Thread: Coti breaking glass HELP

Thanks for all the advice guys!
I'm not going to say I hit the mark this morning, but the shave was super smooth right up there with some shaves off my RA that SRD put the edge on.
I used one of Bart's recommended methods off an old post and finished with running water; stropping- 30 linen/100-120 leather
Threw on some MDC that one of our members gifted me a chunk of (biker type dude that has a rep of frightening restaurant owners at meet ups )
HEAVENLY SHAVE finished off with some Clubman Spec Resv.

Nick-
I honed a little late last night using the method you recommended. It's up next in the rotation.

Thanks again gentlemen...always love the advice I get here.

Keep it safe,
Jer

Ive kept my comments to myself, mainly because i ha ent been able to get much of anywhere with a coti. Glad your finding some progress. I shipped mine off to be tested by someone who uses coties just to eliminate the issue of the stone. He said the stone did have bad spots on it so maybe when i get it back i can continue to learn this %$!#@ stone.
Good luck!

I recommend trying out ballistol with your coticule. I used it yesterday and I would say there was definitely an improvement for me.

I have but one Coticule is small about 1.5 x 6 inch cream colored with wood like faint dark (manganese?) streaks in it. I hear a lot of people fuss about these stones but I feel maybe I got lucky with mine because I get nice comfy shaves using it not super keen like the synths I am used to but keen enough and very forgiving on the face.

My routine with this stone starts with slurry not to thick but not runny. After a bevel set and a quick trip on the 3k I start Coticule honing with some firm pressure after a dozen passes I already see slurry darkening, I continue adding finger drops of water to keep the slurry from dying out. I keep testing the edge with my thumb and there will be a point where you just know its very bitey and sharper from starting point. Then I rinse the hone do the slurry over again an make it just a bit wetter hone some more and start letting off on the pressure in increments along the way while also adding a little water. I will test again on thumb maybe on arm hair and just continue if its not there yet. I like to hone in hand no stands for me because I can guage pressure and stone to steel contact much better I think this is important.

There will be a point when the slurry is thinned out and i just wash off the stone re surface with the rubber and wash it off again then its just water again just going lighter and lighter on the pressure. There will be a point when you don't think its getting any sharper. sometimes I go to running water and go really feather light finishing strokes or I have also used glycerine as well with good result. The main thing is as sharpening progresses your pressure lightens up and you can take this to any extreme you want but at least for my stone it seems to deliver with this routine.

I wish I had more experience with different Coticules to understand the typical problems folks are running into but I only have one. So this one man with one stones opinion, I hope it helps.

I just want to add a little something to my previous post. If some of you guys that are using microscopes or some other optics to evaluate edges you may become confused.
To the uninitiated looking at a Coticule edge under magnification may leave you horrified. If your used to looking at nice shiney bevels and or uniform kasumi finishes, you may be shocked to see a rather chaotic and visually less than appealing scratch pattern. Something for me that is impossible to judge the quality of just by looking. So just go by touch and shave test quality and don't get worked up by what you see.

I tend to set the bevel at the 3 k pro level then make a nice light milky slurry . I don’t use half strokes nower days I do pure circles all the way diluting the slurry as I go never letting the slurry dry out just hone and dilute until I am down to water. I give the hone a good clean and perform normal light x strokes normaly no more than 50.

It’s important to strop linen then leather I my self then perform the hht with a batch of hair that I use for years. Then test shave .

When I first started out using coticule I thought it was normal to have an edge that was not keen .

It was only until bart honed my razor I realised there was room for improvement.

From there on i never stopped honing and I succeeded with top notch edges from coticule s.

I shave with naniwas edges and coticule edges and in all honesty there is not much in it.

A coticule edge can be just as as keen and a naniwas superstone edge can be just as smooth as a coticule if you get it right.

The difference is coticule as you have found is just not as easy as it sounds and to be honest I have not had great success with some of these more resent coticule s I have been close but not quite .

Originally Posted by gary haywood

I tend to set the bevel at the 3 k pro level then make a nice light milky slurry . I don’t use half strokes nower days I do pure circles all the way diluting the slurry as I go never letting the slurry dry out just hone and dilute until I am down to water. I give the hone a good clean and perform normal light x strokes normaly no more than 50.

It’s important to strop linen then leather I my self then perform the hht with a batch of hair that I use for years. Then test shave .

When I first started out using coticule I thought it was normal to have an edge that was not keen .

It was only until bart honed my razor I realised there was room for improvement.

From there on i never stopped honing and I succeeded with top notch edges from coticule s.

I shave with naniwas edges and coticule edges and in all honesty there is not much in it.

A coticule edge can be just as as keen and a naniwas superstone edge can be just as smooth as a coticule if you get it right.

The difference is coticule as you have found is just not as easy as it sounds and to be honest I have not had great success with some of these more resent coticule s I have been close but not quite .

Hey Gary
It's been years since you made a video on coticules
Just saying!

Good to hear, mate!

Keep at it and keep us updated.

I was inspired to touch up my lucky Wostenholm on my La Veinette this morning and decided to use the HHT which scored a 2 once I'd finished on soap and water. Gave a pretty smooth shave this evening