Thread: How to use Coticule.

i hope this will help people who is struggling to use Coticules.
At first i should mention coticules are natural stones.
Their grit will differ from 4k-8k level sometimes 10k.
I have seen always People advice to use Coticules by making slurry ,then diluting etc.
i Think this is misguiding.
I understand more people will be against me then agree with me .
In fact if anyone could answer this question or show me what i am looking for then i would be gladly change my mind.
Now has anyone ever seen boxed coticule with slurry stone?(old ones)
As many of you seen or owned Escher's which do have boxed stone including slurry stone?
Coticule always been used with water, lather, or Oil.
the finest edge you can get using it with oil.
fastest cutting action you will rich by using lather.
Question is can you use it with slurry and sharpen razor faster?
Yes you can but it is not the proper way to use it and it is not faster.
you are decreasing life span of the stone.
I did test this and results was .
you will get maximum out of the coticule spending less time just by using water then using it with slurry then diluting and getting the final edge from the stone.
Let me explain this a little more.
if you take the coticule
then make slurry and hone the blade.
then diluting slurry slowly until you will end up with water and make strokes curtain amount to get final edge from the stone.(takes 300-500 strokes total .sometimes more)
This process will take more time then just using your coticule with water without making slurry etc.
Go head test yourself and see what happens. good luck

You will spend less time .
hope this helps.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/34507911/1895-Essay-on-Barbers-Razors-Razor-Hones-Razor-Stropes-Razor-Honing

(1895) Essay on Barbers' Razors, Razor Hones, Razor Stropes & Razor Honing

This essay from way back when straights were the only way to shave gives information about picking a razor and honing. One interesting thing is that the only hone a slurry was worked up on was a water hone like the Escher or Thuringian but none with a Coti-------
Just use the link above it doesn't take long to read.

OK, I'm game.

Here's what I've got, two identical razors, both 6/8 HG Shapleigh, both almost brand spankin' NOS
I'll dull 'em both, and start using Bart's Dilucot procedure with one, and Sham's Water method with the other.
I'll post back what i find.

Originally Posted by wdwrx

OK, I'm game.

Here's what I've got, two identical razors, both 6/8 HG Shapleigh, both almost brand spankin' NOS
I'll dull 'em both, and start using Bart's Dilucot procedure with one, and Sham's Water method with the other.
I'll post back what i find.

see which one will give to you finest edge earlier and simple way.

Can I throw a wrinkle in, Sham?

Where should the BBW side of a natural combo stone be used? Before the coticule or after? I've seen some people recommend using coticule w/slurry, then BBW, then coticule with water only.

I'm going to use water only on my Droescher coticule and post how long it took when I'm done and how easy the edge was to get, with shave results.

Thanks for giving me something to test!

BBW is so slow old times it never been used for sharpening purposes.
People build houses and used for backing coticule.
hope this answers to your question.

Originally Posted by Gunner777

http://www.scribd.com/doc/34507911/1895-Essay-on-Barbers-Razors-Razor-Hones-Razor-Stropes-Razor-Honing

(1895) Essay on Barbers' Razors, Razor Hones, Razor Stropes & Razor Honing

This essay from way back when straights were the only way to shave gives information about picking a razor and honing. One interesting thing is that the only hone a slurry was worked up on was a water hone like the Escher or Thuringian but none with a Coti-------
Just use the link above it doesn't take long to read.

Wow,
Thanks for that link. What a differnet perspective they had. So many manufacturers, so many choices. The author puts razors in temper categories! How rich.

Just another perspective on use.
There used to be a DVD available on eBay of an old fella who started the Laville Barber Supply company. On it he restores a razor & sets a basic bevel on belts & buffs & then hones the razor on a progression of 2 stones. A 118 Carborundum hone on which he used a soapy lather then finished it on a Coticule with the same soapy lather. He claimed 50 strokes on the Coti was his usual number.

I want to play with this experiment when time off from work permits me but I want to make it clear:

we are setting a bevel and finishing on one stone on just water? In the dilucot method you are to dull a razor on glass and then hone the razor to finish which takes approx. 15 minutes.

I will dull a razor tonight on glass and then hone on my droescher coticule with just water until finished, this in theory shouldn't take as long?