Thread: Belgian Blue 8k

Originally Posted by Bart

They say "identical sharpening properties", but at the same time they also say that the Coticule has a grit rating of 6 to 8K and the Blue of 4K.
I too have spoken to both Rob and his father Maurice Celis, the owner of Ardennes Coticule.
Allow me to quote an email of Maurice:
"Beste Bart,

De korrelgrootte van de BBW is groter: tss 10 en 20 micron voor BBW en tss 5 en 15 micron voor Coticule. De gele stenen slijpen inderdaad fijner maar dat is amper te merken. Ook met een BBW kun je een scheermes slijpen. (...)"

"Dear Bart,

The garnet size of the BBW is bigger: in between 10 and 20 micron for BBW and in between 5 and 15 micron for Coticule. De yellow stones indeed hone finer, but the difference is barely discernible. A BBW is apt to hone a razor. (...)"

I once asked Rob why they gave a grit rating to their stones, which is in my opinion more confusing than helpful. He said it would otherwise be hard to market the hones on the modern market that seems to expects quantifiable numbers.

I agree with Ben.mid that Blueprinciple's integrity is beyond suspicion. I just think the information on the Ardennes Coticules website tries to guide the proper audience to their outstanding products, with offering simplified information. In my posts I was merely trying to elaborate on the finer points about the Belgian tandem. If anyone got the idea that I was criticizing "the Invisible Edge", then I humbly apologize.

Bart.

There is nothing wrong with criticism -it is the hone on which we are all sharpened (cool, eh?!). Honestly - I learned at art college many years ago that criticism (as opposed to mere dismissive 'rubbishing') is a great thing - taken in spirit it can only improve your business. Seriously, I didn't think anyone was running me down - hell, I'm just an ordinary guy and I just say what my experience dictates. I do not pretend to be the oracle when it comes to honing - I'm just reasonably good at it. Put that down to a light touch, a lot of mistakes, a lot of practice and a 'feel for the steel' (always had that!). If someone says the garnets are X micron, that's fine, I have no problem with it - my main concern is that when a customer receives a razor from me he (or she!) shaves with it, looks in the mirror and says 'S**t! That is one hell of an edge!'

I really like the Belgian stones but I do not use them exclusively - I also use jap waterstones, DMT's, thuringians and turkey stones (ah, now there's a tale!).

At the end of the day, it's the shave that matters, yes?