Thread: Finishing on a Coticule

Just wanted to ask a couple of questions to the guys who have a bunch of stones, know how to use them, and sometimes choose to finish on a coticule.
What progression do you use before the coti, i.e., natural, one stone, synthetic?
If synthetic or other natural how many strokes/minutes do you end up doing/spending on your last stone (which should be a coti)?
And do you do this for all your razors or just a few, and if just a few, what type of razors are they?

Cheers,

Lindsay

There's no simple answer to your questions. Much depends on the state of the edge of the razor in your hands. Most of your questions will be answered here: Category:Honing - Straight Razor Place Library

Lately I have been finishing with a coticule. It has to be noted that in many of the cases I went way down to the Norton 1k & worked the bevel again. This is on the razors that I pulled from the collection, many of them worked on various stones when I was learning years ago.

If I like the new bevel,,, I progress Norton 1k, Norton 4k, 8k, then finish on the coticule. How much time I spend on the 8k depends on the grind of the razor. I don't think I have really counted the strokes on the 8k. The coticule is never slurried coming of an 8k. The only time I slurry a coticule will be when I cut the 8k out and jump from a 4k, straight to the purple slate backing of my coticule. I will slurry the purple slate,,,, then water only the purple slate,,, then progress to the yellow/creme coticule water only. I don't slurry the yellow/creme side of the coticule anymore. I tried that method of creme slurry a few years ago with little satisfaction.

I will finish on the coticule with usually no more than 30 to 50 stokes on water only,,,

That's why I'm asking for personal routines, lol. Care to share?

Originally Posted by Kees

There's no simple answer to your questions. Much depends on the state of the edge of the razor in your hands. Most of your questions will be answered here: Category:Honing - Straight Razor Place Library

I'm like John regarding progression to a coti.
Use the same progression, 1,4,8 norton prior to going to either Coti, Charnley, zulu, jnat, or escher.
Although with different slurry stones I sometimes interject the jnat between or in lieu of the 8k.
All significant downforce stops at the 4k, again except when jnat used with grit.
Cheers.

OK for personal preferences: I have a bunch of naturals and 2 synthetics: Shapton 1.5 and 5K. I use these for bad edges on ebay specials. After the 5K I just take a hone that I fancy for the specific razor in my hands. Lately I have developed a funny routine of 1st going to my large Hohenzollern that allows me to go straight up and down without doing an X-pattern. After that I take my razor to a norrower yellow green Escher for X-patterns. IMHO (H for humble) smiling blades benefit from narrower hones. For touch-ups I do the same: first the wide Hohenzollern than the narrow yellow green. Why? Because, again IMHO, using narrow hones only for touch ups increases the smileyness of a blade.

Originally Posted by Kees

OK for personal preferences: I have a bunch of naturals and 2 synthetics: Shapton 1.5 and 5K. I use these for bad edges on ebay specials. After the 5K I just take a hone that I fancy for the specific razor in my hands. Lately I have developed a funny routine of 1st going to my large Hohenzollern that allows me to go straight up and down without doing an X-pattern. After that I take my razor to a norrower yellow green Escher for X-patterns. IMHO (H for humble) smiling blades benefit from narrower hones. For touch-ups I do the same: first the wide Hohenzollern than the narrow yellow green. Why? Because, again IMHO, using narrow hones only for touch ups increases the smileyness of a blade.

So where does the coti figure in all of this?

I normally go to my BD, but just want to revive some of my cotis, and curious how others finish on them.

I too occasionally finish with all naturals after a 12k Super stone and a 1k & 4K Nubatama, 8k Norton and old pink 12k Super Stone progression.

Probably way over kill, but I try to eliminate all variables so the edge is just the Natural finish.

I like many, went whole hog on coticules years ago and never did feel I could max the stone potential out or spend the time to really, really learn them. I know some guys are true experts on the coticule, I do not consider myself one. I can get a good keen and comfortable edge on some of mine, I have several.

A thin slurry from another coticule and 2-3 drop of Smith’s honing solution on a wet stone and thin to clear water and a drop of Smiths. I don’t really count laps but probably well over 100. Strop on leather.

I prefer a more toothy Ark edge or the simplicity of a fine Thüringen. The Thuringen is the 12k Super Stone of it’s day.

On my Sheffield blades that take an easy edge, I do a one stone honing. Set the bevel with my King 1k and then right to a slurried Coti. I do 2 rounds for each side of the blade, 30 circles moving down the length of the blade followed by 10 regular strokes. I do 4-5 sessions of this diluting the slurry until I reach pure water. At this point I do very, very light strokes almost as if the blade is hydroplaning across the stone.

I have also progressed through my stones until a 8k and then go to the Coti. I have also found this to be a great progression as well. One things for sure, I do love a coti edge on my smiling Sheffields.

Every Sheffield gets a Coticule/Escher finish in my honing den. Then stropped on a lead pasted strop to polish and finished with 300-400 laps pf progressive stropping. Heavenly edges smooth enough to shave St Peter himself....