Thread: what does a coticule edge feel like

Originally Posted by ShaveWares

If you're coticule isn't leaving a sharp enough edge, spend some time on a coticule with soapy water. Even if the coticule isn't a good cutter for middle progressions (I'd highly advise that you try the BBW for the middle stages to get your edge even sharper then you will on the coticule) finish on soapy water. You'll get your edge as sharp as you would on any synthetic or JNAT. In fact I've gotten my razors too sharp on 3 different BBW's and had to tone them down a little.

+1 on the soapy water, but most of all +1 on spending time with one just stone. All techniques transfer but most stones require different amounts of this or that, so the foundations will keep shifting if you're changing stones.

Some other ways to finish are applying a little lather. From my experience this is a pre-finishing stage cause I think it increases suction so makes the un-slurried surface more aggressive.
Graphite: get a pencil and cover the surface in graphite. Hone dry.
Talcum powder: Rub talcum into the surface and hone dry.
Nurugel: Available everywhere in the land of smiles, this is a water based gel. It's like a water/oil combo.
Rub dry coti slurry stone over stone, hone on slurry powder. The times I've done this I've found it quite aggressive.
Dry lap with coti slurry stone. Wash thoroughly then hone wet. I think this is one of the reasons people might find a difference between new and vintage stones. It's just a guess, and I don't have any microscopes or anything to check the surface, but dry lapping seems to leave a finer surface than wet lapping. I might be wrong. And honing a few razors/burnishing lightly with an old razor seems to me to leave the surface slicker - so the final edge seems smoother and sharper.

I also find tiny circles much better in the finishing stage. I used to do a combination of half strokes then full strokes but not any more.
Not sure about Dr. Matt's finishing under running water, but I frequently add water in the last couple rounds of circles.

Have used all this hydroplaning trickery with good results. Nothing wrong with that, in fact in puts the skill element back into the honing session. I think a lot of it depends on the coti you are using. Also by definition you are using a mixed grit hone, thats what these natural hones are. Also no one will convince me that they don't vary as you lap them either. Also the sedimentary substrate and how far the garnets protrude determines the technique employed. I always used magnification and on certain cotis I stop using circles toward the finishing stages. I have got keener edges from my slightly glazed lv compared to when I lap it.

Originally Posted by Deckard

Have used all this hydroplaning trickery with good results. Nothing wrong with that, in fact in puts the skill element back into the honing session. I think a lot of it depends on the coti you are using. Also by definition you are using a mixed grit hone, thats what these natural hones are. Also no one will convince me that they don't vary as you lap them either. Also the sedimentary substrate and how far the garnets protrude determines the technique employed. I always used magnification and on certain cotis I stop using circles toward the finishing stages. I have got keener edges from my slightly glazed lv compared to when I lap it.

i was under the impression that coticules were metamorphic rocks? I dont think a metamorphic rock would contain any sedimentary substrates. If im wrong please elaborate because i find this very interesting.