Thread: Howard's Official "Kosher" Coticule Explanation

Originally Posted by Laager

That's just another variant. It's a stone, not a production line of identical pieces.

Of course - I just don't think what you attached was as unique and rare as the one I showed and I know what Howard was talking about (got the photo from David, it's not my stone, btw)

Cheers
Ivo

Laager, that is a very nice stone but it does not have the rare "figure" that Howard was describing. Hopefully izlat or Heliguy can post the picture of the beautiful coticule that Howard was describing.

That's OK. It's still got the woodgrained appearance. I don't care for the stratifed variant anyway.

Laager,
Your stone is an excellent example of just what Howard was describing in you can't judge a stone by it's color of figure. In the past I have had my Rabbi customers reject perfect looking creamy yellow stones while one in my collection, a vintage super grainy looking one was my all time favorite. They would not even have considered it based simply on appearance.

Tony

Attached is a picture of one of the most beautifully figured coticules I have ever seen. The background is my front porch which is a 6' x 4' x 1' thick machinist's surface plate. It weighs 4,000 lbs and was mined at the Rock of Ages Quarry in Barre, Vt. I'll bet none of you guys have a front porch that is spec'd flat to .0000129" across the entire surface....

Just nutz about rocks!

Originally Posted by Howard

Attached is a picture of one of the most beautifully figured coticules I have ever seen. The background is my front porch which is a 6' x 4' x 1' thick machinist's surface plate. It weighs 4,000 lbs and was mined at the Rock of Ages Quarry in Barre, Vt. I'll bet none of you guys have a front porch that is spec'd flat to .0000129" across the entire surface....

Just nutz about rocks!

Do you hone your razors and lap your stones on your front porch?

Nice stones! Guys! (sorry, couldn't resist...;-)

Here's my question; just generally speaking in the way this material has been mined and coming out of the ground over tha last 2 thousand years since the Romans...

Would the figured coticule be "older" stock or "newer" stock?

What type, quality, and most importantly grit size (of coticule) are you likely to find in a junk store or flea market where the stones may be 50, 75, 100, or even 200 years old? OR should one be looking for even older examples????...

Are we talking about chasing down "antque" honing coticule stones or are we just talking chasing down "vintage" honeing coticule stones?

Was a lot of coticule actually imported to the US over the last 200 years?

Talk about treasure hunting!?!?

I can't believe I'm getting caught up in all this esoterica...all I ever wanted to do was just get a nice close shave!!!!!!

All the best!

TG

That tiger-striped thing is beautiful indeed. Looks like tracks in the sand left by a side-winder.

Great photos Laager. You're wood-grainy coticule is the closest I've seen to mine. Is it a good polisher?

I was looking at the side of my newly acquired 2 x 6 purple <> yellow Belgian "natural", and I noticed 3 distinct tiger stripes going diagonally lengthwise along the long side...

Could be, that the coticule "grain" is very much like wood grain, ie the figure patterns visibility depends very much on the way the stone was cut and dressed. The patterns may be actually "inside" the stone but not visible from the "outside" because of the angle and orientation of the cut.

Now that I know what to look for, I'll keep my eyes peeled for better examples of the "tiger grain" coticule, as well as Howard's grainier "Kosher" style coticule stones....

Jeeesh, guys, I joined this forum in order to learn how to shave with a Str8 Razor... now I'm on a quest for "magic stones!!!!

All the best!

Tony

Me too,
My interest has gone from the straights to the Belgians and other natural stones. The interst has gone from shaving technique etc to the special edge that only garnet rich Belgians can put on a razor. MikeB