Thread: Beyond the coticule...or not.

Originally Posted by Utopian

That is something that I will have to try!

In henk bos's article on coticules he says oil puts a fine edge with a cuticle only surpassed by talc water.

I've been using a soapy water in a spray bottle to bump up keenness but find that i get the edge too keen for my skin and have to do a few strokes on plain coti and water after the soapy water just to mellow it out some. I'm going to give the talcum water a go and see how that does.

I've been using WD 40 on my cotules with excellent results. It's so thin you can use slurry with it. This talc thing is something I've never seen before. My lapidary pal told me he uses talc for a final polish when tumbling stones for final finish. Got to try this!!!!

Without reading all the comments, try finishing on a Coticule completely DRY,
It's faaar sharper than with water imo and about just as smooth;

at least that's how it works for me

If I want a lesser keen edge I finish on water, if I want a very keen smooth edge I finish on a dry Coticule

Originally Posted by TristanLudlow

Without reading all the comments, try finishing on a Coticule completely DRY,
It's faaar sharper than with water imo and about just as smooth;

at least that's how it works for me

If I want a lesser keen edge I finish on water, if I want a very keen smooth edge I finish on a dry Coticule

Careful what you say about finishing on a dry coticule,people may think you are odd.I am odd,and was doing that before I read how wrong it was,but I still do it and keep quiet about it.Works for me.How about honing on a dished coticule?I don't do that dry,but when I use a dished stone, the edges are pretty good...I have been using a coticule for 6 years and like the edges more than my other finishers.

Originally Posted by caccia

Careful what you say about finishing on a dry coticule,people may think you are odd.I am odd,and was doing that before I read how wrong it was,but I still do it and keep quiet about it.Works for me.How about honing on a dished coticule?I don't do that dry,but when I use a dished stone, the edges are pretty good...I have been using a coticule for 6 years and like the edges more than my other finishers.

I am never one to agree with other people's "right" or "wrong". In the beginning I hadn't dared to use them dry, because the internet said not to do it and plenty hone connoisseurs cringed at honing dry. People still think it's odd, as you mentioned.

Talking to a couple of older pre-interent fellas, I was hinted to try them with oil or dry.

I also love to use my BBWs dry, they behave different and work much better for me this way and definitely serve an important purpose in my honing routine.

Btdubs, wanna feel keenness ? Finish on a BBW dry, it's not the smoothest shave, but has definitely been my sharpest!

Originally Posted by caccia

Careful what you say about finishing on a dry coticule,people may think you are odd.I am odd,and was doing that before I read how wrong it was,but I still do it and keep quiet about it.Works for me.How about honing on a dished coticule?I don't do that dry,but when I use a dished stone, the edges are pretty good...I have been using a coticule for 6 years and like the edges more than my other finishers.

I finish on my combo coticule dry sometimes, with water sometimes and with shaving lather sometimes. Seems to me these were used as barber hones at the convenience of the barber, who pulled it out of his/her pocket and just used it. When I use it to touch up an edge, I’m not creating a slurry or swarf, so who cares if the stone is dry? The key thing is to use a very light touch - weight of the blade.

Originally Posted by caccia

How about honing on a dished coticule?I don't do that dry,but when I use a dished stone, the edges are pretty good.

Just to clarify, when you mention a dished coticule, you are speaking of a stone surface that has been hollowed, or concave, rather than convex, correct?

Originally Posted by Brontosaurus

Just to clarify, when you mention a dished coticule, you are speaking of a stone surface that has been hollowed, or concave, rather than convex, correct?

Yes,concave,hollowed.

After my coticule, I will either go to my 12k Naniwa or my Ark Surgical Black. When using the Ark, I do 60 laps dry then 60 laps with running water. Really puts a fine polish on the blade and it shaves nice and smooth.