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I am using a yellow Belgian coticule with water and have experimented with as few as seven half strokes followed by seven X strokes to as many as twenty five half and X strokes. This is followed by twenty strokes on felt permeated with diamond slurry then twenty strokes on balsa with chromium oxide. Finally, I strop the razor. I never seem to be able to bring the edge back to the condition it was in when first honed. What am I doing wrong?
For touching up at the very first signs of edge deterioration (less comfortable, slight pulling), the consensus is doing at least 30 x-strokes on water, followed by whatever stropping regiment you prefer. I just use linen and leather afterwards, for example.
This like all re-touching is a factor of many variables..
The Razor and it's actual condition
Your Coticule
Your honing technique
IMHO it really really is dependent on if you are doing a scheduled "Maintenance" or if you are waiting for the edge to degrade to a noticeable point.. I found it much easier when I was "Maintaining" my edge for 20+ years to do scheduled by-weekly maintenance rather then waiting for the edge to de-grade.. Then it is way more set in the procedure..
Otherwise the amount of honing is dependent on the edge of the razor, needs sharper ?? then do more honing, pretty simple really..
Have you tried starting with a light slurry, then diluting out ???
Not seeing you hone it's hard to advise however with what you are doing if a touchup is truly all that is the issue you are in overkill territory already.
You might consider your honing skills are what need to be touched up first.
As Pieter said, 30 x-strokes on water or maybe 30 on very light slurry followed by 30 on water usually refreshes a Coticule edge.Quote:
Originally Posted by dcaven
You should not need the diamond or CrOx in addition (I imagine this is what TBS is alluding to).
I wonder what size diamond is in your slurry? Anything larger than 0.25 micron has likely convexed the bevel enough that the edge is no longer contacting the Coticule or the Balsa.
What is diamond slurry and how do you obtain it?
I may be dim, but what's a 1/2 stroke?
Str or oke, you can choose Carl it is the weekend after all :)Quote:
Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider
Diamond slurry would be diamond particles in water or oil, used for polishing - you could buy some on ebay if you wish. I expect the OP means diamond spray.Quote:
Originally Posted by unit
http://straightrazorpalace.com/honin...lf-stroke.htmlQuote:
Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider
No but really...Quote:
Originally Posted by edhewitt
Just working one side of the blade is my guess.Quote:
Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider
Yes, a half stroke is just working one side of the blade a number of repetitions then switching to the other for the same number of repetitions. This is followed by an equal number of X strokes. Sorry if my terminology is incorrect but that is the concept. I am following this procedure with 20 strokes with .25 micron diamond spray on felt covered balsa then finally 20 with chromium oxide on balsa. These steps are based on the advice of my razor vendor. My question really is how many strokes on the select grade coticule are the correct amount? I have read everything from 7 to 50 and am looking for some direction. The hone has been lapped using wet/dry sandpaper from a relatively low grit up to 1000 grit. I hope this is a clear enough explanation for you as I am not looking for confrontation but am trying to improve my honing ability. Please confine your responses to constructive criticism. I don't need the sarcasm. Thank you.
20 strokes on diamond and crox is overkill. i use 4 strokes on crox.
did your vendor certify that it is definitely a polishing hone? maybe you just got a dud rock
I generally think of slurry as a mud that is made by a braiding the host.
I still wonder about the OPs slurry. What is it exactly. Mono? Poly? Grain size?
Regardless, I also wonder why go from a Belgian to diamonds. The shape of the grains is rather contrasting.
And yes, I suspect that much stropping on soft media (felt) may be the culprit.
There is no simple answer to your question. The number of strokes required will depend on the speed and size of your Coticule and how much slurry and pressure you use. In any case, 20 strokes on 0.25 diamond spray will dominate anything you do with the Coticule. The 20 strokes on CrOx is OK to add keenness to an already keen edge, but you need to get keenness from the Coticule first. Glen has already given you good advice when he asked if you had tried a light slurry. Another important point is that you need to strop a Coticule edge to assess your progress - stropping on linen will significantly improve the edge off the stone.Quote:
Originally Posted by dcaven
Another good place to ask for Coticule help is here: http://coticule.be/clinic.html (you will need register and login)
Thanks for the replies. I will dramatically lower the stropping on diamond and chromium oxide and see if that helps.
Maybe doing little test shaves Between each of the many steps you are putting your edge through might reveal where you are loosing the edge. By adding too many variables in the touch up routine, it is difficult to see where you had the edge and where you lost it.
John