Thread: Vintage coticule expertise needed

I bought this off the bay and was wondering if anyone had a guess brand wise? I was thinking, maybe Pike, but I see Montgomery Ward sold using a similar rating system. Thanks for the help

IIRC 'Selected' denotes a hone with no blemishes, inclusions. I forget what they call the lesser coticules at Ardennes, the only current mine harvesting and distributing them. But whatever it is, they say that there is no difference in performance, only in appearance. The Select is the more expensive to this day though. The "Extra Choice" is a rating I don't recall seeing. When you get it post a close up pic. Must be a honey.

When you get it go to www.coticule.be and watch the videos on different honing methods. Glen (gssixgun) also has a video on coticule honing.

I really like the shave off a Coticule, some of the smoothest shaves I've had, they leave a very smooth edge on Sheffield razors.

from the pic it looks nice ...

I've got a coticule stamped "Extra Choice" that was imported by SRD (Droescher) but it's in a barbers size.

Yeah, this will actually be my 3rd coti added to the collection. I feel pretty confident honing on the coti's and use one as my go to "troubled razor" hone. I was just wondering who might have made this stone. I grabbed it because it was vintage and cheaper than buying the comparable size new. Hopefully, it's a good stone for razors. I'm hoping a get coti gold and this bad boy outdoes my two others.

Originally Posted by aa1192

Yeah, this will actually be my 3rd coti added to the collection. I feel pretty confident honing on the coti's and use one as my go to "troubled razor" hone. I was just wondering who might have made this stone. I grabbed it because it was vintage and cheaper than buying the comparable size new. Hopefully, it's a good stone for razors. I'm hoping a get coti gold and this bad boy outdoes my two others.

AFAIK they were all mined from a relatively small area in Belgium. So who knows which mine it was. In the hey day of straight razors, barbers using them on customers, the coticule was their go to stone. There were probably a number of mines operating in those days. I read somewhere that Ardennes mining of coticules is not their primary business, but an offshoot of the mainstay of their quarry, which is construction materials. Perhaps it was the same for the various mines/quarries of the old days in Belgium ?

I have a coticule in exactly that same box. It is a very clean homogenous coticule that I believe could be rated in the kosher category. My hone does not have a stamp on it while yours appears to have one on the left end. Can you make out what the stamp says?

Originally Posted by Utopian

I have a coticule in exactly that same box. It is a very clean homogenous coticule that I believe could be rated in the kosher category. My hone does not have a stamp on it while yours appears to have one on the left end. Can you make out what the stamp says?

Out of curiosity please explain the use of kosher in context to coticules.

My understanding is that it is a designation of a very homogenous uniform surface and to be cream color and creamy feel when honing on it.