Thread: How to use Coticule.

You know Jimmy that booklet I keep bringing up talks about temper of the blade. I honestly think that has a lot to do with the results as well as some Coticules that won't make slurry. He talked about a hard temper being basically a real pain and a medium or low medium temper being much better and ideal for shaving.
Just a thought--------

I confess I gave no consideration to the razor's character having any impact on its ability to generate a slurry during honing. I'm still surprised that it would make any significant difference.

I went and really looked at my Coticule this morning...

TNT = nope, you ain't scratching mine, wet or dry

Auto-Slurry = Very, very, slight at about 5 (finishing pressure)laps

My Coticule is used as a finisher plain and simple, so after I am at shaving sharp (8k level)

5 figure 8's with a DMT 325 to raise a light slurry, then about 10 super light laps using Liam's pigtail stroke.
Dilute to Clear water over the next 10-15 strokes..
(I call that "training" the razor to the stone, and I use it on almost every natural stone)

Finish strokes with clear water, since my Coticule will raise a slight slurry after about 5 laps I dip the razor every 3 laps to make sure it is a clear water finish, and do as many laps as it takes to get the right feel from the razor/stone connection..

Here are pics of my Coticule, color is as close to what I see as accurate as I am capable of, I think it is slightly more Yellow then the pics look.


Dry:




Wet:

You know it's just a thought and something I may try out since I know of some brands that have a hard temper and at least one known for a medium temper.

Ain't it fun how many ways we can use these tools. To me that's a lot of the fun experimenting with different tools and methods. Sometimes you get a nice surpise and sometimes a dismal failure but it's still a good time:-)

May be a little beside the point here
Dont have a coticule yet so im not able to test

from (1895) Essay on Barbers' Razors, Razor Hones, Razor Stropes & Razor Honing
Quote: use water, oil or lather
Quote: rub with a rub stone untill a thick lather of a rub stone is formed

The hones are segregated by those used with water/shaving lather and those used with oil. Almost always an oil stone and an Escher, Thuringian and Coticule. Oil stones like a Turkey Stone etc are different.
The old books normally mean use a rubber stone on Escher's as well as Thuringian's. Shaving lather on Coticules back then.

This is something that Gerrit/deighaingeal and I were discussing over at WSW that perhaps when we are taking pics of stones, that we should all try using a plain white background...

This is Standard #92 Brightness printer paper for a background on the same Coticule as above... No adjustments after the fact other then to crop the pic...


Dry:



Wet:

That is a great idea.I have been discussing a coticule that is in another thread with Jarrod of TSS and the shades of the coticule picture are off from from what I believe the actual colors to be now. i will use the white background in any new pictures from now on. Thanks.

Good idea Glen that way we can get a standardized feel for the true color of various items.