Thread: Experienced advise needed for what to get next and the steps.

I currently have a Illinois razor 206 strop and a Belgian Yellow Coticule 6" x 1.5" standard grade - in 8000 grit with a slurry at approx. 6000 grit.
I just recieved a DMT Dia - sharp bench stone, 6 x 2 Course D6C which was recommended by the company I've been purchasing from, to dress the Coticule before using and take off the sharp edges.
before I do this, as the Coticule feels like glass and the diamond sharpeening stone - man it's rough!
I've used the Coyicule on one razor that I just purchased as it certainly was not the cutting edge I was expecting that the vendor try to convey to me . A new Dovo right out of the box I feel are not up to par.
I used the Coticule on this razor with so so results before I got the diamond stone.
Any feed back on this, and what else should I obtain as I"m reading about pyramid sharpening and balsa woods to pastes.
In my case with my current products which is the first to the last step? Somehow I feel I should have something between the Coticule to the Strop.

Thanks in advance
Foster

Welcome to SRP Foster. The DMT 325 is a good lapping plate for your coticule. The coticule is all you really need. If you want to try other honing methods such as pyramids a set of synthetic hones is what you would want. There are tutorials on which hones to use and on pyramids in the honing section of the SRP Wiki. Here in the SRP Wiki is a tutorial on lapping your hone.

For honing with the coticule there are tutorials in the SRP Wiki here and the author of the coticule honing tutorial, Bart, has a website devoted to the coticule here. There is a lot of info there on using the coticule to sharpen and maintain your razor.

Jim,
I really appreciate your reply to my Questions, I have been to Bart's website,signed up and read it with intersest.
Now my embarassing question. The slurry I recieved with my Coticule, how do I use it?
I used my razor directly to it, but the size is very prohibitive, or ??????

Foster

welcome to srp, foster

depending on where you bought your coticule it may have been already lapped, but if you want you can still do it on the dmtc, to be sure
one thing, don't touch the razor to the dmt it's far too coarse and very likely has diamonds sticking out that will damage your edge.

since you got a slurry stone you rub that on the wet surface of the coticule (yellow side on yellow side) to create 'slurry'
the slurry makes the hone cut faster so that you can establish proper bevel on your razor. you've read the rest - diluting the slurry to achieve sharper and smoother edge...

the size is on the small end, but your razor is new, so the edge is not bad and you can most certainly get it sharp on your coticule in reasonable time.

Originally Posted by Foster

I really appreciate your reply to my Questions, I have been to Bart's website,signed up and read it with intersest.
Now my embarassing question. The slurry I recieved with my Coticule, how do I use it?

Actually, all the answers are on said website, cf. Straight razor honing - home of the famous Belgian Coticule Whetstone.

Regards,
Robin