Thread: Belgian Blue Grit

Hi Team,


I just got a beautiful natural stone from Howard at ThePerfectEdge, with one side yellow coticle, and one side belgian blue.

There's been a lot of talk about the effective grit of the yellow coticle.
Although it's usually listed as 8000 grit, Lynn says it cuts like its around12,000, and other people seem to basically concur.

There doesn't seem to be much talk about the Belgian Blue though.
It's listed at 4000, but what is its effective grit? What does it cut like?
Thanks yall

c

I think the general consensus is it cuts like a 6000 but its a very slow cutter unless you use slurry.

This thread is useless without pics!

The belgian blue is a very slow cutting 4-6K stone that leaves a very smooth scratch pattern for its grit because of the slurry cutting action. Many German's actually shave directly off this stone. The edge should be very smooth and sharp off the belgian blue, but the yellow coticule will improve the sharpness somewhat. FWIW there was a lot of information on this stone in the forums, but unfortunately it was lost in the Great Crash of '08. Maybe I'll swing by and take a look at your new stone one of these days, I am sure that it is a beauty.

OkOk Here's some glam shots of what it looks like. Thanks for the info on the blue!

Originally Posted by heavydutysg135

This thread is useless without pics!
The belgian blue is a very slow cutting 4-6K stone that leaves a very smooth scratch pattern for its grit because of the slurry cutting action. Many German's actually shave directly off this stone. The edge should be very smooth and sharp off the belgian blue, but the yellow coticule will improve the sharpness somewhat. FWIW there was a lot of information on this stone in the forums, but unfortunately it was lost in the Great Crash of '08. Maybe I'll swing by and take a look at your new stone one of these days, I am sure that it is a beauty.

You sure that aint just the slate base? Looks identical to mine.

Nice stone btw.

Originally Posted by poona

You sure that aint just the slate base? Looks identical to mine.

Nice stone btw.

If it were a slate base, the line where the yellow touches the blue would have been straight. Only nature bonds two different rocks with such curves.

I love the belgian blue stones. They are listed by the Belgians as a 4000 grit stone but they cut fast and polish the edge to something you would expect more of a 6000 grit stone. Among natural stone hones there is no grit standard as there is among artificial stones or diamond stones. I'll never forget trying out a blue the first time as I'd been raised on Arkansas hones and I couldn't believe the blue got the knife sharp so quickly! I also like it because it's a beautiful stone and I'm definitely one of those people that prefers natural stones to artificial ones. The DMT is an artificial stone but of a completely different technology than a Norton, King, or Shapton. DMT stones rock!

Howard,

I hate to take one of the stein meisters to task, but the DMT plates only rock if they lose one of the little rubber jobbiedoos on the bottom.

Sorry

So you're the one I sent that stone to! I don't know folks by their aliases in these conversations. I have to tell you that it is among the top 10 most beautiful naturals I have ever had. Although naturals often have a wavy interface between the coticule and the blue, this one has a lightning like interface and matching band just above. I held onto this stone for awhile as I really wrestled with myself over selling it vs. putting it in my personal collection. It's one of a kind.

I'd kill for a 6x2 yellow blue stone like that ..

I'm standing at x1 2x4 yellow , x1 polygon yellow , x1 6x2 yellow bench stone
My lovely little blue stone is a measly 100x60 I so so wish I'd went for a bigger one now i'm a little more experienced
I agree the blue is slow but I love the way it cuts with a slurry ..I tend to use a lather slurry also

Can't justify it just now while the pound is so weak agianst the euro

Garry