Thread: ONE COTICULE HONING

I've definitely found so far that for my sharper edges, I need a much much different touch (pressure) than I do with my "slightly duller" edges. FWIW, IMHO, I consider the edges off of both of my coticules to be of the "slightly duller" edge category in that I do not find that they are the sharpest edges I can get. Shaving off of either of them, I can be quite liberal with pressure and technique and still not get any irritation. This is not the case if I shave with a sharper razor. I need to be much more careful and pay close attention to blade angles and pressure. The sharpest edges seem to be easiest to get the closest/best shaves, but also the easiest to get massive irritation if you aren't careful, IMHO. But this could all be applicable only to my face

Thats why i prefer straights the fact that i can shave more regular with a straight rather than de blades. I shave with straight i don't even feel like i have had a shave no iritation. I use perma sharp in shavette every day on my clients these blades are number one all turkish barbers use them and realy they are magic but still they leave slight tingling after shave. The shave of coticules or any naturals is alot differant on my skin i've only used bbw/ coticule. May be not the sharpest but the most comfortable.I've just dulled a razor and honed on yellow slurry diluted gradualy down to fresh water using distilled water for first time. And the shave feels good literaly like a feather on the skin but with a little grab but no problem. Idid'nt use the double bevel this time maybe i could add and get realy keen edge.

Coticule/BBW combo ordered!

There goes this weekends earnings, and then a bit more!

A very big thanks to Currentman!
Before anything else, my motivation for laying out this procedure was to provide a method that delivers an excellent and comfortable edge without much learning curve, performed on just one Coticule, which is often the only hone found in the home of many straight razor users in my part of the world.
Currentman's post, and those of most others that shared their outcome so far, confirms that it works on a variety of Coticules and razors, and most importantly: with a variety of different hands pushing the razor over the hone.

Currentman's post also learns that there indeed are differences between the stones, and that it takes some experimentation to find the ideal lap counts, etc...
It probably also helps for any honing rookie to futurely adopt one of the finer edge probing methods, instead of the rather crude arm hair test, in order to maximize the results and minimize steel removal.

As for the results being slightly different from the "honemeister edges", I think that's true. It's a naked edge of a hone. I believe most honemeisters tailor the edge a bit further after that. Pjrage shared some interesting observations in that field, several posts back. I personally shave with the edge well stropped right off the Coticule, but that's all a matter of personal preference.

More about that in the next post.

Bart.

I'll look forward to hearing next post thanxs for this one

In my opinion:

The shaver needs to be as much in tune with his edge, as his edge needs to be in tune with his skin.

"Shaveready" means to me that an edge is keen enough to cut, without pulling or hanging up on the whiskers. If you shave long enough with a particular type of shaveready edge, your technique will automatically adapt to the most efficient way to use that type of edge. Granted, your beard and skin type will have their saying too, but small nuances in applied presure, angles, scything motions, stetching tactics, and other variables will greatly contibute to the end result and can be quite different when you alter the type of razor, and the way the edge was sharpened.

In that respect, edge preferences are always a bit of a self fulfilling prophecy.

Bart.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Slightly Sorry Bart

I just can't wrap my brain around the thought that a slight duller razor can somehow be more comfortable/ smoother.....

maybe I am just reading what you guys wrote wrong

I believe it is because we are all different and I agree with Bart

since I occasionally travel to the Netherland for work, I bought a Hess Ezy-shaver which takes personna blades, I thought that this would be ideal for traveling.

When I first shaved with it I was very cautious and respectful of the blade, i was amazed at how well it "glided" and the shave was great, until....... 30 minutes later my face was on fire

now maybe I used to much pressure, maybe my angle was wrong, maybe I got too confident, I cant pinpoint it, but I can tell you the result were unpleasant. I have found that a few of the razors I purchased off the forum were the same way, and after inquiring as to the honing method, I found that the diamond honed razors were the ones irritating me the most.

So I guess this all falls under personal taste, YMMV, skill level, etc...but this is why I am thrilled with Barts method, because NOW I have confidence in myself to know that I can put an edge on MY razors that give ME a great shave, and I control the whole process I hope this explains why "scary sharp" may not always be the best level for everyone

since I just got a Thuringian and an Escher, I will be experimenting even more, but again it was Bart's method that really boosted my confidence to realize that there is hope for heavy handed honer wanna-be's like me

OK I hate to say this but you guys have actually talked around the question I asked...

So lets go back for a second and let me ask directly...

Are you guys saying that and edge sharpened to .47 microns is going to be less irritating than a blade sharpened to .45 microns????? Lets leave DE blades out of the equation and stones used to get there on a straight because again we are talking about the sides of the edge not the edge itself.... With DE's the coating could effect the shave comfort.... and on the straight the polish could effect the comfort... But again I can't wrap my brain around how a slightly duller blade shaves more comfortably than a "Scary Sharp" one...

Now if you were to say that you liked the polish off one stone better than another I could understand that.... That is a personal thing, I get that....

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Are you guys saying that and edge sharpened to .47 microns is going to be less irritating than a blade sharpened to .45 microns?????

I'm not speaking for "the guys" only for myself. I find an edge off of a coticule comfortably sharp and smooth for shaving. I find it sharper yet and still comfortable if I hit some licks on an Escher following the coticule. I find an edge honed on my Shapton 15k sharper yet but not as comfortable. In this post here Lynn describes Thuringans as being,"on par with my coticules" but not as good as his Eschers. So to me Lynn is saying that he gets a better shave from an Escher than from a coticule. I know I do from mine. Seems to me that not all hones leave the edge feeling the same to the skin nor are all equal in sharpening even if close in grit. BTW, did anyone say dull or duller ? I agreed with too sharp but that doesn't mean that I am advocating dull.

Originally Posted by currentman

I found that the diamond honed razors were the ones irritating me the most.

So I guess this all falls under personal taste, YMMV, skill level, etc...

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Now if you were to say that you liked the polish off one stone better than another I could understand that.... That is a personal thing, I get that....

+1 to Jimmy Had, I was trying to get that across , but He was far more eloquent