Thread: Belgian Hones

Jim,
I am temporarily out of stock on the Belgians. I am pretty picky about them and will only carry certain ones from this point on. I sent a few out for evaluation and refined what I will sell.

I wish I could find a source for stones similar to the escher stones from germany.

Tony

The blue stone is a very slow stone as compared to the norton 4K. In my experience I think the blue is closer to 6K.

Three easy ways to tell the blue from slate: (1) Slate is black or dark grey and does not give off a colored slurry on wet sandpaper. The blue stone is deep red and (2) sparkles (it's the garnets) in strong light or sunlight when viewed with a magnifying glass. It gives off the redish-purple slurry on wet sandpaper. (3) If it is a coticule with slate you will usually see a binder material in gaps where they meet. Here is the site where I bought my first coticule with the help of our Belgian daughter-in-law (French speaking and father's family is from Vielsalm). I think they have English speaking/writing people at the firm also.
http://www.ardennes-coticule.com/engels.htm
Monte

Originally Posted by monte6177

Three easy ways to tell the blue from slate: (1) Slate is black or dark grey and does not give off a colored slurry on wet sandpaper. The blue stone is deep red and (2) sparkles (it's the garnets) in strong light or sunlight when viewed with a magnifying glass. It gives off the redish-purple slurry on wet sandpaper. (3) If it is a coticule with slate you will usually see a binder material in gaps where they meet. Here is the site where I bought my first coticule with the help of our Belgian daughter-in-law (French speaking and father's family is from Vielsalm). I think they have English speaking/writing people at the firm also.
http://www.ardennes-coticule.com/engels.htm
Monte

ok, mine goves off slurry.....but is black/blue....but since it works I'm going to continue using it anyway.

Kinda weird though how a "blue" stone is red isn't it?

Monte,
Good description. One can clearly see a grain structure in the blue stone which is usually a real purple/blue color. The slate is black and of such fine grain it appears a solid black color with no grain or crystals seen.

On vintage stones many times you will find the blue bonded to the slate with a binder much like the newer coticule/slate stones. These are different wfrom the naturally occuring ones in thet the seam is perfectly flat and straight where they may vary on a natural.

Tony

Is the fine grit of a coticule similiar to using a pasted strop? I ask because I was looking to buy a coticule to fine hone my razors if the coticule could also serve the purpose of freshening up a blade like a pasted strop so I wouldn't have to worry about buying a pasted strop in addition to my hones. I noticed to that the yellow coticule has the same grit as the norton 8000. If so, does it finer hone a razor than the 8000 grit norton?

The Yellow Belgian coticule is regarded as finer than the Norton 8000 and some people are using it instead of a pasted strop. I am currently using all three.

Originally Posted by filmecyan

Is the fine grit of a coticule similiar to using a pasted strop? I ask because I was looking to buy a coticule to fine hone my razors if the coticule could also serve the purpose of freshening up a blade like a pasted strop so I wouldn't have to worry about buying a pasted strop in addition to my hones. I noticed to that the yellow coticule has the same grit as the norton 8000. If so, does it finer hone a razor than the 8000 grit norton?

How often should it be used for touchups, both for carbon and stainless blades?

Only when needed.

Originally Posted by FiReSTaRT

How often should it be used for touchups, both for carbon and stainless blades?

ok, I have heard some of the folks say work up a slurry on the coticule. Do you work it up by honing the blade with water only or do you use some water with say 600 or 1000 grit wet/dry sandpaper first and then start honing for the very first time?


Jmy. Ellis