Thread: that soft rubbery feeling....

Noticed this sensation on and off when honing and today noticed the 'on' times are mainly experienced with one particular stone (sold to me as a La Dressante) at a particular stage in the honing process.



All feels the same on this coticule as it does on most any other stone during slurry and subsequent dilutions. Early water only stages feel normal and then the stone begins to feel soft and rubbery. Of course the stone itself hasn't changed none, but the feeling between it and the blade - tape or no tape - changes significantly. There's a distinct feeling when you apply minute upward or downward torque (little wobbles) through the stroke you get that real soft and rubbery sensation. Just to clarify the blade doesn't necessarily feel sticky but more that the stone feels softer. This will continue for a while then the stone will then feel harder and more glassy. The stone is virtually silent through this whole process - unlike my vintage coticule or BBWs which have more audible feedback.

Apologies for the vague explanation but it's really the best I can do.

Happy with the results - actually this is so far my favourite stone - but just keen to know if this sensation signifies a certain stage in the process and/or whether the stone is trying to tell me something when this happens.

Mine does the same, but next step is razor starts sticking to the hone. Then need to use even less than blades weight pressure or move onto lather. Similar looking coti too. Leaves a lovely smooth finish.

Don’t know the cause of what you are experiencing, but there is hone wear on the stabilizer and high on the tang. The spine wear is also heavier toward the heel than the toe, common when the stabilizer is keeping the heel off the stone.

Might be what you are feeling. Some ink on the stabilizer and tang will tell you if you are riding up on them.

Originally Posted by dmnc

Mine does the same, but next step is razor starts sticking to the hone. Then need to use even less than blades weight pressure or move onto lather. Similar looking coti too. Leaves a lovely smooth finish.

Mate I think you're right. I'll need to start concentrating harder on the transition from softness to stickiness. Is there a marked difference or do you feel it as more subtle?...as I understand sticky indicates you're nearing the end.

Originally Posted by Euclid440

Don’t know the cause of what you are experiencing, but there is hone wear on the stabilizer and high on the tang. The spine wear is also heavier toward the heel than the toe, common when the stabilizer is keeping the heel off the stone.

Might be what you are feeling. Some ink on the stabilizer and tang will tell you if you are riding up on them.

Thanks mate. Happens with any blade I hone on it. This just happened to be today's hone. Is a beater blade I know, but holds a nice coti edge and gives a very comfortable shave.

Quite marked. Is definitely reaching the end but I find I can get it a bit sharper and smoother if I do another 50-100 strokes with lather on the hone. I stick with water and zero pressure until it sticks too much to be worth carrying on. Then make some lather and finish her up.

My one and only vintage coti

Originally Posted by dmnc

My one and only vintage coti

Beautiful stone there mate.

My vintage coticule, which I believe is La Veinette is more audible and gives a very crisp edge. So far I think I prefer most edges I get from the La dressante.

Mate when you say 'lather' do you mean of the soap variety? Never tried that but sounds mighty interesting as a final finisher. Hmmm...

"Hone wear" on the tang?

I highly doubt that is hone wear, but on the off chance that it were, you would have an incredibly messed up bevel.

Originally Posted by Utopian

"Hone wear" on the tang?

I highly doubt that is hone wear, but on the off chance that it were, you would have an incredibly messed up bevel.

Yeah inherited it with some decent honewear on the heel. What looks like wear on the tang is just how the Gotta's cut. Angled the same both sides.

Yup I do mean shaving lather. Stops the razor sticking and seems to give a little finer finish.