Thread: Coticules

What size of coti is favored? Big as you can afford? Hehe
Vintage hones seem small. I guess I don't have to have a perfect square. Are bouts doable? If I can talk a seller into picking one with enough useable surface?
I read the post about blue vs yellow but most ads say blue is strictly finisher where yellow seems to be dependent on slurry. The post suggests about the same results but blue is a bit slower. Is there a consensus on this?
At $200+ it looks like a synthetic man. Even at $100 I drag my feet.
Thanks gents.

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Originally Posted by Clayglen

What size of coti is favored? Big as you can afford? Hehe
Vintage hones seem small. I guess I don't have to have a perfect square. Are bouts doable? If I can talk a seller into picking one with enough useable surface?
I read the post about blue vs yellow but most ads say blue is strictly finisher where yellow seems to be dependent on slurry. The post suggests about the same results but blue is a bit slower. Is there a consensus on this?
At $200+ it looks like a synthetic man. Even at $100 I drag my feet.
Thanks gents.

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You really are asking a lot of personal preference questions here. Everyone favors a different size which is entirely dependent on what sizes they have tried. If you've only ever owned a 150x50mm then that would be your favourite size. As big as you can afford is generally the rule. I enjoy smaller hones but have some big expensive coticules.

Bouts are frickin awesome. My second coticule was a bout and it's my one of my favourite coticules. Bouts are unique and appealing to the eyes much more then rectangles. They are truly one of a kind in shape with an already one of a kind stone. What's not to love and they are just as easy to use.

There is no need to ask a seller for one with usable length. I use a 100x30 mm faithfully. I also use a bout size 5 faithfully. Really anything that size and up will be fine to hone a straight razor. The extra real estate is luxury not necessity. Either buy right from ardennes themselves or one of the many retailers that sell coticules and have photographs of each particular stone they are selling. You really can't go wrong. Size and performance do not go hand in hand with these stones and it's a crap shoot. You could get everything you wanted or a paper weight. It's luck of the draw. I would avoid the bay as there are very few deals there and everything is overpriced.

I don't know what you you read but the blue is not a finisher. It's stated as 4000 grit. It's moot to give naturals a grit rating but the blue is coarser then the yellow. The blue can be used with slurry and diluted to clear water then the next step would be doing the same thing on the coticule with or without slurry. I have 3 combination stones and if I would like I can jump from heavy slurry on yellow. Slurry on blue to water on yellow.

The concensus is that they will not produce the same results and especially as a beginner you will not be able to produce the results as it takes a lot of skill for Belgian hones (the yellow in particular) and achieving a finished razor edge with the blue would demand some pretty adept techniques.

If you are worried about spending money. Either get a small bout or hold off on getting one until you can try an edge off a coticule. A good edge from someone who knows what they're doing not just a coticule edge from some guy. You'll either love it or say meh.. not for me. If there is a member around you who will let you try a coticule that's your best bet because then you get to try before you buy. The catch is his coticule will not be anything like the one you would buy. So I ask.

Do you feel lucky? Well do ya punk? ( joking of course you're no punk, I just had to)

Scott

Would you say all coticules are crap shoots? Natural stone... endless variation. One thing that appeals to me is one stone does all. To say 8k synthetic, not to 12k finish. I'm not suggesting that.
$200 craps is not my game, lol.
I'd have gone for the Dirty Harry reference too. Couldn't be passed on, honestly.

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Originally Posted by Clayglen

Would you say all coticules are crap shoots? Natural stone... endless variation. One thing that appeals to me is one stone does all. To say 8k synthetic, not to 12k finish. I'm not suggesting that.
$200 craps is not my game, lol.
I'd have gone for the Dirty Harry reference too. Couldn't be passed on, honestly.

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Yes all naturals have variance. Speed and hardness being the main two.

One stone does all is nice. It's quite difficult. If you want to go that route buy a stone soon as possible and practice practice practice. I have put hundreds of hours into learning coticules and still they humble me. Do not let anyone say you shouldn't get one just be prepared to put time and effort in. No instant results with this stone.

Hope I helped you understand a bit.

Are duds just the user? Or the challenge of the stone... not crappy stones?
Are blues more friendly?

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I'm sure we discussed this in another thread. Naniwa 12k is the best coticule for you. They make it in two sizes, with stand or without. It's usually kind of an 'off-white' colour!

When you can shave happily off that then you can start to think about cotis. ok? (Don't be mad at me, I'm just trying to save you many prickly, unsatisfactory and expensive shaves).

Lol, most likely. Honestly started from learning the lingo to to liking what I read to trying to learn a bit more. Ran through the posted jnat websites, now pondering if a coti might be something I want to try... some day.
Odds are you'll be seeing questions about Arkansas next.
It seems I can't get my answers as soon as I'd like from reading posts or websites so I ask questions.
Sorry to offend but this is the best place for answers.

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Originally Posted by Clayglen

Are duds just the user? Or the challenge of the stone... not crappy stones?
Are blues more friendly?

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That all depends on the person and the stone. No blues are harder to use. Especially if you're looking for a one stone honing solution.

Originally Posted by Frankenstein

I'm sure we discussed this in another thread. Naniwa 12k is the best coticule for you. They make it in two sizes, with stand or without. It's usually kind of an 'off-white' colour!

When you can shave happily off that then you can start to think about cotis. ok? (Don't be mad at me, I'm just trying to save you many prickly, unsatisfactory and expensive shaves).

Thats a point of view youre standing and looking from. I started with naturals and i have to say i dont need and i dont like synth stones....i have the Nani 10k...actually it really bores me for honing....So i keep it laying around, the best you can do with it [emoji23][emoji23]

Just joking, but as said its a factor of personal preference and what you like to learn or what youre interested in....

Originally Posted by doorsch

Thats a point of view youre standing and looking from. I started with naturals and i have to say i dont need and i dont like synth stones....i have the Nani 10k...actually it really bores me for honing....So i keep it laying around, the best you can do with it [emoji23][emoji23]

Just joking, but as said its a factor of personal preference and what you like to learn or what youre interested in....

I started with cotis too, and I wouldn't shy away from suggesting them to a newbie, but Clayglen just started buying synths so the advice is to stick with them until comfy, then worry about naturals. But if wants to try cotis now, that's cool with me. I love reading and posting about them.