Thread: Coti and Thuringian question

So, which is the best finisher and why do you think so.

I read that you are not suppost to use a thuri on a razor after you have used a coti. Why?

I have a nani 12K Now. How will both of these compare?

I heard that a coti puts a smoother edge than other finishers. Why?

I know that is a lot of questions. I know everything you hear or read isn't necessarily so. I want to draw from the collective experience here.

Coticules and thuringians are both excellent finishers. There are subtle differences between them and people have their preferences. There's no way for me or anyone else to predict which one YOU will come to prefer, or why, or whether like some of us you'll decide it's six of one half dozen of the other.

I've never tried the Naniwa 12K but experienced honers who use it say it's awesome. By all means experiment with coticules or thuringians but before spending money (Thurries in particular are $$$$) you should know that according to many of the top honers here, including Lynn, the Naniwa 12K is in their league if not better.

And remember also that the differences between these and other top finishing hones are subtle enough that you'll have to be very, very good at honing before they'll become at all significant.

Back when the Norton 4/8 was the standard hone here, the word from the wise was you should learn to get every last bit of sharpness out of the Norton before worrying about which superfine finisher to add. That was a way to keep the emphasis on skills and not get on some hone-purchasing merry-go-round. Well, that advice holds true for the Naniwas too, if (as seems to be the case) they've replaced the Nortons as the SRP standard.

I'm a coti fan i would say coticule. If i was to want one finisher to use as finisher only and touch up hone i think i'd go for 10k naniwa and coticule. the coticule could do a little more as it is versatile the 10k can do just the finisheing and refreshing in much quiker timer and less laps . Due to the garnets in the coticulke they do produce a nic freindly edge. I don't think there are any bad finishers its just what you prefer. I prefer coticule second would be a naniwa. I tryed a thuringian and i did'nt take to it.

As has been said personal preferences will differ. IME an Escher or Thuringan is a superior finisher to a coticule. For sharpening to the finishing stage I'll take the coticule.

I am glad that I didn't read that business about not following a coticule with a Thuringan before I had already done so many times with great results. YMMV.

A naniwa 12k is a great finisher IME and may give more consistent results than some natural stones. Just IMHO.

What do you mean by "best"?

There will be an untold number of people who come in here and tell you what is best in their opinion and why, but until you try them on YOUR face, it's totally pointless. They are different, and they are both very good. MY face likes Coticule edges better, but I don't think that's enough to warrant a "coticules are better" response.

Truth is, they are both excellent.

I find my Thurry gives a finer edge than my coti. I think part of the reason coti edges feel so smooth is that they are not as sharp as other firishers (in addition to the way that the garnets cut) - just my own theory, not true by any means.

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

I find my Thurry gives a finer edge than my coti. I think part of the reason coti edges feel so smooth is that they are not as sharp as other firishers (in addition to the way that the garnets cut) - just my own theory, not true by any means.

IME, coticule edges don't FEEL as sharp as other finishes (Thuringian, Shapton 30K, and others I've tried) , but I get consistently great shaves and have even gotten HHT-4 (consistently) and HHT-5 (quite rarely) quality edges. It's hard to say if they are actually as sharp, or not, as other finishes, though. I think the biggest difference is that they have garnets too big to allow for sharpness derived from striations in the edge and rely totally on keenness (V shape). I also think we need to weigh into this discussion how much more difficult it is to achieve those edges on a coticule. Just the finishing or retouching of a razor on a coticule with water only can take 60, 80, even 100 strokes IME to get the best results.

That has to be considered when doing a "which is for me" analysis. Personally, I don't mind that. Having said that, they very well may not be as sharp as the other finishes, and I could be rationalizing... Dunno

Originally Posted by richmondesi

IME, coticule edges don't FEEL as sharp as other finishes (Thuringian, Shapton 30K, and others I've tried) , but I get consistently great shaves

Mirrors my experience exactly. I happen to think that this is the reason many pro barbers back in the old days (when I was a young man and before) favored the coticule to as the go to finisher on the razors they used on their customers.

I am new to straights.
I bought few days ago a coticule. As far as I have tried, I am 100% with richmondesi. Edges made by coticule feel very smooth and easy to handle !!

I'm a barber and have the privalege to talk to and no real old barbers aas old as 80 years old.They both say all they ever used was milk stone. We no them as coticules. I actualy saw the one my old mate used it was dished big time. He used it and his dad before him he is now 79 his dad is long gone. I've been playing with coticules for some time now. And i never thought it was possible to pass hht. i could never get a great shave neither. Now i can get get both and the smoothest edges i ever experianced. I no longer use paste as i don't feel it could improve on a well honed razor of the coticule.

I will admit they do take some practice and patients. It's natural to buy somthing else because your not getting the results with what you have. I'm sure if i worked with the eschers etc i would get same results . They will all do the same job if you no how to use the hone to its max. I just love the looks of coti there all differant this is what makes them differant