Thread: Aussie Coticles - FWIW

Originally Posted by Maladroit

Mine is 9.7 by 4 which gives 39 sq cm and it is clearly too small to hone a razor on. The 60 sq cm example could be marginally useful [...]

I would argue that, even though ~10x4cm is somewhat on the small side, with a bit of practice and experience it is a size still perfectly usable for honing razors. ~12x5/15x4/10x6 cm are great sizes, in my opinion; especially when they're not too thick, making them easier to balance in the hand.

Originally Posted by Pithor

I would argue that, even though ~10x4cm is somewhat on the small side, with a bit of practice and experience it is a size still perfectly usable for honing razors. ~12x5/15x4/10x6 cm are great sizes, in my opinion; especially when they're not too thick, making them easier to balance in the hand.

On second thoughts, I think you're right Pithor. I just checked two of my favourite barber hones, the Pike Sapphire and the small Norton. The hones are actually 132 and 125 mm long respectively, but the brand names take up significant space, reducing the effective honing length to just 10 cm!

Originally Posted by Pithor

If I understand the add right, they are either roughly 40 or 60 cm2 (their size indication was a bit confusing to me). If they mean the 280 gram stone is a bout size 8, AUS$ 78 seems okay. So does their price for the 200 gram, if it is a bout size 6 stone. A bit strange to differentiate by weight though, and the weights seem somewhat on the low side for those bout sizes; but then again, I don't have a small scale to check the weight on mine.

Personally, I would enquire about the approximate surface areas before making any purchase. If they are respectively 40 (BB6) and 60 cm2 (BB8), the prices seem legit (compared to Ardennes-coticule own prices for the standard coticules). I assume there is some sort of customer protection in Australia as well (14 day return).

That's why I reckon it would be best to drop into your local Carba-Tec and have a look at them - that's what I did when they were having a clearance of JNats a few years ago - got a reasonable one for $40