Thread: Ive got a gorgeous "La Dressante" Coticule on the way, Do I need any other stones?

Whats up yall. I am new to wet shaving (and this forum!), having started last month with a shavette, this week Im trying to get a good shave out of my first DE, a Muhle R89. So far I think I prefer the edge control of the shavette! I may be new to this form of shaving, but I am no stranger to sharpening metal objects. Ive sharpened knives since I was 7 years old, and hand plane irons, lathe tools, and chisels for the last 5 years, all with stones, by hand. So you can say I know my way around a hone.

I always jump into everything with both feet, and tend to be "equipment obsessed," so Im eager to try every aspect of wet shaving. I enjoy my shavette, and Im starting to like my DE (when it doesnt chew up my face), but ever since I got good at the shavette, Ive wanted to take a shot at the "main event" aka the straight razor.

I know a hone is going to be an important part of Razor maintenance, I figured my norton 1k (the highest grit bench stone I currently own), is not enough, so I started looking for a hone that will work. *Also, im 23 and on a budget.* My first idea was to look at the norton 4k/8k, but then at nearly $85 shipped, its a little more than I can spend. I went to the local woodcraft (yes im lucky enough to have one 2 miles from my house!), saw plenty hard arkansas stones (but wasnt sure if they were "hard" enough for honing a straight), Then I found Ice Bear brand waterstones, their 4k and 6k are about $27 apiece.

Later I learned of the magical world of Coticules! Such rare stones really intrigue me, and I was instantly drawn into the concept being a nut for processes. I went on Superior Shave (MY FAVORITE STORE!, also since they are in FL, im in GA, things get here UBER quick). and their brilliant Belgian coti page. Originally I thought all I could afford was a bout, but then, I lucked out and after carefully analyzing every single one, I zeroed in on a GORGEOUS Pale tan, smooth (hard/fast) "La Dressant" Coticule measuring 40x125mm for $35! Its cheap because it has only 4-6mm of coticule material glued to the slate, but I figured since it it a harder stone, that should still last me several years. Throw in $10 for a slurry stone, and Im out the door for $45 (they have free shipping). Not bad I figure!

MY QUESTION, after explaining all of this (just in a typing mood), is do I need any other stone, other than my Coti, and my Norton 220/1k to set the bevel on a factory edge razor?

(not planning to utilize the 220, but can you go from a 1k straight to a coticule? Or could I set the bevel JUST using a Coticule? How would you do it?) If I need another stone, Im probably leaning toward buying a 4k ice bear since its $27

Im leaning toward getting an Art Of Shaving Thier Issard razor, since they have a store in my local mall, and well, Im impatient. If I do this I will have to put the bevel on myself. (I also plan on sanding off their crappy advertisement on the blade, and doing something unique for a finish...ill post pics...)

Im new here, so Im looking forward to a response! Thanks! -DC

You don't need any other stones. Yes, you can go from a 1K to Coticule. Can you set a bevel with a Coticule? I would only do that if the blade was in good condition (no cracks, chips, and so on). If the bevel needed more work, then I would start with a 1K.

Wellcome,am having an info overload moment at this time,will watch this thread for future developments.

Coti's are fun once you learn them. I like my coti and can go from my Chosera 1k to it, but I prefer to take it to a 4k first. You really need to learn slurry with coti's. I still dont trust myself fully lol but I can get a damn fine edge off one from going from my 4k to med/light slurry and dilluting to water only to finish. Good luck and keep us posted!

I use my coticule as my 1 stone for the time being which only involves regular maintenance of the edge. Most of the time just very light slurry progressive to water only brings my edges back to an excellent smooth shave. On a friends razor I had to redo the whole shebang from bevel on up, which was a pain in the backside, however it worked in the end, but needed some extra attention in regards to the slurry I used, and some experimenting.

patience is a pretty important quality to have in wetshaving...

this might be some good reading: Straight Razor Place - Beginners Tips: March 2012

Hey DC.

There's no doubt you can do w/ just the coti & bevel setter. It seems some take to one stone or the other. For me, 4 cotis and over 100 blades before I started 'getting' the coti.

There's a confidence the knife guys bring to the str8 razor that can be frustrating. Principles are the same, but techniques are radically different. If it takes a while to get the hang of a razor edge, you'll be in very good company. It might be of interest to check Glen's fine piece on honing. I won't bother repeating his recommendation to spend your first 6 mo of str8 shaving with pro quality edges before taking up honing. No one listens anyway. For full disclosure - I didn't either. The wonders of hindsight - I think Glen (and countless others) are right about that.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...er-2011-a.html

You be one of the guys that just take to the coti like a Dubl Duck to water. If so - scream on. Shaveable edges weren't hard for me, but pulling a satisfying level of keenness was elusive. Lately, I've been using the BBW side of combo stones to get the keenness, and flipping over to the coti side for final finishing. It has been working very well. If you've not been there yet - you owe it to yourself to read up in the 'sharpening academy' section of Coticule.be. The site is static now - artisanshaving.blah now. But all the old content is still there, and its VERY helpful.

'Hope you enjoy the journey.

I tell ya what, Out of all the Coticules you could pick, You picked a good vein. I like the La Dressante vein. I think it's my favorite next to La petite blance. I'd love to see pics of the stone itself. The only thing I worry about is the standard grade stones. Some of them are in really rough shape, too many cracks and veins for my liking. They are absolutey as good as Selected, but you need to pick a good one. I've seen bouts/stones break very easily. You have to be careful, and take that into consideration when you buy. I used to sell Coticules.

There is a huge learning curve with Coticules. You usually start with a slurry, and water it down as you go. Learning the stone itself is key. I'd get an old junk razor to practice on. There's tons of info on Coti's out there. Good luck, and let's see some pics.

I totally agree with Pinklather about the knife guys. I was one. Str8's are a completely different animal. It takes patience.

hi DC.

welcome to the forum! this link may be of use to you, and has lots of info on coticules and honing.

http://www.coticule.be/

good luck and keep us posted.

BTW, i just ordered a coticule from the superior shave also, and it is on its way. can't wait to play with it...

DCDesigns,

You could think about getting a Belgian Blue Whetstone (BBW). I find them fun to experiment with in addition to using them with my cotis (La Verte & La Vienette

They are very well priced, even in the larger sizes.

Have fun !

best regards

Russ