I'm probably opening a can of worm here, but I'm asking what you like the best - not meant to be a debate. So far, I have a few for different purpose. I like Le Dressante for finishing, but standard cot for bevel setting.
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I'm probably opening a can of worm here, but I'm asking what you like the best - not meant to be a debate. So far, I have a few for different purpose. I like Le Dressante for finishing, but standard cot for bevel setting.
My 8x3 Select Grade that has no lines, marks, or black inclusions on the face :) The best one I ever had was a Vintage 7x2 that was actually stamped "Extra Extra Fine" until I lapped it off, and was even a more cream colored Yellow than the one I have now..
Here you can see it in action
gssixgun Coticule 1 stone honing part 1.wmv - YouTube
gssixgun Coticule 1 stone honing part 2.wmv - YouTube
Well im assuming your "standard" is an vintage coticule,there are many named coticules like:
La grise
La dressante
La nouvelle veine
La veinette
La grosse Blanche
Les Latneuses
La verte
La veine aux clous
La petite Blanche.And others as well!!
Personally i never used a coticule for setting bevels, slow for bevels and wasting a lot of precious stone for a task that can be accomplished on an inexpensive synthetic stone. For finishing i had 3 coticule and found the edge to be nice and smooth but
always followed the coti with something else so for that reason i sold them all.And comparing this vein to that vein is no easy task
as being natural stone the variation from the same vein could be a lot different from one person to the other.
My favorite coticule is the one I don't own(yet).
I have a La dressant au Bleu, a natural combi in select grade, that I like.
Not the greatest bevel setter, nor is it the greatest finisher I have tried, but a decent stone none the less.
I bought another natural combi of unknown vein as well, but that was not all that to be honest.
I have a vintage one that's smallish, ugly as heck, has all kinds of inclusions, and happens to be the best finisher of all the coticules I've owned.
My 'standard' means a recent purchase standard grade coticule - from Boker specifically. Works beautifully though.
My favorites are...all of them. Havent met one I didn't like yet. I have 2 vintage 175x40 natural combos that would have to fight it out for my favorite. And a vintage 150x40 that is the fastest coticule I have ever used that ranks up there as well. And a La Grise #7 bout that leaves the smoothest buttery edges I have ever shaved with. This question is like asking someone to pick their favorite child.
I have used lots of coticules . i had to sell them on and use just one, it was hard parting with them , but i kept my 150x40mm la vainette standard grade . the edges from this stone suit my face and my daily or monthly honing ... very buttery edges and very easy coticule to use and it was one of my cheapest ...
This is not an easy question for me to answer. I have a number of them ranging from a few of the old barber standard 2 1/2 x 5" to a couple that are 12x3" that I really am fond of. The Les Lat natural I recently got off of Gary has been getting my attention here lately and I am very glad I added it to the herd.
That's easy, the Salm.
Mike
http://i.imgur.com/wQt74.jpg
The "hybrid" side of my Les Lat is the best I've tried so far.
At the risk of possibly highjacking the thread, could those of you who have years of experience with coticules comment on how to choose a coticule? . . . and don't get all jedi on me with "The stone chooses the user" or anything ;-) . . . I have a smallish coticule that I picked up from the classifieds just to test the waters and would like to get a larger one. Aside from size, are their qualities of the hone that can be gleaned from color, striations (inclusions?), etc. I have looked thesuperiorshaveDOTcom and they seem to have a huge selection. Thanks!
wait!!! stop the thread where are all of the coti pic's ?
My favorite coticule is the peanut Butter One. I used to like the chocolate one but they can be too gritty and get stuck in your teeth.
Here's my pics. I like all three of them. La Grise bout not pictured.
http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/...9/10b51279.jpg
http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/...9/b25b131b.jpg
here are 3 i currently own. sorry i just posted these pics in another thread.. far right is my best finisher.. figure its cuz it was my first and most experienced..its a really hard stone..i have to use the hybrid side of a les lat slurry stone if i want slurry if any from that particular stone.. still learning with the others...kind of a PITA to get the hang of them..middle stone is pretty sweet. i keep that in the bathroom..only thing is i have no idea where these stones might have been mined...
Attachment 93526
Well, here is my one and only coti; so, I guess it qualifies as my favorite. The W&B used for scale is recently back from a light resto and hone job by Glen. I think he finished it on a coti and it is SWEET! My reference blade at the moment.
Attachment 93528
My favorite is from howard at the perfect edge, its uniform throughout the whole stone like a koaher grade coticule. It leaves a wonderful edge, the best iIve gotten from a coticule.
I have to say "Dressante", followed by La Nouvelle. (Last Pic) I have two Dressante's, One's a Kosher grade, One's Select. Both are great stones.
For bevel setting, I have a beutiful pink/les lat vintage combo I bought off Jimmy. It's the pinkist Coti I've seen....
It's right below next to an unknown 8x3 Select from Howard.
Let me make sure I understand the question ..... you want me to pick my favorite coticule ? :confused:Attachment 93533Attachment 93534
I forgot about these two and it seems you like your 4x2 's like I do.
Here's the two I got and have one in the mail. Old rock on the left.
http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/...9/8ab76d93.jpg
And the old rock by itself.
http://i1141.photobucket.com/albums/...9/0cb2e340.jpg
Nothing wrong with 4x2s but the three that may look like 4x2 in my 2 photos are actually 5x2 1/2. A size that I found to be the default of many barbers I knew in No. NJ back in the 1980s. I have a theory, and I could be wrong, that the 5 or 6x2 or 2 1/2 is ideal for honing straight razors because of the angle the honer is forced to use due to the length of the stone. Like I say, I may be wrong. I do like longer stones. The longest in those photos is 11&3/4 x 2&3/4 and the next longest is 10 x 2 1/2. They are great too but I like the 5" a lot.
After "La Dressante" I decide to buy one more Coticule and to try something different (very fast on slurry and slow on water) "La Grise" one. Still in phase of testing it but up to now I can say that this is the excellent stone which provide very smooth edge. "La Dressante" one provide smooth edge also but this one is way better in my opinion. Btw. dimensions are 150x50 with almost 13 mm thick Coticule part.
http://s2.pticica.com/foto/0001262478_l_0_sz9dxv.jpg
http://s2.pticica.com/foto/0001262479_l_0_utxk9k.jpg
I have four personal coticules, but have only been using one of them now for months. My favorite is the select La Grise coticule (far left one). Very fast on slurry. Very fast on water also, but leaves an excellent finish. I can run through a dilucot so fast on this one. While I generally go to other finishers after this, the finish on this coticule is very nice in of itself. It is approximately 25-30mm x 175mm in dimensions. I've found this to be my favorite size as well. Has seen hundreds of blades and hopefully will see many hundreds more. After getting this I have not bought another coticule since (and haven't used my other 3). The others are a La Dressante, La Verte, and Les Latneuses.
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t...ticulesjpg.jpg
wow jimmy i have been waiting along time to see those coti in your collection . harvitz thats a beautiful les latneuses coti.
+1 that les lat is gorgeous.
Here's my new one that came in the mail today. It's a 5 x 2 1/2 glued combo. The dark spot on it looks like BBW but it isn't. It is just dark coticule, no difference during honing from the light to the dark color. This is my first of this size and i love it. Almost the perfect size for me.
http://img.tapatalk.com/c6e4e070-b309-9235.jpghttp://img.tapatalk.com/c6e4e070-b317-1271.jpg
'Best Coti is the one I don't pick up or buy. Its been love/hate. 'Cool rocks, but getting beyond 8k level of finish is a bugger for me. Latest is a nice Veinette from the honorable Bloodhoundman. 2nd stone from him and is everything he said. 'Get a great 8k finish right away. Today, turned it over (glued combo) and sanded & lapped the BBW side. First edge from the BBW was more keen than almost all I've gotten from the Coti side on any of my garnet goblins. 'A bit crispy, but that's fixable.
I bloody hate my coticule... but can't resist honing on it :)
I've been messing around with different ways to hone on my coticule and I've had a multitude of different edges from it depending on how I use it. Right now I'm using an inverted version of the dilucot which always gives butter knife soft edges from my coticule.
I have a standard bout estimated to be a Dressante which seems to be a bugger sometimes and a tiny la verte which I don't mind doing full honings on either, lovely finisher.
but can't beat it for a quick honing :)
alex
Matt thats a lovely coticule, I can't get enough of those coticules with the dark purple/black blotches on them. I once saw a coticule posted somewhere that was nearly completely white with black inclusions that looked like lightning bolts, stunning coticule.
I have not 'favourite' coticule, but I do own this one.
I don't know what vein it is though.
http://straightrazorpalace.com/membe...3-ts380900.jpg