Thread: Question About Finishing with Coticule and Taping

Originally Posted by pinklather

My fav. Coti finish is to put down the Coti & reach for another stone. I'm lousy w/ the coti finish. I enjoy & used them quite regularly, but I've known few guys that got the magic they wanted from them without buying & selling alot until they found the right one. I'm in the wrong tax bracket for that. Bart, over at the old coticule.be maintained they would all do a great job. I suspect intimate knowledge in their use is the real magic.

~~~here's a suggestion when it comes to honing using coticules. If you're having trouble and or you can't get HHT3 off the stone using dilucot http://coticule.be/dilucot-honing-method.html

Try using unicot http://coticule.be/unicot.html

A lot of us have had our fair share of frustration trying to get an HHT3 off the stone and HHT4 after stropping using the dilucot procedure

If you want HHT3 off the stone and you can't get it using dilucot, then go for unicot. There's no shame in using tape to get HHT3 off the stone and you'll get there with unicot. others may have better and different ideas


Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.

I think why so many people seem to have trouble finding "the right" coticule is that a lot of those people use it purely as a finisher and expect miracles. Most coticules do not add any significant sharpness when finishing on just water. They smooth out the edge, but that is pretty much the extent of the coticule "magic" when used with water only. With most coticules there barely is any edge correction as such going on using plain water.

I have one that auto-slurries a tiny bit, so if the edge is lacking towards the finishing stage its easier to go back in the dilution phase to do some more profound edge work. Another one I have is relatively fast on water and can add a bit of keenness with some added pressure. However, these are exceptions rather than rules. I have one other coticule, an older one, and even though it is most capable, it is quite slow all round and really cannot be used to correct an insufficiently keen edge on water - which is the case with the lion's share of coticules I have tried.

Really, the impact of finishing (on whatever hone) is minimal and quite overrated. If anything, it adds feel/smoothness rather than sharpness.

Originally Posted by Pithor

Really, the impact of finishing (on whatever hone) is minimal and quite overrated. If anything, it adds feel/smoothness rather than sharpness.

Let's take your last statement and discuss how feel, smoothness, and sharpness, all together, can be achieved, using the lowly coticule=:-)

But first, we have to agree what a sharp edge is, and how to test for it, so what I find is comparable to what you find, as to sharpness

Can we agree that a razor that passes as an HHT4 is sharp enough to shave with and much better than shaving with an HHT3 edge? Yes? Okay, good, now to get there using a coticule, and at the sake of repeating myself...if you can't get an HHT4 after stropping using dilucot, try unicot. Works for me, consistently, and the hair I use to test using the HHT, is rather thin and fine, and not thick which is easier to cut using the HHT


Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.

Jake,
I have found that if I do not achieve HHT4 after stropping, going back to the coticule for a few more light strokes followed by another round of stropping will get it there (without tape)

I am continually amused at the concept of taking something as arbitrary as the hanging hair test (HHT) and then dividing it into five categories.

Originally Posted by Utopian

I am continually amused at the concept of taking something as arbitrary as the hanging hair test (HHT) and then dividing it into five categories.

When done correctly, namely by always using the same type of hair, there is nothing arbitrary about it. I find the hanging hair test an effective way of gauging improvement of the edge . There is a spectrum of performance, and dividing it is just a way to make it easier to visualize. In my experience, the better a razor performs on the HHT the smoother the shave.

I get HHT 14 when my edge it really ready to shave...

So obviously you guys are doing it wrong












(Now do you understand just how inaccurate using arbitrary numbers really is )

Using your own HHT system works just fine but telling somebody that you get an arbitrary HHT # by way of the internet is about as unscientific as it gets, unless you are sending that hair to them



I agree ----->

Originally Posted by Utopian

I am continually amused at the concept of taking something as arbitrary as the hanging hair test (HHT) and then dividing it into five categories.

Pushing one of my favorite movies yet again...

I can't help myself either Ron, every time I see the HHT # stuff I go right to Spinal Tap in my head...

"But ours go to 11"

Originally Posted by JP5

Hi,

I've been trying to hone a couple of blades myself, now that I have some professionally honed edges to compare to. I have a couple of questions though.


I honed a Greaves near wedge on a King 1K/6K combo stone. After using the 6k, the bevel looked close to a mirror finish. When I finished on my coticule though, it actually looked duller. Is this normal or am I not doing it right?





TAPING
Exactly what type of tape do you use?
I used electrical tape and it leaves lines/stains on blade that won't come off. I tried Goof Off and Flitz and it still wouldn't come off, so I guess I'll have to use steel wool. This may be because it was really cheap.
I was going to get some 3M electrical at WM, but all they had was Duck brand. I used it and it started coming apart on the stone REALLY quickly. Would 3M be better, or do I need to be using a different type of tape?


Thanks

Back to the original question.

Looking duller (less shiny) on the bevel is not a reflection (sorry) of sharpness. Did you shave with it?

Good quality tape definitely makes a difference so I do recommend that you make the effort to find better tape. 3M is all that I use. In my area, they are about $3.50 per roll in bins very near $1 rolls but I have never been tempted after trying it once.