Salm Coticule question

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Recently someone posted that the brown splotches/lines/inclusions in a Salm Coti might be magnesium. Can anyone enlighten us regarding these brown spots?

I have a particular progression that includes a Salm Coticule and works very well. I am getting great edges from this progression and I would like to know what that brown stuff really consists of.

Please share any knowledge you have and thank you in advance. Inquiring minds want to know......

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Jerry

yes the black/brown spots are magnesium they are softer then the coti so they shouldn't harm the edge of your razor.

Jerry,

IIRC the black/red/purple 'splobs' and lines in Cotis were due to manganese.

Please have a peek here : The Cafeteria - Coticule Forum - home of the famous Belgian Coticule Whetstone

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

Yeah, they are manganese from what I've read too. The one I used to have was a good one and Sham had, maybe still has one, that he thinks quite highly of. Good stones.

++1 on manganese. Manganese dioxide aka pyrolusite, found in batteries and manganese-bronze, too.

Regards,
Neil

Manganese it is.
They seem to speed up the honing.

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Originally Posted by decraew

Manganese it is.
They seem to speed up the honing.

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I've read that it does. Can't really say based on the one I had but it was a good one. If nothing else it looks really cool IMO.

Since we're talking about it, I'd thought I'd share one of mine. Here's a really nice Salmon or Pink Coti I picked up with that Les Lat side, It's hard to appreciate the color in pics, but it is very, very pink, even gives pink slurry, and a great cutter to boot. Just thought I'd share...Thanks Jimmy....

P.S. The 8x3 is a La Nouvelle vein, fast, great finishing stone. I put it in the pic for persepective.

Nice stone mrsell63, I wouldn't worry about the spots....

Enjoy.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by decraew

Manganese it is.
They seem to speed up the honing.

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In general this is true, though I've had one or 2 oddball ones that were slower with these lines. But the vast majority I've played around with are faster with these spots or lines (I'm speaking with slurry use). Same goes for reddish colored/streaked coticules (these tend to be fast on water).

Manganese is common in many rocks and those black splotches are a dead give-away.

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

If nothing else it looks really cool IMO.

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Yup, cool indeed. That's why the wife of another enthusiast I know calls us "razor nerds".

Quote:

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Originally Posted by zib

Here's a really nice Salmon or Pink Coti I picked up with that Les Lat side, It's hard to appreciate the color in pics, but it is very, very pink, even gives pink slurry, and a great cutter to boot. Just thought I'd share...Thanks Jimmy....

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Thank you Rich .... for the $$ :)

That stone is a homogenous pink with no variation in color. The reverse side is that hybrid rock that seems to be gaining in popularity. Very hard and maybe for a fine edge. I didn't fool with that side much.

I've always found that coticules with pink bits are faster than those without .... at least the ones I've had and have. Green tends to be hard and fine. That pink one zib has is the fastest I've ever seen or honed on.

Which makes me wonder what the pink stuff is ? From a geological perspective ..... mineral deposits or what ?

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Which makes me wonder what the pink stuff is ? From a geological perspective ..... mineral deposits or what ?

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No doubt it's the blood of the hone god infused into the stone. That explains the color and the magical properties.

Definitely not magnesium. Magnesium dust or strips are highly flammable - only takes a strike from a steel knife to ignite it. Running a steel razor over magnesium might not produce a desired result.

They are fast cutting stones. I am fortunate to work with one regularly. I just found some very nice coti’s the other day out in a Kansas antique shop.. One may even be finer than the Salm. They are being evaluated he, he.
Mike

http://i.imgur.com/yT94S.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/77DEO.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/6g0Bb.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/CGPuF.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by zib

Since we're talking about it, I'd thought I'd share one of mine. Here's a really nice Salmon or Pink Coti I picked up with that Les Lat side, It's hard to appreciate the color in pics, but it is very, very pink, even gives pink slurry, and a great cutter to boot. Just thought I'd share...Thanks Jimmy....

P.S. The 8x3 is a La Nouvelle vein, fast, great finishing stone. I put it in the pic for persepective.

Nice stone mrsell63, I wouldn't worry about the spots....

Enjoy.

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Oooh, pretty. I don't care how that hones. Man, I sound like my wife.