Thread: Help me identify my coticule

I've had about six Coticules and still own two, they have all been good to excellent finishers. Of my two best ones, one was very similar looking to yours, the other is very deep yellow. I've only seen one bad finishing Coticule (that a friend has locally) and it was very soft and self slurried. I've never payed attention to the particular vein myself and only worry if they work or not

Just and observation Shavewares. Look closely at all the pictures posted, do you see a common thread, one thing that most of those stones have in common? They are lapped. This is your next step for your stone. Do you have a DMT Coarse 325 hint hint.
Also where do you live? Ask for a Mentor. Just a suggestion.
Do you see how many coticules are in just one members hands?? They are that much fun. Now you need to dial yours in, ready?
I guess we should ask do you want help or do you have this all under control from this point forward?
One last word of advise, look at the join dates of the members with many coticules. That is but the tip of the ice-burg. I have heard tell that some members here have been using these stones since 1970s. Many of the questions you have yet to ask ,they have answered many times already and those posts are here in the library.You have probably already been there, if not it is a great place to spend considerable amount of time. Geezers link earlier is a good summary that is straight forward. Just a suggestion and observation. I want you to be successful with this stone and with wet shaving. Good luck

I just bought some 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper to lap it. Would lapping it give us a much better idea of what kind of stone it is?

Originally Posted by ShaveWares

I just bought some 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper to lap it. Would lapping it give us a much better idea of what kind of stone it is?

I think most of the time looking at the side of the stone, if it is a natural, not a glued coticule, is how to tell. OTOH, some of the named veins are of a particular hue, or have some other characteristic, mangnese deposits and such. Bottom line is that call it what you want to, it is going to work however it works. If you're fortunate, it will be fast but fine.

BTW, most of us use diamond plates @ 325 grit, and some go on up to higher grits after the initial flattening. A coticule is usually soft enough for 600 to work quick enough. The only thing is, 325 would work faster.

Originally Posted by ShaveWares

I just bought some 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper to lap it. Would lapping it give us a much better idea of what kind of stone it is?

We know what it is . Its the real deal. Now you must get it ready for use. Lapping is code for rounding the corners and edges. The BEST way to do that is with a DMT 325 plate. You have an expensive valuable tool. Its a rough diamond as it sits. It needs to be lapped (polished). to sparkle. Amazon carries them.
The importance of a DMT plate is that its a TRUE square plane to use to ensure a flat surface. Do you want a wavy out of square surface to hone on?
Sorry that was meant to be rhetorical.
We cant say it any more clearly than this. A foundation must be square for the house to be solid. Your corner stone needs to be squared. If the foundation isnt square by the time you build to the roof the house may well fall.

A Cadillac is a Cadillac what body-style doesn't matter when we are dealing with the engine right know. Paint is an after thought right now . You have a Cadillac , Now lets get it on the road. In a good way.
Here is a link to amazon plates

http://www.amazon.com/DMT-D8C-Dia-Sh...g+plate+coarse

I couldn't afford the diamond plates, so I lapped it just now with 600 grit wet sandpaper on top of my kitchen counter. I was surprised at how fast the pencil marks went away and the grain of the stone really pops out, it looks like a cross-cut of oak-wood. As to if its perfectly flat? I went through 3 sheets on the yellow side and 2 sheets on the purple side. Also, chamfered the sides.

That looks like a coticule to me, most likely from Belgium.

As you are no doubt aware, some people (who are probably infinitely smarter than I) attribute the natural variation in these natural stones to veins in the mine, much in the way they do with Japanese naturals. However, I am a curmudgonly sod stuck in my ways, and to me there are two kinds of Belgian stone: the blue, and the coticule.

As such I never have any problems identifying coticules

James.

Having used a wide variety of recently harvested, and vintage coticules, I can say without hesitation, that the varicose vein is the most common.

Originally Posted by ultrasoundguy2003

Lapping is code for rounding the corners and edges. The BEST way to do that is with a DMT 325 plate. You have an expensive valuable tool. Its a rough diamond as it sits. It needs to be lapped (polished). to sparkle. Amazon carries them.
The importance of a DMT plate is that its a TRUE square plane to use to ensure a flat surface. Do you want a wavy out of square surface to hone on?

I disagree about a couple things here. First, I am a big fan of diamond plates. In fact, I think I have 8 of them. However, I don't think they are necessary for everyone. It depends on what other hones you have or plan to have. In my opinion a coticule by itself has no need for a diamond plate. It is easy to use sandpaper both to lap it flat and to round over the edges.

Unlike most synthetics, natural coticules do not need to have their surfaces refreshed because they constantly self renew. They only need to be lapped to keep them flat and they do not need to be lapped very often. Sandpaper on a countertop is perfectly adequate for the task.

Regarding rounding over, or chamfering, the edges, I only care about the long edges. Those are the only edges that are involved with honing. Neither the corners nor the short edges (the ends of the hone) should have the blade near them. For that reason I see no need to chamfer those ends or corners.

Also, there is no need to "polish" the surface of the coticule because of that same self renewing property of the coticule.

I really believe that sandpaper is sufficient for a coticule.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Having used a wide variety of recently harvested, and vintage coticules, I can say without hesitation, that the varicose vein is the most common.

That's where they harvest the BBW's right?