Thread: Str8 noob and honing questions

Thanks again Alex - can you tell me which is the "rough" side and which the "smooth" and I will give it a go on my trash blade for practising on tonight. I am still sending my second to you as soon as you get back to me, and probably my first straight after if the results are that much better then what I already have with it, as has been suggested.

Cheers

si

Sunsi - post a couple of photos, with detailed description - we should be able to tell you if this is a Coticule (if photos are any good). From your post - I would say there's a good chance this is a Coticule, indeed

The white / yellow side is the fine side.

Is the other side purple? If so - it's the coarse one. However, it might be just slate back unusable for honing (if it's not purple but gray, etc.)

Cheers
Ivo

Well I finally found my digital camera and took a couple of snaps of the mystery stone... Its a lot tiner then I thought - you can see it relative to a 4/8 blade here too.

What does everyone think?

Si

You could make it work - I've got barber hones that are about that size, but that's really on the small end. Coticules are slow hones, such a small hone will be even slower because of the very short stone means you'll have to make a lot more strokes. You really want a stone that's at least 6 inches long and 2 inches wide, whatever that is in metric.

He he - not to worry about inches and mm's - I am one of the fortunate few of my generation that are fluent in both. I think most UK citizens in their early-late 30's are fluent in all measurements. A lucky bunch I am sure you will agree.

Yeah I realised I would have my work cut out. So I have just ordered a Tam O'Shanter - I would use this after the tam to put the final edge on the blade, right?

Si