Select and Standard grade Coticule is a visual grading
and has nothing to do with how well the stone work
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Select and Standard grade Coticule is a visual grading
and has nothing to do with how well the stone work
I'm in the process of giving natural stones a go. Up until now I've been synthetics all the way (Shapton Pro Ceramics) but I lashed out recently and bought a coticule and a Frankonian and I'm getting some pretty impressive results from them.
You can't really give a grit rating of a coticule because you can use it like a 1k stone for bevel setting and then all the way through to a 12k finisher. I know most people say that a coticule is around 8k but I reckon it's more like 12k or even a little beyond. I can get edges off a coticule that I think are as good if not better than my Shapton 12k. The Frankonian takes sharp and smooth to a whole new level. It is a great finishing stone. I can now see why Gabor Buddel uses one on the straights he makes.
I dissagree...
I've had about 12 different coticule stones in the past year and the ones I all sold off were standard grade, my 8X3 Select LPB is my best coticule by far as it is most gentle on my edges.
I honestly don't see how it wouldn't make a diffierent using a surface that may have inclusions in it compared to one that doesn't. Also why would there be such a big price difference in the two grades if it didn't matter, just for looks? I doubt Ardennes is prices just based on looks when using two grades...
Do ones with a bit more pink "marbleing" in them have perhaps a higher count of garnets? I'm holding an example of 2 of my Belgian Coticules which have the slate backing. One is a bit more yellow than the other. The small one I got off ebay and the other from Howard. I assumed that the lighter yellow one would have finer garnets in it.
http://vernsdidj.com/pictures/misc/r...coticules2.jpg
and here with the Dovo 6/8 for comparison. (Not all hands are the same size *S*)
http://vernsdidj.com/pictures/misc/razors/coticules.jpg
I prefer my La petite blanche and that one has pink swirls with yellow smooth texture on it as well. I just think it's a matter of speed when comparing greenish to pinkish. I don't finish on my coticule though, I use it as a stepping stone inbetween synthetics and my Escher YG.
IME estimating the grit of a stone, natural or synthetic, is immaterial. They either work at the level you are working at or they don't. I just find the place a particular stone works well in and go there. In some cases the stone doesn't suit me and I look to another. Just IMHO.
This standardization only takes in account how the Coticule is shaped and does not effect the excellent grinding characteristics. “Selected” provides a homogeneous stone while “Standard” shows cosmetic defects or natural colourisation.
Exact quote from ardennes website
I would rather have an "ugly" rock that honed well than a "pretty" rock that didn't.