Thread: Coticule/ natural hone grit question

I have gone through over a dozen of coticules, I have yet to find one that I would consider as a good finisher in the range of a quality thuringian. Best way I have found to date to see where a coticule sits in regards to grit is to finish on synthetics to 8K, then switch to the coti. The coti will either improve the edge or degrade the edge, either way it will change it. You can decide from there if it's a keeper or not. If you pass one on, just be honest.

From 1k.... I go to a La Loraine then a Coti and thuri as a finisher.

Maybe I need to get myself a synthetic to fill in the gap?

Originally Posted by Willisf

From 1k.... I go to a La Loraine then a Coti and thuri as a finisher.

Maybe I need to get myself a synthetic to fill in the gap?

So can you explain whats your issue ? Do you have the feeling that you dont come around well with that Set Up ?

I would say using a thick slurry either on La Lorraine or any of the four Coticules should do it up to finish....

Originally Posted by doorsch

So can you explain whats your issue ? Do you have the feeling that you dont come around well with that Set Up ?

I would say using a thick slurry either on La Lorraine or any of the four Coticules should do it up to finish....

I guess the thing that throws me for a loop is not knowing "grits" of the hones I am using. Synthetics are easy to figure out....They are marked.....1k-4k-8k and up......
I am guessing the La Loraine would be the next step to use after a 1k? Then onto the coticule? Or ship the La Loraine and go directly to the coti after the 1k?
That is what making me go mental over all this......lol

So what ballpark figure grit is a LaLoraine anyways?

Originally Posted by Willisf

I guess the thing that throws me for a loop is not knowing "grits" of the hones I am using. Synthetics are easy to figure out....They are marked.....1k-4k-8k and up......
I am guessing the La Loraine would be the next step to use after a 1k? Then onto the coticule? Or ship the La Loraine and go directly to the coti after the 1k?
That is what making me go mental over all this......lol

So what ballpark figure grit is a LaLoraine anyways?

Both (Coticule / La Lorraine) can be used in generally after the 1k stone, but as always we talk naturals so we cant be for sure on 100%.

I would try out all of those and see if you can reduce or eliminate the scratch patterns of the 1k stone...the Lorraine gives a very nice polishing..so you shouldnt check that you cant see any visible scratch patterns left of the 1k.

What type of Lorraine is it ? Is it labelled ?

This what I have.

Originally Posted by Willisf

This what I have.

Ok just wanted to be sure its one of the labelled stones...

I really like this stone...... I am using it after the 1k. So my progression seems ok then?
It's bed time for me.... I'll check back tomorrow......

What would be a grit estimate on the La Lorraine? I have interest in one.

Originally Posted by Willisf

I really like this stone...... I am using it after the 1k. So my progression seems ok then?
It's bed time for me.... I'll check back tomorrow......

The progression is perfect in my opinion Will. I do the same with the difference that I use a natural bevel setter instead of the 1 K most of the time (I am dedicated to naturals!).
The La Lorraine bridges the gap between bevel setting and finishing perfectly, better than a lot of coticules due to my experience. The Lorraine is fast on slurry and could be as fine as a good quality coticule.
Actually I have two razors in my rotation that I finished with a LaLorraine. For my feeling the edge is sharp enough and smooth. Of course not comparable with an endfinishing on a thuringian so far.

As we all know that grit estimations are not possible or reasonable on naturals, I tend to rate my naturals in certain grit ranges. In a natural you always have smaller and larger abrasive particles with different shapes and in different number in/ on the working surface that you are using. It is somehow like slurring material from different grade artificial hones together (i.e. a 2k, 4k and 8k) on a plate of wood or glas and then honing on this mixture.
The different cutting power of the particles cause less or more abrasion, larger particles cause deeper scratches, the fine particles even begin to poilsh the steel.

At the moment I use a quite interesting natural bevel setter that was used for knifes and scythes in the past. The deepest scratches are deeper than from a 800 artificial stone, but the edge gets nearly mirror polished at the same time.

So grit range for a Lorraine in my opinion is very wide, maybe somewhere between 2 and 8 k, but shave is much better than coming from an 8k. I have speculated in another thread here about the Lorraine, that in difference to coticules, the quartz particles in Lorraine stones take a larger part in the abrasive process. The Lorraine has much less garnets than any coticules, but much more quartz.
That might explain their somewhat different honing performance to coticules on one side and BBW on the other side.