Thread: Finally joined the Coti Club

I just ordered a combo slurry stone from a member here. So far I've just been using plain water.

One thing I have noticed. While honing, it "feels" as though it's coarser than the Naniwa 5K that I have. Is that just due to the Naniwa being softer?

If the coticule feels rough to you it really doesn't matter some just feel that way because it's a natural rock, FME. You can lap it with a dmt 325 or wet/dry sandpaper and then lap it again with a higher grit wet/dry sandpaper like a 600-1000 grit and it will smooth it out for you.

When you touch the hone dry, does it feel smooth? Coticules are odd rocks, they bump up their garnets when they're wet. One of the ones I have is very very fast in slurry, the slurry will turn black with metal in ten strokes and it feels like I am honing in sand. With water its completely smooth like glass and hones very slowly.

This is not really off topic, but I just got a new coticle from Jarrod at superior shave.

I just finished using a modified version of the unicot method. I set the bevel on my nani 2k and then followed up with the unicot method.

My real question is about cleaning the coticule after use. I always lap my naniwa stones after use. Is it necessary to take the same measures with the coticule? Should the coticule be lapped after each use?

Originally Posted by Fbones24

I always lap my naniwa stones after use. Is it necessary to take the same measures with the coticule? Should the coticule be lapped after each use?

No, and quite frankly lapping pretty much any stone after every use is not only overkill but completely unnecessary. If you were honing as many razors in a sitting as Lynn you would probably want a light lapping, but I'm guessing you aren't. Save yourself some time and, more importantly, save the wear on your hones.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

No, and quite frankly lapping pretty much any stone after every use is not only overkill but completely unnecessary. If you were honing as many razors in a sitting as Lynn you would probably want a light lapping, but I'm guessing you aren't. Save yourself some time and, more importantly, save the wear on your hones.

I should have clarified, I definitely don't fully lap my stones after every use. I basically give the stones a few circles with the DMT. Maybe that is even too much.

Synthetic stones such as shaptons and naniwas, that have a polymer base can move with changing humidity, temperature and so on. They may bow in the center slightly or curl on the ends and such between honing sessions. Before a honing session I check with a pencil grid and when the grid is removed I consider them flat. With naturals I don't do it as much but I do when I intuitively feel the stone needs it. Feel it through the razor on the hone I mean. Just IMHO.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Synthetic stones such as shaptons and naniwas, that have a polymer base can move with changing humidity, temperature and so on. They may bow in the center slightly or curl on the ends and such between honing sessions. Before a honing session I check with a pencil grid and when the grid is removed I consider them flat. With naturals I don't do it as much but I do when I intuitively feel the stone needs it. Feel it through the razor on the hone I mean. Just IMHO.

Yeah, but not all of us are doing the sheer amount of honing/razors per session as guys like you, Jimmy

Ryan is actually right, they don't need lapping...

I do 5 figure 8's with a DMT 325 before I start honing on just about every hone so I always start with a clean fresh surface... BUT you don't even need to do that little bit...
Jimmy is also right the Naniwa SS, and Shapton GS can be slightly off when you first wet them BUT if you wet them when you start honing on the previous stone they will be even by the time you get to them...IOW toss the 3/4k in the water when yer honing on the 1k and yer fine... Don't take my word for it try it yourself... I still do 5 figure 8's on each of those too...(Jimmy I don't know if it works on the Shapton Pro's)

But honestly you don't need to