmaker would probably want a yellow coticule with fast cutting power above all, anyway. There are better tools for carvers (most notably novaculite hards of the various types).