Just sold my trusty Coticule :(

Well, I just sold my trusty coticule (a 8x2.75 with a natural BBW backing) which was with me since I started this hobby...

I restore a lot of razors, and used the coticule in my progression...1/4k norton, coticule, then finisher. The problem is, the coticule was not an aggressive enough cutter, and it took too long. The other problem is that I worried about wearing down the coticule side because I used it so much, and it wasn't terribly thick to begin with.

In the end I pocketed some good change for the rock and bought a $70 naniwa superstone 8000 grit to fill the void and act as my work horse. Now I won't worry about wearing the rock down with use.

Anyway, this rant is really just me trying to justify selling my coticule to myself. Twas a fun rock, but not too practical for me.

After all, the only stone that matters is the very last one in the progression - right? :rolleyes:

Well, if I had a rock like that I'd never sell it but of course I'm not you and since you say it's not practical for you then why keep it unless you collect the things.

I have a standard coticule and I use it all the time.

At one point I said I'd never own a coticule. Thanks to some spending of cash and other exchanging, I have three big ones and a little one now. One the little one and one big one are what I was expecting.

One of the other ones, labeled "deep rock" is so aggressive that on slurry it could easily substitute for a 3000 grit stone, and it seems that it will cut anything fast, no matter what the label of the steel is.

And the last is a lagriese combo - it is neither fast nor particularly fine (you can shave off of it, of course, it just doesn't wow anyone). I won't even say what I'm thinking of trying on it, I should just dump it on ebay. I will say, though, that I'm not going to do to it what Jimi Hendrix did to his guitar (light it on fire).

I would've kept the stone until I needed the money, too. Sometimes not having what you'd consider to be a valuable mediocre novelty stone (my words, not yours, but words I use for a stone that I use for a stone that I keep around because it's pretty and not because I'd use it to restore a razor) around just leads to buying another mediocre novelty stone since you couldn't remember what it was that led to selling the first one in the first place.

That's all OK if the whole exchange of medicore expensive novelty stones leaves you cash plus when you're done, but it usually just ends up costing more after paying for shipping and all of the fees, etc.

I understand how you feel. And that all that matters is the last stone in the progression. That is the reason I started to sell my stones a month ago. Sell the ones you know, and buy stones you don't know.
Now I'm trying to justify my actions to myself. I'm worried though. I might set off a death flag, me selling my stones... But I wouldn't sell my big coticule. It's perfect with slurry but not the finest finisher ever.

That's just the thing - I used to covet the coticule for its versatility and cool "garnet edge" deal, but it's slow, and besides that, I never use it as my finisher - so what's the point? In my opinion, every single stone before your finisher is just a work horse - just take that metal off as fast as I can so I can get down to the business edge - time is money!

I want to believe that you are right. After all, you don't enjoy the feeling of the edge of your 1k, 4k or whichever this stone is. The finisher is what it counts. But it still hurts selling your stones.

That's the way I look at it also. I might have bought a Norton 8k and kept the Coticule, but I'm a rock collector. The welsh hones and the C12k also are fine finishing stones for great prices

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Originally Posted by sheffieldlover

That's just the thing - I used to covet the coticule for its versatility and cool "garnet edge" deal, but it's slow, and besides that, I never use it as my finisher - so what's the point? In my opinion, every single stone before your finisher is just a work horse - just take that metal off as fast as I can so I can get down to the business edge - time is money!

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I've got a nice big thuringian and Jnat for my finishers. Just needed some fast worker to bridge the gap between my 4k norton and those. I was going to get an 8k norton, but the naniwa 8k was about $40 cheaper. I like fast workers - I heard the C12k is slooooow :) Sold the coticule because they are so easily and readily available, and I got a good buck for it. Honestly, now that I've worked with a couple coticules, I'm more fascinated by the Jnats. Alex Gilmore has a nice variety, and they seem more magical to me than the coticules lol.

C12k's are slow, but using circles speeds them up a lot, the Welsh slate stones are pretty fast. I'm scared to get into Jnats, I might like them too much and spend crazy money on them!! lol

I would like to think of myself as a naturals stones guy. And C12ks are slow, but the edge is nice. A 30$ stone and 80 passes or a 600$ stone and 60 passes? What are you willing to spend for a legendary stone?
There is a difference between someone who finds a stone that has been sold for 200(?) years, and someone who finds a completely new stone, unknown to the world. If I were to choose between those two I would choose the later one, even if it costs more. If nothing else, I know i have already tried the stone from the first kind of seller, from a vintage piece. Wales is known for its quality stones. Same goes for Japan. But there will be other countries that have nice hones. That is what I would like to try.

Every year I go through my collection and have to decide which are keepers and which will have to go in order to make my wife happy (even just temporarily as new one will come soon into those gaps in boxes.
On the other hand who needs 10 CFs, another 5 Thuris, Cotis etc?

I've had quite a few coticules come and go. I've sold some but I'll never sell all of them. To me the coticule is a romantic stone with a great history. I also like the finished edge off of some of mine some of the time. Not as fine or , as Gary Haywood calls it, 'crisp' as my escher , but I like to hone some of my old sheffields on the stones that they were probably honed on some 200 years ago.

There are some slate deposits within 120 miles of me, I'm tempted to try some out.

They're all just your doctor's way of telling you that you have too much money. :)
(now I'm ducking)

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Originally Posted by rodb

There are some slate deposits within 120 miles of me, I'm tempted to try some out.

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What are you waiting on?
Want me to send you some gas money?
Those could be future Minnecoti's just lying there. :shrug:

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Originally Posted by DaveW

I would've kept the stone until I needed the money, too. Sometimes not having what you'd consider to be a valuable mediocre novelty stone (my words, not yours, but words I use for a stone that I use for a stone that I keep around because it's pretty and not because I'd use it to restore a razor) around just leads to buying another mediocre novelty stone since you couldn't remember what it was that led to selling the first one in the first place.
That's all OK if the whole exchange of medicore expensive novelty stones leaves you cash plus when you're done, but it usually just ends up costing more after paying for shipping and all of the fees, etc.

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I'll admit that I sold the thing for 20 bucks less than what I originally paid for it, and then the ebay fees selling it back...but its replacement only cost 70, so I'm still up a couple hundred, thankfully. I like your "mediocre stone exchange" idea, and maybe some day I'll have owned enough that I'll forget what I had, but I don't foresee that happening, as my interest in this hobby is looking down the hill from the top of a bell curve - not saying I'll ever bottom out, but I feel that I own every damn razor that anyone would ever want, and the only thing that still interests me is exotic wood scales and certain jnats, of which I'll never buy, until stones carry more weight with me than Mercedes :)

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Originally Posted by Vasilis

I would like to think of myself as a naturals stones guy. And C12ks are slow, but the edge is nice. A 30$ stone and 80 passes or a 600$ stone and 60 passes? What are you willing to spend for a legendary stone?

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I say there is a happy medium between the two, and to find it you need to talk to Alex Gilmore, and get a $150 J-nat that takes 30-50 passes :)

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I've had quite a few coticules come and go. I've sold some but I'll never sell all of them. To me the coticule is a romantic stone with a great history. I also like the finished edge off of some of mine some of the time. Not as fine or , as Gary Haywood calls it, 'crisp' as my escher , but I like to hone some of my old sheffields on the stones that they were probably honed on some 200 years ago.

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That describes it - the romantic aspect of it is what I like. I wanted only one - just a prime example of a coticule, just so I could have one. But the one that I had, the pretty one, is not the best honer IMO. I've had 2 - the first one was kind of narrow and backed with glued on slate - but it was an aggressive cutter and left a great shaving edge. I sold the thing because I wanted an 8x3 coticule with natural bbw backing. it is then that I learned that not all coticules are the same...

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Originally Posted by sheffieldlover

I sold the thing because I wanted an 8x3 coticule with natural bbw backing. it is then that I learned that not all coticules are the same...

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If you've got a good one and want to try another, always keep what you have until you're sure the new addition is better than the one you have. That is what I try to do anyhow.

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Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

If you've got a good one and want to try another, always keep what you have until you're sure the new addition is better than the one you have. That is what I try to do anyhow.

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That is a luxury that I cannot afford at the moment - as it stands, selling refurbished straight razors on ebay helps pay the rent, lol. $300 rocks are hard to justify these days...

NOooooooooooo..... You broke the rule! Don't sell stones, and don't sell handguns!

We all do what we have to though don't we... :(

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Originally Posted by earcutter

NOooooooooooo..... You broke the rule! Don't sell stones, and don't sell handguns!

We all do what we have to though don't we... :(

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There really is a rule of don't sell your stones.
Makes sense i would never sell a vintage strop.
I think i should follow that rule i always was a fan of rocks.
I should find something to make to sell. For some passive income.
Can you sell nice knives.

there's a pretty big market for nice folding knives just like razors on ebay