Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 11
  1. #1
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Florence, SC
    Posts
    449
    Thanked: 121

    Default A narrow coticule???

    I like older, more traditional stuff. So most of my blades are in the 100+ year-old range, and many have skewed spines, irregular bevels, frowns, etc. I tried Xs, rolling Xs, 45 degree Xs, etc. with poor results. More out of frustration than anything else, I tried going the narrow route. Less of the blade on the hone = more likely to follow the "natural " irregularities.

    So, not having anything else, I started using the side of my BBW/coticule on these blades, using Bart's unicot method -- about 3/4" wide. Short story, about a dozen difficult blades have responded very well. I finish, again on the side (about 1.25" wide), of my C12K.

    The BBW/coti is not ideal (obviously), so now I'm looking for a yellow coti with dimensions of 1" X 6-8".

    I've been advised this is "crazy thinking." Well, it wouldn't be the first time.

    Any thoughts, warnings, or (dare I hope) encouragement?

  2. #2
    Hones/Honing/Master Barber avatar1999's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Waynesboro, PA
    Posts
    997
    Thanked: 199
    Blog Entries
    6

    Default

    Many people prefer the narrowed hones. Not sure if I would go down to 1", but a few of mine are 1.5" and are perfect for smiling or warped blades.

    The only thing I can think of right off the top of my head is Be very careful about any pressure you may apply on the narrow hones. Would be very easy to hone one area of the blade too much without realizing it.

    How wide is your hone you have? Could always look into cutting it to make it thinner if you really wanted to

  3. #3
    Senior Member blabbermouth JimmyHAD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    32,564
    Thanked: 11042

    Default

    I've got some hones that are 1 1/2 that work well and I have turned my single grit nortons on their side and used the 1" side on at least one razor but if I was going to buy a narrow coticule I would go for a 1 1/2.
    Be careful how you treat people on your way up, you may meet them again on your way back down.

  4. #4
    BHAD cured Sticky's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Indiana
    Posts
    1,306
    Thanked: 230

    Default

    I like the narrow ones, too; anything from 1" to 2" wide.

  5. #5
    Coticule researcher
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Belgium
    Posts
    1,872
    Thanked: 1212

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by pcb01 View Post
    so now I'm looking for a yellow coti with dimensions of 1" X 6-8".
    I prefer narrow hones too.

    A yellow Coticule you said?

    Less than 1" at one end, 1.35" at the other. 8" long.
    "La Grosse Jaune". Enjoy the view.



    Best regards,
    Bart.
    Last edited by Bart; 11-20-2009 at 10:20 AM.

  6. #6
    zib
    zib is offline
    Hell Razor zib's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Jacksonville, Fl.
    Posts
    5,348
    Thanked: 1217
    Blog Entries
    4

    Default

    I have two of the same. One is almost 10 inches...and they are both combos, selected grade.

    The stone on the left is a 6x2
    Attached Images Attached Images  
    Last edited by zib; 11-21-2009 at 12:07 AM.
    We have assumed control !

  7. #7
    W&B, Torrey, Filarmonica fanboy FatboySlim's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Atlanta
    Posts
    605
    Thanked: 252

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by pcb01 View Post
    The BBW/coti is not ideal (obviously), so now I'm looking for a yellow coti with dimensions of 1" X 6-8".

    I've been advised this is "crazy thinking." Well, it wouldn't be the first time.

    Any thoughts, warnings, or (dare I hope) encouragement?
    I'll offer encouragement - use any hone, device, or "trick" that will help you advance the quality of your honing. Definitely try a narrow hone, and if you don't like it, just sell it to a loving home via the SRP Classifieds.

    I don't universally prefer narrow hones for all razors, but I definitely prefer them for old wedges and and smiling blades like you describe. The narrowness helps enforce good rolling X technique for me. With a wider hone, I tend to unconsciously drift from a rolling X to a regular X pattern, leading to an uneven bevel along the length of a smiling blade. Too narrow at the heel, too wide at the point, and not really "right" anywhere.

    So I don't think a 1 x 6" or 1 x 8" hone is crazy at all. My most useful narrow hone is a very old 1.25 x 9.2" solid coticule stone, that gets very close to 1" wide at it's narrowest point. It's in the Wiki hone database (listed as "Coticule, Vintage, Solid"), and is pictured below. The nice thing is that because demand is heavier for wider hones, narrow hones (particularly coticules) can generally be had more cheaply.



    On hollow-ground razors with straight edges, my favorite size is palm-sized, around 2.5 x 5 inches (like mine pictured below from the Hone Wiki). I don't really have the required level of coordination and muscle control to maintain a straight-edge hollow-ground razor dead flat on a 1-inch wide hone. I need the width of the hone as a rest for the blade to keep it in proper flat contact with the hone during the entire stroke. For me, the hone needs to be wide enough (at least 2 inches) so that 2/3rds of the blade's length never leaves the hone during the X stroke.

    I love to hone and will try to hone with natural stones of any shape, any size. But through trial and error I learned that these two form factors help me, see what helps you.


  8. #8
    Indisposed
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Posts
    6,038
    Thanked: 1195

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by zib View Post
    I have two of the same. One is almost 10 inches...and they are both combos, selected grade.

    The stone on the left is a 6x2
    That 6x2 looks awefully familiar, Rich!

    I have one large razor with a very noticable smile, and my aforementioned 6x2 select grade seems to work really well. Thanks again, Zib!

  9. The Following User Says Thank You to Ryan82 For This Useful Post:

    zib (11-24-2009)

  10. #9
    Rusty nails sparq's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Winchester, MA
    Posts
    910
    Thanked: 159

    Default

    Here is my vintage narrow coticule. It is very hard and seems to be a great polisher (I have not learned to use it yet). 1 1/4x6''


  11. #10
    zib
    zib is offline
    Hell Razor zib's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Jacksonville, Fl.
    Posts
    5,348
    Thanked: 1217
    Blog Entries
    4

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by sparq View Post
    Here is my vintage narrow coticule. It is very hard and seems to be a great polisher (I have not learned to use it yet). 1 1/4x6''

    I'd be happy to break her in and give you a free evaluation....!

    Rich
    We have assumed control !

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •