Belgian Whetstone, Fragments, 33-39 cm²

Belgian Coticule Whetstones

The quarrying of Belgian whetstones in the Ardennes is first mentioned in a Roman document. But the story of these natural honing stones goes further back than that. The approx. 480 million-year-old grey yellow sedimentary stones, originating from volcanic ash, are composed of very fine garnet crystals. During honing, these are released from the matrix and, in combination with water and abrasion debris, make a honing paste. The garnets only remove fine shavings from the metal and ensure a good polish. Unique combination of quick abrasive action and grain size.

Interesting fact: To produce 1 kg of sharpening stones approx. 1500 kg of cliff must be removed. The thin yellow slices are glued to a slate base and cut to size.

Quality of Natural Stones

For many years, the Belgian coticule and Arkansas stones have been synonymous with high-quality whetstones. But these stones are natural products. Due to limited resources, the quality of these stones may increasingly vary. Japanese waterstones with fine grain structures are recommended as an alternative.

Grit 6000-8000

Dimensions 33-39 cm²