Thread: Coticule vs BBW

Originally Posted by DZEC

I’m beginning to think that there must be a connection between the hones that work for you, your personality, your skin and beard characteristics, your muscle memory and the blades you own that either makes a particular natural stone work for you or not.

BOOOM !!!! Whoop de it is

add in the Steel of the razor and you just solved the "Mysteries of all Finisher Discussions"


Hone On Gents

To add to the discussion on BBWs,

I got a few old coti/bbw stones that seems to have been used with oil. Ergo, I tried a BBW on water vs BBW on oil comparison.

Finishing on oil seems to smooth out the edge more, feels nicer on my skin, keenness seems the same. I used Ballistol oil and enjoyed the results, will certainly do more finishing on oil for my future shaves.

Originally Posted by TristanLudlow

To add to the discussion on BBWs,

I got a few old coti/bbw stones that seems to have been used with oil. Ergo, I tried a BBW on water vs BBW on oil comparison.

Finishing on oil seems to smooth out the edge more, feels nicer on my skin, keenness seems the same. I used Ballistol oil and enjoyed the results, will certainly do more finishing on oil for my future shaves.

I read that coticules are not porous and won’t absorb the oil. Something similar was advised with regard to finishing on a Vermio which is also non-porous.

Working with water and slurry and then oil on the same stone, just seems messy and additional work to me. If I had a second coticule that was a really good finisher, it might be reasonable for me to dedicate that one to oil and do the water/slurry steps with the other.

Just wondering if you would get the same result lubricating the coticule with a soap or glycerine solution or something like Smith’s honing liquid which cleans off easily. I will try that and report.

Ballistol washes off really easy with just water for me. I hone above my sink, so that helps as well. The only downside is the smell, it stinks a little.


However, the natural combo Coticule I inherited from my great-grandfather also seemed to be used heavily with something, the surface was extremely smoothed out and "clogged"; imagine a BBW looking more like a Thüringer surface wise. And his Coticule side was also very darkened. I doubt it was used with plain water. (Foolishly I lapped it clean, and it cleaned up very easily like new; of course I wish I hadn't done that)

I wish I could ask him how he used his stone, but alas. I don't think it was water. Maybe dry? or oil? I'm not sure how else to get a very darkened coticule side. The edges of his stone were also pretty dirty, ergo I think he honed with oil. But I can't be 100% positive about that.

I also tried dish soap, but can't recall if results were similar. I think they were, also very slippery while honing, will try it out on my BBW for a side by side comparison shave.
BBW on water vs on oil vs dish soap.

Good thing I have a 7-day set of similar Heljestrand framebacks, it helps making the comparison

I understand those Swedish framebacks are awesome shavers.

I am beyond jealous.

Originally Posted by Longhaultanker

With what results? How was the shave?

Originally Posted by gssixgun

My BBW is a capable Polisher and produces a nice shave ready edge, Howard sent me a good one, just as I asked him to

Keep in mind I am coming off a 10k hone so I am not asking too much of any finisher, just to make the shave more comfortable..

More Importantly a note from the owner of the razor today


Maiden shave today. First time with a straight in a month as I’ve been babying my face after taking a divot out of it. The Napoleon was a wonderful way to return. Not only did it look much better than expected, it lived up to the high standard of my other Ragg Napoleon. Excellent hone job - thanks Glen!


Proof of the Pudding

Originally Posted by DZEC

I understand those Swedish framebacks are awesome shavers.

I am beyond jealous.

They most certainly are, I think they shave effectively like a wedge but feel more smooth like a hollower razor, they're fun razors to use.






Today I took an old Böker razor that as shaving well, but not superb and took it to my modernly mined natural combo La Veinette.
First took it to the Coticule on oil, did x-strokes, the oil darkened relative quickly. Coticule side feels good but rough compared to the BBW side. It sharpened the blade really well.
Then took it to the BBW side on oil and that felt MUCH smoother and my oil wasn't darkened much at the end of it.

For me this proved to be a highly effective way of honing my razor, shaves off of the BBW are effortlessly. Maybe the easiest shaving edge I've ever experienced.

I can't recall the name for going ATG under the nose, but these edges deliver during that pass.

Very good shave, adding the Coticule on oil did add a little extra, I dig.

Interesting that you felt the coticule side was rougher than the BBW and that you seem to prefer the BBW as a finisher.

That sounds to be contrary to what almost everyyone has said about about those stones in the past.

I’ve met folks who treated the BBW side as merely a backer for the coticule and poo-pooed it for any kind of honing use at all. I think your predecessors knew more about the value of those stones than many of our contemporaries.

Originally Posted by DZEC

Interesting that you felt the coticule side was rougher than the BBW and that you seem to prefer the BBW as a finisher.

That sounds to be contrary to what almost everyyone has said about about those stones in the past.

I’ve met folks who treated the BBW side as merely a backer for the coticule and poo-pooed it for any kind of honing use at all. I think your predecessors knew more about the value of those stones than many of our contemporaries.

Yes, it was very apparent while honing on both sides that the BBW felt MUCH smoother to touch.
Not that necessarily means it's smoother, but going by simple markers one would think so and I seem to think as well

I know what you mean TristanLudlow, I have five coticules and my very first has those same qualities. The the BBW is finer than the coticule side but the coti side is faster. All the others are like what most people say about them(coti finer than the BBW). It is also the stone that gives a kasumi like finish with the BBW and very scatchy but fast coti side. The last picture I tried to show contrast but it is very difficult to get the right shot. The bottom is the bbw finish and the top a fine Nakayama finish to show contrast of kasumi finish. The Nakayama is way more mirror like and can see reflections good while the Bbw side is very grey and can not make a reflection, but is very uniform. Sorry for the bad picture, it was all I could do.