Thread: For guys who have a hard time getting a good coticule edge

Beg pardon if this is a bit long-winded, but as it's geared to newer coticule users I wanted to make sure to fully explain in an easy to understand manner.

I often see newer coti users posting about having a hard time getting a good coticule edge, and while I have seen many methods and tweaks suggested by our very helpful members, I've not seen one that I find quite helpful on the trickier coticules. The very hard coticules are relatively easy, but those just slightly softer stones can be problematic for some, due to their tendency to auto-slurry.

As most of us know, slurry on many stones makes them cut more rapidly and often with a considerably coarser finish. For coticules this is especially problematic as the slurry consists partially of relatively large garnets (compared to that portion which protrudes when the garnets are still contained in the stone's matrix).

This is pretty obvious with quite soft stones, but with those that are still quite hard, the auto-slurry often isn't really visible - mostly what is seen during honing with these is black swarf - however on those borderline stones this often still contains quite a lot of those problematic (for finishing) loose garnets. Very often a member will suggest honing under running water for this type of stone - and while this does help, it still sometimes fails to provide a satisfactorily comfortable shaving edge.

Hence we arrive at the method alluded to earlier. It's quite simple really, and very effective in my experience. Here's all it consists of: in addition to (or even rather than) honing under running water, simply pause every 5 laps or so and rinse the razor, then wipe the surface of the hone with one's fingers with a scrubbing motion while holding the stone under running water. I also usually give the blade a single wipe on both sides under running water - drawing my fingers from spine to edge to thoroughly rinse any tenacious garnets away from both stone and blade.

If you have ever raised a slurry on a stone then rinsed said stone under the faucet, you have seen how all the slurry isn't removed - some always stays behind on the surface of the stone unless it's wiped/scrubbed under running water - running water passing over the surface isn't enough to remove it fully. This technique solves that problem and gives me quite good edges.

Hopefully this is helpful to at least one or two fellows, happy honing!

I do the same, and it works. I also find that stropping and going back to the hone and stropping again helps me zero in on the edge I am looking for.

Nice Post! Very Cool!

I have a fast coti, and two hard ones. I also have a BBW and a Lorraine. (Levant stone coming soon yassssssssss!) I also bought some extra slurry stones I keep in a domino case. That's the extent of the "garnet" rocks I got.

In all fairness, I don't have any of the "bus driver" cotis people talk about, but one is fast enough on water to darken. One coticule I have is so slow it's the 87 Honda Civic of Coticules. It sounds like honing on a pair of corduroys.

Still, I use them all the exact same and wind up with HHT 3 fine hair on all of em. Only time I'm off is the when the bevel was shit or I didn't hit the heel right.

The method:

Set the bevel on anything else but the coticule (coticule bevel setting is like using a tin can telephone when you live next to a verizon store). Then I build a milky slurry, maybe 50 x stokes on the first set, dip the razor, 20, dip, 20, dip, 20, dip. I do like to use torque throughout the entire time I'm on a coticule. Not a lot, just a light twist to let the rock know not to play games with you. I don't get the best feedback as I used to with no pressure -- with no pressure I'm guaranteed suction but a polished, incomplete edge. With a bit of torque I get draw instead of sticky, and I just keep on keepin' on. I like to dilute as OFTEN as 20 laps because my coticule, slow as she is, ALSO auto-slurries. Auto slurry is like an ex girlfriend, you can't get rid of her! She just shows up! Even on water, I dip the razor and knock out twenty torqued x strokes. I never vary pressure. My pressure's always light, just slight torque. Then I hit water for ~100/150 laps, still using toque.

In the end, my biggest breakthroughs were torque and diluting way more than "a drop." I keep my stone waterpark wet.

In other words:

1. the minute I give up on torque my coticule gives up on me.
2. the whole "let's do 200 laps on heavy slurry until I feel something" kept me from stellar edges for years on these stones. Let the auto slurry do the work.

For reasons you mentioned OP--I usually do all my slurry work on a Lorraine then move to a coti with no slurry. Much easier.

https://youtu.be/z4zW2DWxIrY

For guys who have a hard time getting a good coticule edge...

It's very dependent on individual coticules what will work and what won't. There's no hard and fast universal method that works with every coticule in my experience. The YouTube method shown above won't work with every one, just like the method I outlined above won't. All of these techniques are just things to add to the tool bag to be tried when trouble arises. I also don't often use slurry on a coticule. The two examples I've held onto are fairly hard, insanely blazing fast on slurry, and just soft enough to barely auto-slurry with water (slurry not visible). Both will easily hit HHT4 post (leather only) stropping no problem with the method from the title post.

Auto slurry is a mother flower, I'll say that much.

OP — I'll try this tonight on one of my coticules, it responds well to running water trick. But I hear you, I started dipping my razor in water when I realized the potential disaster of auto slurry.

Wait, do all coticules auto slurry? Even a little?

Originally Posted by J743

Auto slurry is a mother flower, I'll say that much.

OP — I'll try this tonight on one of my coticules, it responds well to running water trick. But I hear you, I started dipping my razor in water when I realized the potential disaster of auto slurry.

Wait, do all coticules auto slurry? Even a little?

Yes they do eventually, even the hard ones.

Yes they do eventually, even the hard ones.

Mine doesn't, It burnishes, And gets slower and slower. I have to lap it ever few razors to keep it cutting!

Originally Posted by Tjarven

Yes they do eventually, even the hard ones.

No, they don't. Most do to some degree or another, but not all of them do. Not all of mine do.

Originally Posted by Utopian

No, they don't. Most do to some degree or another, but not all of them do. Not all of mine do.

It´s a stone not diamond... of course they do. If not you never need to lap it either. It´s Common sense there