Thread: Bringing my BBW out of retirement

Not long after i bought my 1st razor i purchased a BBW direct from Ardienne, I used it and learnt to hone on it really. Once i was addicted i spent a little more money and got myself a small select Coticule, again, straight from Ardienne. Needless to say it quickly replaced the BBW as my go to stone.

Well for no reason, i dusted off the BBW to hone up my Wade and Butcher "Celebrated Hollow Ground" I raised a thick slurry and got to work starting at 20 laps each side reducing by 1 lap at each completion and diluting the slurry each time. This continued until the blade took the hairs off the back of arm easily. Once it reached this stage washed the slurry off raised a light slurry and repeated the procedure twice again. Washed the slurry off and repeated the procedure twice again followed by removing the slurry and then once more on clear water.

I finished it off with 50 x stokes on a welsh slate and stropping on leather
It provided a really great shave and a little easier than using my coti as the BBW is larger.
It wont be so long before i break it out again

Pics? Don't know why cause they all look much the same, but still...

Maybe I should dust mine off too. One of the standout edges I got was off a BBW. It was years ago, and I did it while sitting in the bath, lol. But I've never tried since then, guess I'm a bit scared to now. How would you compare it to a coti?

The BBW on the back of my natural coti has never been retired. It's always a part of my progression. Keen from BBW, Smooth from Coti. Polish from CH12K. This has provided many many excellent shaves.

I like to rub my BBW on the Vermio for some fine slurry to mellow edges and flat both stones.

I think the edge was just as good as my coti, I genuinely can't understand why they don't fetch a higher price. I guess it's just they can't cut as fast as some cortis for the lower garnet numbers. I can't get a picture right now but probably Wednesday if your still interested then

Originally Posted by kelbro

The BBW on the back of my natural coti has never been retired. It's always a part of my progression. Keen from BBW, Smooth from Coti. Polish from CH12K. This has provided many many excellent shaves.

that's an idea, I'll try that and polish with the slate. Thanks

Originally Posted by Benjisco

I think the edge was just as good as my coti, I genuinely can't understand why they don't fetch a higher price. I guess it's just they can't cut as fast as some cortis for the lower garnet numbers. I can't get a picture right now but probably Wednesday if your still interested then

There's a little overlap, the high end of BBW might overlap the low end of a coticule. They're not as fast, and (generally) not as fine. Probably more plentiful as well since they're something of a new stone. They also don't have the same level of recognition as a coticule. IMO, it's a crying shame Ardennes doesn't use/offer them as backing for the coticules anymore. A coticule with BBW backing would be a rather nice combination stone.

Originally Posted by kelbro

The BBW on the back of my natural coti has never been retired. It's always a part of my progression. Keen from BBW, Smooth from Coti. Polish from CH12K. This has provided many many excellent shaves.

Just picked up a CH12k. I came off a coti hht3 with a dovo silver steel and the CH12k killed it. Feels sharper, but the hht is terrible. I'm a little confused.

What's your progression to CH12k after the coti? Slurry? Water?

1. I did burnish the CH12k to like 5k. I burnished it like a black ark. I think I'm gonna take it back down to 325. I can't even make slurry on it!

2. The bevel is most definitely set. No warp issues. After the coticule she was ready to rock and roll. After the CH12k I may have to start all over again.

Originally Posted by J743

Just picked up a CH12k. I came off a coti hht3 with a dovo silver steel and the CH12k killed it. Feels sharper, but the hht is terrible. I'm a little confused.

What's your progression to CH12k after the coti? Slurry? Water?

1. I did burnish the CH12k to like 5k. I burnished it like a black ark. I think I'm gonna take it back down to 325. I can't even make slurry on it!

2. The bevel is most definitely set. No warp issues. After the coticule she was ready to rock and roll. After the CH12k I may have to start all over again.

Lap the other side of the C12K and leave it a little rough. That way you can keep the burnished side for finishing strokes, and use the other for slurry.

Your coticule might be finer than your C12K, they've got a similar range. Have you shaved with the razor? Might want to give it a quick test stroke before starting from scratch on it.

Sometimes a little CH12K slurry. Sometimes just water. No burnishing, just a 325 diamond lapping and some rubbing on 1000 grit wet/dry many thousands of strokes ago.

Mine is very hard and very smooth. It usually takes a lot of strokes (100-200) to get really good stiction. I don't mess with HHT, just shave test.

I really doubt that the stone ruined your edge.