Coticule or Shapton?

[thewap]

Itching for a finer stone than my UF Spyderco (easy to find) I'm looking at shapton and Belg coticule. Most say the coticule (yel) is about 8000 grit, some say 12000. Right now my repertoire is the spyderco's finished on UF (6000-8000 in my estimate), would it make sense to purchase the coticule, or the 16000 shapton's?, I always finish with Alu OX- on leather, then strop.

[JimmyHAD]

My vote would be for the coticule as it is such a versatile stone or better yet if you can swing it get 'em both.

[nun2sharp]

My vote would be for the coticule as it is such a versatile stone or better yet if you can swing it get 'em both.

Why not both! Actually I think you will find that the yellow is as Jimmy described it, more versatile, with slurry its a fast cutter, with water only it really smooths out a blade. You would have to get several other sythetic stones to replace the belgian yellow.

[Stagehand]

I have both as well as Spyderco's Fine & UF and I reach for my natural combination coticule 75% of the time. My Spyderco's are collecting dust.

[thewap]

Hmm, lets see..how generous do I want to be to all the kids this years (4 of them all grown up). Coticule AND shapton for me, less presents for them...of course they could buy one as a present for me...NOT. Oh well, I figured that BOTH would be the answer, but I guess Santa says Coticule first!. Then when the dusts settles -shapton .Thanks guys!

BTW- $80 stone holder?, $180 water basin? $280 diamond glass!! what justifies those prices?? I can understand the $99 for the 16K but near $300 for the 30K and then some for the support gear! are these things industrial standards?

[Stagehand]

The Shapton stone holder is a great piece of equipment. It is 2 1/4" tall and very heavy and stable. I don't have the pond. I use a folded towel under the holder and a spray bottle for water. As for lapping I use a fine (red) DMT to lap both Shapton's & Coticule's.