Another one to identify

I picked up this stone in an antique store today. I know somebody will be able to tell me which one it is or the type. At the Missouri Meet I saw one very close to this one and the slurry sure looks the same. I took the pics with my phone so they aren't the best but the slurry is a purple/brown in color. I put some water on the stone and used some 600grit wet dry sandpaper and the slurry popped up fast and there was a lot of it. On the back you can see parts of a label.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...g?t=1245290904
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...g?t=1245291476
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...g?t=1245291511

That ain't any good at all. Send it down here to me to dispose of it for you. :D Kidding aside, looks like a really nice Belgian natural blue/yellow coticule. You did really good. :rock:

What Jimmy said. It's definitely a nice coticule/BBW natural combo. Any chance you can take a pic of the coticule (yellow) side head on? Me likes pictures....

Very cool so I can use both sides?? I don't know a darn thing about the Belgian stones. Are both sides for finishing or intermediate honing?

Thanks!


Oh yea I'll get the good camera and take some pics:-) What kinda value do these have anyway?

Both sides can be used, for different purposes. I'm not going to pretend I know everything about belgians, so wiki to the rescue! Here's a method to use the BBW and coticule after you set the bevel (the article talks about using a DMT 1200 for setting the bevel, but anything around 1000 works): A simple honing method with DMT-E, Belgian Blue Whetstone and Coticule - Straight Razor Place Wiki

You can also just use the coticule for all of your honing, but this is a different technique. One such technique can be found here: http://straightrazorpalace.com/advan...le-honing.html and a video to go along with it YouTube - one coticule honing.

Very cool Dave thanks!!! I look at the Wikis but that one I haven't seen. I'll go take some pics and seem them in the next half hour or so.

You can see from the yellow side that the original sticker is still imprinted a bit on the surface of the stone and under magnification can almost be read in places. The yellow side hasn't been used that's for sure. I do need to lap both sides a little and work up to a 1500 grit to get it smooth. Oh yes the price:-) $10!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...g?t=1245296977
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...g?t=1245297012
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...g?t=1245297044
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...g?t=1245297077

Very nice find! You really don't need to lap it up that high. The thing about coticules that makes it quite different is the degree to which it naturally releases slurry. Hence, it will very quickly smooth itself with just a little use.

You will find that these are very addictive hones to use. Not everyone likes the edges that they get off of them, but they can be used in many ways, so experiment away!

Ron I'll tell you what everything about this hobby is addictive and very interesting:-) When I saw this stone I knew it wasn't some run of the mill hone you see all the time. I was actually looking at a straight and when she picked the razor box up there was the stone.So I ended up with a Bengall wedge and the stone. I just got lucky which doesn't happen often enough--LOL!
I've been reading the Wiki Dave pointed out and doing some searching on the net and it has my interest peaked. I'll be experimenting with it tomorrow that's for certain. I picked up a few straights that need refurbishing and honing so I have something to do for a few days.
That's good to know that lapping that high isn't really needed. That's one chore I don't enjoy. I found out real fast you don't need a stone to get the slurry going. I wet the surface and used my thumb to rub the surface and it began making a fine slurry almost at once. Not what I'm used to with the Nortons. Bottom line it should be fun and interesting to try different methods and see what results I get.
Thanks for the info!
Phil

great find Phil
lap it and go for honing.gl

Thanks Sham!

Imagine, a decades old virgin coti surface on a nat-com with a nicely figured BBW side too! Me = turning greenish...

But seriously: it's beautiful! Congratulations!

I would be very interested in what you can read of the original label - would you try and write it down or take a close up picture before you lap?

Nice coti. Interesting if that's a part of an original retail price tag on the surface. Are you sure it's not some remnant of an antique store tag?

If it's a remnant of the original retail price tag, I find that interesting since one popular opinion (of which I don't share) would argue that the amount of yellow layer is pretty thin on that stone. Of course when vintage coticules are seen on Ebay they very commonly have coticule layer that thin or thinner. IMO, you can rest assured that you'd never wear through even the layer you have on that stone in your lifetime. My point is that if it was sold that way originally, that would support dispelling any myth that a "good" or substantial coticule should have a thick coticule layer for the hone rather than "thinner".



Chris L

ChrisL is, as he usually is, quite right. I agree that quality went before quantity: quality justifying, nat-coms with relatively thin coticule sides were sold too. Especially in the case of stones from the harder veins.


Incidentally, how's this for wear (and yes, I still consider myself lucky having been able to obtain it even in this condition):

Attachment 26480

Attachment 26481

Attachment 26482

Ah crud sorry buddy I did lap it. I didn't spend much time trying to read it. I could tell it was the old type of print like you would see in the 1930's or so.


Chris,
I'm 100% positive it was part of the original sticker and therefore the coti side was unused:-) The BBW side doesn't look like it was used either but that's hard to say for sure.I can say the BBW side had no scratches or anything to indicate it had been used. The store sticker was just a piece of clear tape holding a tag on it. In fact the entire old sticker covered the Coticule side to within 1/8 inch of the border. It looked like the brand name was a crescent shape in red with all other printing in black. The last little bit of the sticker that was still on it was thick and was not easy to get off which is why I went ahead and lightly lapped it. It's really yellow now where it just looked dirty before.
Like I said I don't know much about them but I agree that this is definately an oldie and that would tell me the vintage ones did come with a thinner coticule side.
I looked at a website last night that has lots of coticules and BBW's but no double sided ones like this. They said the quarry was out of them and didn't know when more would be available or if they would. I couldn't believe one this size they had listed at between $250 and $300!!! That just seems crazy but I guess they really are rare.
I appreciate the help everybody it's really helped me a lot!

Oldengaerde thanks! I really did get lucky:-) That one you just posted will still last many a year I bet!

Very nice stone! :)

Thank you sir!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Oldengaerde

ChrisL is, as he usually is, quite right. I agree that quality went before quantity: quality justifying, nat-coms with relatively thin coticule sides were sold too. Especially in the case of stones from the harder veins.


Incidentally, how's this for wear (and yes, I still consider myself lucky having been able to obtain it even in this condition):

Attachment 26480

Attachment 26481

Attachment 26482

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Fancy that; I think of myself as rarely correct!:) Beautiful coticule you have there. You'd still get years of use out of that one as you know.

Chris L

Well after two days of sharpening a few razors I have to report the stone I got works great! It's nice to be able to use one combo hone to sharpen a razor rather than three Nortons etc. I also found that this stone is easier to use than the Nortons with less chance of an error at least for me.
I used it on a large Bengall wedge and a couple of hollow ground ones. I didn't have to make any corrections and they were sharp the first time around. It's just an easier stone to use all around.

nice stone you got there Gunner!

All you need now is about 5 more coti's and you can be as crazy as the other guys at the Mid-MO get together...

Thanks Joe! I'm enjoying it:-)

Great find Gunner!

Thanks Kelly:-)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gunner777

Well after two days of sharpening a few razors I have to report the stone I got works great! It's nice to be able to use one combo hone to sharpen a razor rather than three Nortons etc. I also found that this stone is easier to use than the Nortons with less chance of an error at least for me.
I used it on a large Bengall wedge and a couple of hollow ground ones. I didn't have to make any corrections and they were sharp the first time around. It's just an easier stone to use all around.

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It sounds like the recently maligned coticule has found another convert!

There just might be a reason why those rocks were the go to hone for a hundred years.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Utopian

It sounds like the recently maligned coticule has found another convert!

There just might be a reason why those rocks were the go to hone for a hundred years.

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We could always use another coticule lover. :tu

True enough Ron:-) Why was it maligned in the first place????

Cause its Superman! Eh... Superhone, LOL

I agree with that Olivia!The thing is amazing:-)

Great find. Well done.

Thanks Allan!

Wow! Whada' beauty Gunner!
Ive yet to get or use a Coticule, but im "gunning" for one soon.
Thanks,
Mac

Good one Mac:-) I sure love using this stone. It pretty much beats anything I have! Thanks I sure got lucky!