Thread: ebay gamble

So this will be my first post beside my introduction posts.
I took a gamble on this. Bought it for the stone. I think it's a coticule but it's hard to tell from the pictures. The stone is 15,5×4,2×2,5 centimetres an unusual size for synthetics. but I won't know for sure until I receive it.

I guess it could be a coticule, but I'm betting on synthetic.

The chipping looks like the stone is synthetic, and the interface is too regular, without any sign of gluing.

That one razor looks like it could be decent too.

Yes I agree the interface seems a little too straight. But it's hard to tell what is going on underneath the dirt.

I'll know in a few days. And yes the one razor looks halfway decent. And I have a use for the scales on the other one. So even if it is a bust it won't be a total loss.

Could be a coticule but looks more bbw or slate then coti. You'll know for sure if it is a coticule or not after you lap it.

I would say coti also , as the layers arent equal in thickness - in the left end the BBW layer is thicker , and the white is smaler .
i bett on cotiule .

That's why I bid on it. That and the measurements. I'll let you know when I receive it.

The size must be 15 x 3.8 or 4 sm or 14 x3.5 sm .In US standart is 6 x 1.5 inch . I have the same coticule and it looks the same under the oil dirt . They always used them ,with oil in the past .

Assuming that the stone and razors came from the same place, from the pitting the razors have, the stone is not a Belgian blue, and most definitely, not a coticule from what is visible so far.
Belgian blue stone is a relatively new hone. It doesn't have much history. Not as a hone anyway. It doesn't look like a synthetic either. Better pictures are needed for identification.

I can't say for sure what this stone is and what it isn't before I hold it in my hand. I bid on it because I like hones and I thought that it was worth the gamble.

But there is plenty of vintage coticules with bbw backing. People just didn't use it much for razor honing until recently. The bbw was after all extracted with the coticule layers and it is only recently that the ardennes mine has started gluing the coticule onto unusable slate.

Well I received the package today and my gamble paid off
before and after pictures. I'm pretty happy. Almost regrets that I ordered another one yesterday.