Quote Originally Posted by Bruno View Post
Amen to that. My first coticule gave me a very dissapointing experience, to the point where I almost gave up on coticules completely.
But the low dollar persuaded me to buy a big one (I like 'em big from howard, specifically for the purpose of razor honing. And I have been very happy with it.

My older coticule is really unsuitable as a finishing stone, but it now has a place on the windowsill above the kitchen sink. Everytime I use a chefs knife or fruit knife, I give it 10 laps on the yellow and then a couple on the blue. And my kitchen knives are scary sharp since. It is a quick, easy and nice way to maintain them.

So I am pretty sure that all coticules are ok, but just not for the same purpose.
I actually had the same experience with the one "vintage" natural combo coticule I have on hand. It cuts pretty fast and rough (especially compared to the Spyderco UF), and I have to hone under running water to "polish" with it or it will wreck a final edge.

That being said, once I got the hang of it, I grew to really like that stone.

I am getting another one from ArdennesCoticule pretty soon, so it will be fun to compare the 2 in a honing head to head.