Thread: La Dressante Au Blue

Did I spell it right well you know what I mean:-) I have one of these coming my way. It's a fairly good size bout. I'm aware they are known for smaller garnets than most and are considered fast cutters but smooth.
Any other information is appreciated as far as use and using the BBW side. Thanks ahead of time.

I'm no coti expert, but I think that, no matter what generalizations people can provide about a particular vein/layer/depth/coloring/etc, you'll have to play with yours to figure it out due to the variations.

I do know that no two Coticules are the same regardless of type. I was really just looking for general experiences.

It's like owning a labrador and advising what to expect in another labrador somewhere else...

I have found that even with 2 very similar hones, there is more likely to be greater discrepancies within different honer's strokes and how well a bevel it actually set prior to moving to the stone in question. Then the steel, then the grind...sorry to be ambiguous but I truly believe it.

What do I reckon? I think from what I know about that vein that it will be a nice finisher.

Im part of the camp that doesn't see much point in dilucot methods prior to 6K level and yes I have tried it.

I guess this is one of those questions that has no real answer because of the wide variety of characteristics even within a certain vein. I know that of the ones I have no two are alike even though some are very similar.
As I said in the beginning I have been told that this type does have smaller Garnets which remains to be seen how that effects honing.
I know the last stop for me regardless of stone is an Escher.

Congratulations on your new Coticule.

I have a La Dressante Au Blue and can tell you that it has provided me with Awesome edges. I have been using the Unicot method from bevel correction through to finishing on water. I just used the BBW side this weekend and was able to get a wonderfully smooth edge from it.

Enjoy!

Lu

I have a Dressante as well, Good cutter, reasonably fast with slurry, not a bad finisher with water...unicot/dilucot methods are good starting points, but you will need to learn your own hone, each is different, as well as the condition of your blade.
The only thing I don't agree with in those methods is the dulling of the blade on the glass...

I don't know much about the different veins. Your saying it has smaller garnets intrigues me. Got me to thinking, the bbw is said to have larger garnets than the yellow coticule. Seems that is why it works well with slurry up to a point and then the yellow comes in to refine and finish.

I'm wondering if what might make one yellow cut faster or smoother than another might be the size of the garnets and especially the density ? IOW, how saturated the coticule is with garnets as opposed to binder. Just thinking out loud, I don't have a clue if there might be anything to that.

Enjoy your new stone. Please post some side photos too so I can see if any of mine might be the same vein.

i have a la drassante au blue . i have had two of these one i still have one i sold to wdrx (criss). they were both exactly the same. they are moderate cutter with slurry and leave a very nice smooth edge . the yellow side feels nice and soft while honing and you will get a nice feel some coticules are like honing on glass this layer has a real nice feel. unicot method will work with any coticule well. the dilucot takes more paractice. dilucot i dilute slow ly with my la drassante au blue. i have also used a la drassante ,slate based no combo and they are normaly much faster cutters.
the main reason for just slightly dull the edge , for me is just when practicing honing.it only takes 60 laps on slurry to come back.
i use dilucot and have experianced exallant edges. i don't do unicot as i'm not keen on using tape . all this will take practice like every thing, it will work for some and not others.

good luck and i'm sure you will like your la drassante au blue.

as for blue side i never use blue.

gary

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I don't know much about the different veins. Your saying it has smaller garnets intrigues me. Got me to thinking, the bbw is said to have larger garnets than the yellow coticule. Seems that is why it works well with slurry up to a point and then the yellow comes in to refine and finish.

I'm wondering if what might make one yellow cut faster or smoother than another might be the size of the garnets and especially the density ? IOW, how saturated the coticule is with garnets as opposed to binder. Just thinking out loud, I don't have a clue if there might be anything to that.

Enjoy your new stone. Please post some side photos too so I can see if any of mine might be the same vein.

Actually, I think you're pretty much on target. It has to do with the amount of garnet, the release rate (type and amount of 'binder' acting as cement), size of garnets, crystallinity of garnets, etc. - all very variable as you might expect.