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 JimmyHAD

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.

It seems a lot of fokes do like the eschers/thur. I never tryed one and would'nt no a original one to be onest. Refering to the 12k you have jimmy does it improve after coticule ? I never tryed that neither. I no raspur finishers with 10k after coticule he does about 40 passes on the 10k.

Originally Posted by gary haywood

It seems a lot of fokes do like the eschers/thur. I never tryed one and would'nt no a original one to be onest. Refering to the 12k you have jimmy does it improve after coticule ? I never tryed that neither. I no raspur finishers with 10k after coticule he does about 40 passes on the 10k.

I think that it would improve it Gary. I think it would be a keener edge but I've never tried it either. If I am honing with naturals I tend to stay with naturals. Wih nortons I might follow with a synthetic high grit after the 4/8 but many times I'll go with a coticule or an escher.

Sometimes I follow a Norton 4/8 with a coticule and shave with that or sometimes follow a coticule with an escher but never with a synthetic stone. I like to see how good an edge I can get off of the coticule .... or whatever so I don't try to get the razor sharper with paste or a synthetic.

Generally when I am honing with naniwas I stick to the naniwa series and with shapton pros I stay within that series. Of course there are no rules and anyone can follow one hone with another of their choice. It just seems to me that a series of hones designed with the same grit and binder ought to work well together and give more consistency. I have the feeling that the naniwa 12k is an even higher grit than what they are saying. At least it feels that way from he results I get.