Thread: Hone type

Here are some pics of a hone I got recently that I know nothing about. Is it a finishing hone? That is my main question. Does anyone know aprox what grit it would be? Thanks, Mack

Belgian Blue Wetstone and Coti combo I believe. Very good stuff there. The Blue side is good for bevel setting and the yellow side is good for polishing in a blade up. If you wanted you could get something around the 12k range to finish, but there have been a few threads on here lately about using just a Combo Stone like yours to go from beginning to end in honing.

The only thing bad I have heard (and it isn't necessarily bad) is that it takes a lot of stroke using one of these to get the best results.

You are lucky guy. That is a natural bbw/yellow coticule and a beauty to boot. You can set bevel with the yellow with slurry although I would do it with a 1k synthetic for ease and speed instead. Sharpen with the blue with slurry and finish with the yellow with water and you don't really need anything else unless you want to go a bit more . Great hones IME.

Thats what I would have said, BBW/coti combo..both the same 8000 grit, the coti has something like 30% more garnet content making it cut faster.

Lots of info here by Bart on how to use them

So the yellow side is the smoothest? Or are both sides the same? What about the hairline cracks in the yellow side? I can't feel them but will they affect the edge? Mack

Originally Posted by mackie

So the yellow side is the smoothest? Or are both sides the same? What about the hairline cracks in the yellow side? I can't feel them but will they affect the edge? Mack

You don't show photos of the hairline cracks in the yellow so it is hard to judge visually. Many times such cracks are natural in the stone when harvested and as long as you can't feel them they won't affect the honing. If you feel them through the blade they might be an issue. The yellow is the finer of the two sides. Here is a good webpage with instructions for various methods of sharpening with a coticule.

Ask Bart at coticule.be

they call it fault lines not cracks. will not hurt your blade. yellow side is finer. to put final edge last you use just water without slurry. great stone to have.
gL

Thanks very much guys, I had no idea I had something so good. When I got it, the thing was so dirty I had to scrub it with a green scrubbie and soap. I paid three dollars for it at the flea market. I appreicate all the help. Mack