Thread: What do you like about your coti?

I know there's a lot of love out there for coticules. I've read about their flexibility, being able to take a blade from bevel setting through to finishing. I've read about how smooth an edge they create. To be fair, I've also read about consistency concerns (which I guess is a concern of all naturals versus synthetics).

I'm asking as a relative newbie to honing. I'm just starting my quest to find the hone(s) that really suit me, and I'm trying to get an idea of what to expect. I have a new coticule as currently my only stone. I've used it long enough to fully disable a razor, then create a reasonable edge (from bevel to finish) using the unicot method then to create a reasonable edge (from bevel to finish) using the dilucot method. Both of those edges I had to lap on a crox pasted strop to get it really shave ready. Well, newbie shave ready. I still have room to improve, but the razor is now giving me quite acceptable shaves (both in closeness and in comfort).

So my questions are these:
· Do you prefer your coti as an all inclusive stone that you can use end to end or for whatever stage you need it?
· Do you just use it just as a finisher?
· Do you just use it as a mid-level stone and finish with a different stone?
· If you were counseling a newbie, what do you think is the best way to learn honing?
o Would you recommend a specific hone or set of hones or do you think the specific hone has less to do with it and it’s simply the technique you need to learn?
o How quickly would you check out other hones? Would you say it's okay, if one has a mind to, try different hones once you are able to produce a usable edge on any other stone or would you advise to prefect a given stone (e.g. hone several edges) before testing the waters?

Thanks. I appreciate your input.

I used to use mine as a finisher. Then I got a C12k and used that after the coti, because I found the C12k to give a better shaving edge.

I use my coticule (natural combo) as a working hone. I use the blue with slurry to smooth out an edge after bevel-creation on the DMT. Then I use the yellow with light slurry to get the razor popping hairs, then I finish on a Y/G escher (first with slurry, then without). Then five licks or so on a canvas hanger pasted with chrome ox.

Using slurry on yellow after the blue goes against Bart's advice, and that guy knows more than any living soul about cotis and how they work. Maybe I've got a weird one, I don't know, but my yellow with light slurry is not dulling. In fact it's just a great hone, a real stand-by for me, fast and effective. It'll take a razor with any amount of dulling (short of serious bevel work) and get it sharp in no time. Then the thuringian comes in. But a real coti-pro could probably get a lot more of the yellow and make the thurry in my sequence more or less superfluous.

As to why I love my coticule, well, that's why. It's just one of those things that's beautiful and functional and you find yourself reaching for it again and again.

Yes of course it's OK to try lots of hones, most of us end up doing so, but I do think you're on to something when you suggest there might be value in sticking with one and really getting to know it and how to get the most out of it.

Originally Posted by mbrossar

Do you prefer your coti as an all inclusive stone that you can use end to end or for whatever stage you need it?

Sort of; I use a progression with cotis but it's not all done on just one coti. I don't have a single coti that provides as good of results as using two different ones, plus the bbw side.

Originally Posted by mbrossar

Do you just use it just as a finisher?

No. I go from bevel setting to finishing on coti/bbw combos. I have been experimenting with the C12k vs. slow coti for finishing. I haven't been able to feel a real difference.

Originally Posted by mbrossar

Do you just use it as a mid-level stone and finish with a different stone?

No. But I also don't use the same coti/bbw start to finish, and I'll occasionally use a different low grit stone before getting to the coti with slurry. Also, I'm experimenting with a C12k vs. slow coti w/ water as a finisher.

Originally Posted by mbrossar

If you were counseling a newbie, what do you think is the best way to learn honing?

If you can, find a honemeister to spend some time with. If you can't, watch as many honing videos as you can (see the wiki for youtube links) and get a microscope. The microscope isn't the be-all-end-all, but it does help you to see what's happening as you progress.

Originally Posted by mbrossar

Would you recommend a specific hone or set of hones or do you think the specific hone has less to do with it and it’s simply the technique you need to learn?

In my opinion, learning the honing stroke is the most important part. After you get that muscle memory, the stones play a bigger role.

Originally Posted by mbrossar

How quickly would you check out other hones?

If your budget allows it, I'd do it today! If you don't have the budget for it, perhaps you could make it to a meet in your area and try out some different stones. One problem with the cotis is that they can vary a lot from one stone to another. It can be hard to get advice about using them when you're not sure how yours cuts in comparison to others. The synthetic stones are all the same. (meaning one person's Naniwa 5k is going to cut just like everyone else's Naniwa 5k). That makes it a lot easier to get advice about your honing process online.
I was able to figure out my stones by having other ones to compare them to.
When a coti is the only stone you have, it would be really difficult to know where it is in a comparative grit range.

Originally Posted by mbrossar

Would you say it's okay, if one has a mind to, try different hones once you are able to produce a usable edge on any other stone or would you advise to prefect a given stone (e.g. hone several edges) before testing the waters?

In my opinion, somewhere in the middle is best. You'll want to make sure that you are consistently getting good edges from one system before comparing it to another. Otherwise you might be just comparing a fluke to something else.
But, variety is the spice of life, and HAD is fun, so I wouldn't spend forever on one system before trying something else.