Thread: BBW as a one-hone?

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?

Originally Posted by SpikedLemon

...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?...

That's a loaded question, though, isn't it? Kind of like asking a room full of christians if they believe in God and his teachings (might have a problem with Father Dougal from Craggy Island, though...).

I know that Bart often said that using a BBW for a few strokes after full finishing on a coti produced a 'brisker, more engaging' edge - purely because it knocked some of the smoothness (aka roundedness or what I like to call 'mushiness') off the edge.

Anyway, coticule.be is long defunct and the site it gave rise too has gone that way too - fickle lot, those coti practitioners...

Regards,
Neil

Yes, Neil, it was a loaded question. I was disappointed that most of the responses came off as a platform to promote their own kit rather than respond to the question I posed.

You had originally responded that you felt it gave you a "so-so" edge. But you sound to have many other honing stones in your arsenal to compare. I may get to that point over the years...

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.