Thread: Suggestions for next hone - Belgian

Originally Posted by Basset

I am likewise intrigued by the folks who promote bbws and coticules, and yet it's not apparent to me what they offer over the synthetics, really. I have the Naniwa 1k, 5k, 8k, and 12k -- same stuff Lynn uses to produce universally well-regarded edges.

So when I read that a given natural stone is 8k, 10k, or 12k, I ask myself, what's it got that the Nani hasn't got?

Nothing.

What's better for shaving: a DE or a straight razor?
What's better for driving: automatic gear or hand gear?
Do you peal an onion with a paring knife or a peeling knife?
Stainless or Carbon?
A natural linen or a nylon strop?

By the way, in my opinion natural stones should not be given a grit rating. That's something for synthetic hones, that use uniform and measured abrasive particles.

The answer to all questions is: "romantics".

Bart.

Originally Posted by Bart

Nothing.

What's better for shaving: a DE or a straight razor?
What's better for driving: automatic gear or hand gear?
Do you peal an onion with a paring knife or a peeling knife?
Stainless or Carbon?
A natural linen or a nylon strop?

The answer to all questions is: "romantics".

Bart.

Thank you Bart! I really hoped you'd post on this thread as well. You got me with the questions above. I drive a standard(cool thing is so does my wife) and I didn't start using a straight for an easy shave or a quick shave. I wanted something that I could enjoy learning. I think that's why I'm drawn to the coticule even though I haven't tried it. I know a synthetic will work, but there's just something about a natural stone and learning how to use it. From everything I've read, there's a little more of a learning curve for the naturals to get the feel of the stone and I like that. Maybe I'm making it too romantic.

Thanks Bart. I have noticed that the longer I use my Coticule the better I am getting with it. I love my Coticule because it talks and feels like no other hone that I have.


Take Care,
Richard

For me the only real draw of the naturals at this point is that they tend to be narrow, which I think might be useful for me when confronting smiling blades or the occasional warped blade. I can get the job done on the 3" wide Naniwa with the adjusted strokes, but I would like to see if it's just easier with a narrower hone.

Ordered the combo tonight. Should have it on Tuesday according to the estimated ship date. I am SOOO looking forward to this!!

I want to thank everone for their comments. I tried my hone last night as soon as I got home. It is amazing. I know there's nothing magical about it and I know that I have a lot to learn but I was amazed at how good my shave was this morning after using the combo last night. I still need to do some reading and I've bookmarked Bart's site (Welcome to Coticule.be - Coticule.be). I was amazed at how much work my razor needed. LOL

I have norton naniwas and coticules bbw with a hell of a lot practice and barts advice i can get the best edges of my coticule alone and that is all i use now unles a bevel needs rebuild or correcting i'd use my 1k norton. What i like about the coticule is the feed back with slurry . I find them so easy to hone on you don't have to worry about doing to many laps as i have never over honed on coticule i have had a razor honed by bart straight of coticule and i can onestly say it is the best honed razor i have had up to yet apart from my own only joking! which proves you can get the ultimate edge from coti . when i first got mine a year ago my razors would bearly shave of my coti so i went straight back to my norton and no probs in shaving. But i never gave up on coticule and i'm glad i did'nt.

Well, I guess I better come clean... After buying a few coticules this past winter, I recently sold all of my Shaptons. The whole set. 1k through and including the 30k stone. I sold them because it was the only way I could get my wife to agree to letting me get a Japanese finishing stone (which I haven't done yet, but that's another thread). I didn't have a problem selling the Shaptons at all; my coti's have taken over for them with no worries. Honestly, I haven't missed them. If I need to re-set a bevel on a recalcitrant blade, I use the DMT. Other than that, it's start-to-finish on a coticule.

On some of my softer blades, I go right from the coticule to the webbed fabric strop, then the latigo strop. On the medium and harder steels, I go from the coticule to chromeox or .50 diamond paste, then to .25 diamond paste, then the webbed fabric/latigo.

But lately... (and forgive the momentary thread high jack) I've been finishing on .10(that's right.. point one zero) micron lapping film. Which is why I haven't bought that Japanese finisher yet.....