Thread: Yellow/blue coticule vs 4/8k norton ?

I was about to buy a belgium yellow/blue coticule combo from fendrihan, but I stop the process. I was thinking what should I buy? Norton 4/8k combo or the belgium yellow/blue combo.

It is to hone my new razor (dovo) that I bought few week ago.

What you guys think? I am new to this so I need some advice.

Either setup can be made to do the same job. The coticule will take longer to learn and will almost certainly be less consistant. The Norton will be easier to learn and very consistant.

I don't think there is a right answer, they are just different.

I agree what said before me.
if you are new then Norton will be a lot better choose.
After you learn how to hone razors you can buy coticule. Even then make sure seller gives you guarantee stone suitable for straight razor for finishing the edge.
They are natural stones and grits are vary .
hope this helps.

Both are very good options, and Dylan makes good points.

If you are looking for the easiest possible way, I'd go with the Norton 4k/8k

If you are interested in an existential journey and learning your unique natural stone, go with the natural combo.

I prefer the natural stones because of sappy romantic reasons that aren't necessarily logical. It just so happens that I prefer the edges off the coticule to everything I've tried, but I'd honestly probably still use it (followed by some paste) rather than synthetics.

I will say that I don't find it necessary to buy anything else before a coticule if I were inclined to use one. A new guy can learn them, but they need to have patience.

Just in case you haven't seen it the SRP Wiki has a section describing the various hones and their characteristics here. Also many tutorials on honing with Nortons, Coticules and other hones. I also began honing early in my straight razor journey. Some recommend waiting until you've got the learning curve of shaving behind you and you are sure you'll be sticking with it before tackling the additional learning curve of honing. Your choice though.

I'd recommend you go with the Nortons, especially since your just starting out...Plenty of time for to experiment with Coticules later on. The Norton 4/8 will give you consistent results, and is much easier to use.

I got a coticule before I bought Norton 4k/8k. It took me a long time to understand how to use the coti. When I finally got the Norton, I lapped it and proceeded to hone two or three razors successfully. Then I decided to give the coti a try two months ago. I used the dilucot method and found that after some experience on the Norton I was able to successfully hone on my coti. Ever since then I haven't touched my Norton. I find my coti to be a wonderful stone. I can set the bevel and polish all with one stone. However the razor must not have any chips in it. If it does then a dmt or 1k hone would be need to remove the chips first. Cotis are definitely not beginners' stones but they are great and so much fun to use once you get the hang of honing. My coti also has a BBW side but I don't use it much because I don't have a BBW slurry stone.

I started on the romantic path using a vintage bbw/coticule with hopes of a single, do-it-all stone. I stumbled. Then I added a 1K bevel-setter (DMT1200). I skipped and frolicked. Now I use a Naniwa SS 1K followed by the bbw/coticule (slurry/water) and the C12K (sometimes). I run 5K races. (I'm no marathoner, but I'm happy with my time and distance.)

The point is...I think it's more important (edge-wise) to choose a good 1K bevel-setter than to decide between the bbw/coticule and the Norton 4K/8K.

(But choose the bbw/coticule. Natural stones smell really good!)


Christopher

Originally Posted by macpowa

I was about to buy a belgium yellow/blue coticule combo from fendrihan, but I stop the process. I was thinking what should I buy? Norton 4/8k combo or the belgium yellow/blue combo.

It is to hone my new razor (dovo) that I bought few week ago.

What you guys think? I am new to this so I need some advice.

If you are starting with a shave ready razor, I would get a Barbers Hone and a Chromium pasted paddle/strop.

If you want to get into restorations or ebay/antique store razors, I would get the Norton first and later get a Coticule. Like everyone else said, Nortons are very consistent and good to learn on.

At first i was going to send my razor to a honemeister to get it honed. But the total cost would be something like 40$ with the shipping. (16$ (honing)+ 9$ (shipping) +9$ (shipping back to me)) At this point I change my mind and wanted to buy a stone and do it by myself.

I was about to buy a norton but i can't find a place to buy it in canada. Some members gave me some link to a few store in the us (wich a really appreciate) but the shipping cost is very high to canada (20$ to 33$). I looked at Fendrihan (canadian store) and the offer free shipping on order over 75$. But they don't sell Norton stone, they sell DMT, Coticule, Naniwa and shapton. So that why I came up with the idea of buying a coticule. the Yellow/blue combo is 140$ for 6x2 inches + slurry stone and the shipping is free. I know it would be more difficult to learn from a coticule but the price is near the same if I buy a norton or a coticule.

I know that coticule is one of the best stone in the world for sharpening, what you guys think I should do? I don't want to pay for something a will change in a few months.