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

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.

I use my Coti as a "Finisher" nearly everyday

I restore razors about 50% of all restores are the older Sheffields and I have grown very fond of the final edge that my Select Grade Coti leaves on them..


Chosera 1k 5k 10K to set the bevel and refine the edge

The Coti sequence at that stage is pretty straight forward since the edge is already "Shave Ready" now it is just a matter of imparting the final "Feel"

Light Slurry for about 20 laps to bring in the Coti feel then dilute out for about another 20 laps

Strop and done...

Easy Peasy if you are starting at shave ready

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.

Originally Posted by Frankenstein

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 must confess I do not use the coticule that often. I will if e.g. I have razor that is resistent to the Thuringen hones mentioned above. Very hard steel razor benefit from the garnets in the coticule. Slate has a Mohs scale hardness of 3-4 and garnet's hardness is 7.

BTW what is a BD?

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.