Thread: BBW as a one-hone?

Originally Posted by JimmyWetshaver

^^ Yes but he is asking about BBW specifically, not coticules. Not saying one might not say the same but they are 2 diff stones even though they are found together...

Rhetorical. Same thing in my experience.

Originally Posted by JimmyWetshaver

You cannot ignore the fact that there was a relationship between that site and the only company current mining ans selling coticules. Coincidence, I think not.
Also at some point coti's will run out but there is plenty off BBW left, hmmmmm. Again coincidence I think not.

That's quite a conspiracy theory. Not at all contributing to the thread.

Though you'd think better strategy would be to rather tout the capabilities of the coticule and, thereby, raise demand for the more expensive (higher profit margin) product.

Originally Posted by SpikedLemon

Could a BBW be used as a "one-hone" solution to maintaining a blade? Or, more precisely, as a one/only hone for life (with slurry stone)?

The answer is .... Maybe.

It's already been said you can't class all naturals by their name alone, e.g. Are all Nakayama Asagi good finishers ? Definitely not.

However if the particular BBW you have can give you the optimal edge you like then you can use it to maintain an edge. Another person may not have the same parameters as you.

To use it as a one hone setup may be dependant on how much free time you have.
Personally I haven't owned or used one that rates as a finisher but I have used one of mine to remove small chips from a Rodgers wedge with a heavy slurry. I was impressed that it was possible but it was very slow compared to a synthetic & I have better uses for my time.

“Could a BBW be used as a "one-hone" solution to maintaining a blade?”

Of course, maybe… depends on the stone.

Try it… perhaps you stone is fine enough.

I do like some BBW’s for kitchen knives.

Originally Posted by Deckard

..Well guy's,

I hate to be the one descanter among us, but I have had some blindingly keen edges from my cotis [...] these are the kindest edges on my skin...

Respect
Joe

Exactly - your skin. That's the only criterion that counts really, all the rest is just opinion, and there are as many of those as there are people. Same thing goes for skin, I suppose...

Regards,
Neil

PS: You aren't the only 'descanter' either, not by a long chalk...

Originally Posted by Deckard

Rhetorical. Same thing in my experience.

Yeah, kind of like redheads and blondes...

Originally Posted by SpikedLemon

Synthetic-stone people withstanding... There are quite a few people that believe Coticule stones produce a decent shave-ready edge.

Do people beleive that there is little truth to the study done by Coticles.be that showed that, with blind testing, that using a BBW stone produces a shave-ready edge comparable to the Coticle?

The problem is that due to the variance of the BBW and coticule, the test is only valid for 'that' bbw, not BBW in general. I have several, and they have wildly varying properties. They are also dog slow. The method developed by one of the CBE members required hundreds of laps, with and without slurry. To me, that means it is the wrong stone for the job. Like sweeping a street with a toothbrush.

Setting a bevel on a less than perfect razor with a BBW, while possible, is silly. If I hone a razor (and I only do so after grinding) is something that should take n minutes, not n hours or days.

Originally Posted by Bruno

...To me, that means it is the wrong stone for the job. Like sweeping a street with a toothbrush...

HAR! Reminds me of the guy that died and St Peter wouldn't let him through the Pearly Gates unless he either waited for England to win the World Cup or empty the oceans with a spoon. 'OK' says the guy, where's the spoon...

Regards,
Neil

St Peter to reply "There is no spoon".

Originally Posted by SpikedLemon

Synthetic-stone people withstanding... There are quite a few people that believe Coticule stones produce a decent shave-ready edge.

Do people beleive that there is little truth to the study done by Coticles.be that showed that, with blind testing, that using a BBW stone produces a shave-ready edge comparable to the Coticle?

I'll bet I could get some 3 micron paper from an auto parts store and use it as a finisher, too, at least to get an edge that was shave ready. I showed pictures off of an edge of a piece of jasper that cost me $10, and I've gotten similar pieces for as cheap as 99 cents.

What you can get to create a shaving edge vs. what's really better in most peoples' opinion (based on the subtleties of use that aren't always easy for people to communicate to each other) is two different things.

I personally believe the average person using a coticule would have a keener edge if they had a good vintage linen and used the coticule only to keep the steepness of the bevel in order, but left the actual edge up to the linen to keep in order.

One other side comment - of the coticules I've tried, I've liked the vintage coticules much nicer than the new ardennes marketed coticules. i hear that you can go straight to ardennes and request something of "private stock" quality, etc, but you get to spending so much money doing that for the level of performance that you get that it makes *no* sense at all to me. The idea that a large coticule of new and glued together flavor that has sort of ho hum abrasive density and not a very nice color would be $350 is something I don't get.

I haven't had a vintage coti that I couldn't make some decent use of, except one that was very ugly and coarse (and may have been intended for tools or something, anyway) and made a gentle but very dull edge. The odds are better there, and the stuff that's vintage in the $100 range because of size is where I would park my dollars to try them. Not a BBW. You'll at least get a BBW side on the vintage cotis, anyway, because they will be natural combos.