Thread: First hone- which should I get?

Originally Posted by Maximilian

Howard might be a bit more expensive, true but I'll tell you this. If or when you get a coticule from Howard you know it's going to be an awesome one because Howard inspects each coticule and rejects the ones he doesn't find good enough. He knows exactly which coticule to choose. So basically you'll be getting the right coticule for the job. If you have a specific request for a hard or soft one he can help you too. That's a small premium you pay for. Customer service and dedication.

Good points Max. IMO, good customer service like that does go a long way. I don't mean to further hijack this thread, but what exactly are the differences between hard and soft coticules with respect to honing straight razors? Any reason to prefer one over the other or do they provide the same results (with the only variation being the normal difference between coticules) with just a different feel? Or is it reasonable to assume that the performance, on average, will be considerably different for a soft vs hard coticule?

EDIT: Found the answer to my own question. Here for those interested.