Thread: coticule help

Originally Posted by TristanLudloz1928273

That's a nice progression!
i'd imagine that work on thick slurry really determines the bevel.
If a lot of work needs to be done I also get my 1K naniwa out until the bevel is set. I then "dull" it on glass and reset the bevel on a Coti and do a full Dilucot.
I also used to finish on my Eschers, but I sold them all since I acquired some stones from my now favourite Coticule vein.
I do remember a decade ago I came off my Dilucot and worked slurry and dilutions on my Eschers, those shaves were divine!

Thank you.

The thick slurry is certainly faster.

I will try dulling after 1k Naniwa, tks for the tip.

You sold what?? I'm curious about your favourite coticules?

I find Thuri's super easy to use as finishers, almost boring - but the shave test on my face is the final judge and Thuri finishing after coti is my favourite (but nor have I tried vintage La Veinettes and the like).

Originally Posted by MichaelS

Thank you.

The thick slurry is certainly faster.

I will try dulling after 1k Naniwa, tks for the tip.

You sold what?? I'm curious about your favourite coticules?

I find Thuri's super easy to use as finishers, almost boring - but the shave test on my face is the final judge and Thuri finishing after coti is my favourite (but nor have I tried vintage La Veinettes and the like).

I've had some layers that did not finish keen enough tbh in the past, but since I got some modernly mined natural combo La Veinettes I have really found a Coticule that gives me the smoothest yet very sharp edges that shave a 1 pass ATG without a single problem; with my other veins like the La Grise and La Nouvelle Veine, I found them lacking some keenness in comparison and with these stones I used to go to an Escher afterwards to provide that extra. (I have not re-visited those layers, it could also have been my technique)

However, I did use my Les Latneuses Hybrid side and found it to be very close as to what an Escher provides; where the Coticule mostly has garnets, the hybrid side has more Quartz, kinda of like the Thuringers. Those hybrids remind me a lot of my Eschers tbh.

This is all very interesting to me. I unabashedly claim ignorance for the most part on cotis. I only have 2 and I have no clue as to their quality comparatively. On this side of the pond they are somewhat scarce (I would
imagine in comparison to closer to the source) and what is available can be rather pricey. Being as I inherited a good number of Arks that has been largely where my focus turned but I do admit that an Ark, although it produces one of the keenest of edges, can be a bit prickly at times. Some might call it "over-honed." When this happens I normally use the coti to tame it and that is a fabulous edge.

I will say though that I find all of this discussion is subject, at least in part, to what steel we are talking about. For Sheffield steel I normally go to coticule for finishing but with American blades I almost always at least finish on Arkansas stones and often run the whole gamut on them. That is almost without exception unless I just want to make it interesting.

Originally Posted by MichaelS

I find Thuri's super easy to use as finishers, almost boring - but the shave test on my face is the final judge and Thuri finishing after coti is my favourite (but nor have I tried vintage La Veinettes and the like).

I do agree, I honed one of my razors on another Coticule and the finish was very good but certainly lacking a bit concerning keenness and smoothness. On these stones I always visited the Escher afterwards, that always brought a smoother and sharper edge. A magnificent foolproof stone that always delivers consistency.
On this Coti I need to find out how and if I can get the results I want.
Usually more focusing/working on the finishing stages of the Dilucot does good things with light slurry to up the keenness and plenty of work afterwards on plain water. Otherwise it's the Unicot approach, that always delivers.

Originally Posted by stoneandstrop

Well, I guess we have a different opinion of what a Coticule edge is then.
When I go to a Coticule from an 8k synth it is not even close to a "maxed out edge" yet with water alone and the Coticle I end up with a true finished edge.
When using only a Coticule from start to end you sure do end up with a different beast. I would say an absolutely inferior edge.
IMO, slurrying a stone many times(not all) creates such a rough edge that the base stone cannot recover fully from the damage created. Its like starting with a poor base - you will never achieve the same results that you would from a good base.
If you want the best results from anything you have to start with the best base you can.
This doesn't mean your final edge is not from your finish stone(Coticule) it just means you are getting the most and full potential from that stone.
Some here seem to think that to get a true stones edge you must use only that stone for it to be considered such.
I guess we are all shaving off our bevel setter and there is no such thing as a finisher unless you start with one. I just can't agree with that thinking, it makes no sense to me.
If your next or final stone improves the existing edge in terms of keeness and smoothness then your edge has been changed.
I have said many times. A one stone honing will never give the same results as a progressed edge even if you finish on the same stone. It just won't happen!

This is why I use my coticules without slurry. Slurry creates more factors that need to be accounted for then it solves. So I go water only for more laps.