The Belgian Blue Whetstone, or BBW for short, is extracted together with and at the same location as the Coticule. These whetstones come in wide vertical strata with the thin Coticule seams in between. They are formed in the same way, and at the same time, as the Coticule stones.
The presence of iron oxide in the Belgian Blue gives the stone its signature bluish-purple colour; and, just like the Coticule, the extraction of these unique stones is a time-consuming task that must be carried out very meticulously, without the use of machinery.
The Belgian Blue Whetstone consists of 1 layer, with a typical thickness ranging between 13 and 16 mm; and, unlike the Coticule, comes without a substrate to give it extra strength. Each of these stones has a grit comparable to that of a 3000 grit whetstone, using the Japanese grit system.
The Belgian Blue is typically produced in a uniform rectangular shape and, due to the deposition of thick strata of sedimentary rock, large sizes are the rule rather than the exception. Production of these stones is carried out using traditional methods, resulting in an incredibly high quality whetstone.
Approximate Size: 6″ x 2″ x 5/8″
Note: the whetstones are a natural product, and blemishes can sometimes be visible along the edges of the stone; this is perfectly normal for such a brittle material, and has no influence on the sharpening properties.