Thread: Cleaning up and honing a new antique store find: A.J. Jordan

You did a good job of photographing the same part of the bevel and edge.

There is a pair of 45-degree angle Railroad Tracks, that go down to the top of the bevel, as seen in the first bevel photo. They show up in most of the photos, so you are close to photographing the same spot.

A mark with a sharpie on the back of the bevel, and on to the belly of the blade make an easy to spot, registration mark and photo the same part of the edge.

Your final edges look pretty straight, but if you want to improve your edges, spend more time on the 4k.

Look at the final Coticule edge photos, you can easily see deep 1k stria, that was not removed and end in a micro -chip. I suspect, a lot of what you think are Coticule stria, are deep 1K stria, that show up from the Coticule polish. The Coticule just makes it easier to see.

Once the bevel is set on the 1k, do some light X strokes to lighten up the stria and straighten the edge.

Then some circles, on the 4K to remove all the deep 1k stria, and X strokes to lay a new, 4k stria pattern. Then remove each grit’s stria from the previous stone.

You can get a very straight edge on the 4k and the 8K will get very straight and chip free. Try to perfect the bevel and edge on each stone.

Nice work.

I think people try too hard to fit in a coticule sometimes. I know many people recommend them but then it seems most people have to use something else to finish with so what's the point?

The only use I see for a coticule is if you use it for hone stone honing.

Tc hit it on the head - if you are using CrOx after the Coticule, you are no longer shaving from a Coticule edge so that's seems to negate using it at all, especially as the 12k looks to be a finer stone.

All coticules are different. Mine is a true finisher on water only and the edge rivals my yellow-green and dark blue thuris. I often use it after a high grit synthetic, black ark, or tranny to 'soften' the edge.

Originally Posted by UKRob

Tc hit it on the head - if you are using CrOx after the Coticule, you are no longer shaving from a Coticule edge so that's seems to negate using it at all, especially as the 12k looks to be a finer stone.

Well, looking at his photos, after the coticule and chrome ox his edge is still less refined than the 12k. There's still marks from the coticule left over, so there's probably still traces of the coticule's work left behind.

Originally Posted by Euclid440

You did a good job of photographing the same part of the bevel and edge.
...
Look at the final Coticule edge photos, you can easily see deep 1k stria, that was not removed and end in a micro -chip. I suspect, a lot of what you think are Coticule stria, are deep 1K stria, that show up from the Coticule polish. The Coticule just makes it easier to see.
...

Thanks you for the feedback. The above quoted observation may actually agree and complete the thinking of others that have replied here that my 4K might be causing some problems. From the photos - it may be that the 4K is not getting rid of the 1K stria - in fact it may be producing some 1K "like" stria. Hence my trouble in getting rid of the 1K stria with the 4K side of the Norton 4/8K combo stone.

I like this thinking, of course, because it takes the focus off the honer and onto the hone - which makes me feel better even if it is completely false. I think the only way to get at the truth - that it's actually the honer not the hone - is to pick up another 4K stone and give it a go. I've put in my order and I'll report back with the same razor and the same progression up to the 12K with a different 4K.

Probably will just confirm that it's the honer not the hone...

Adam

Originally Posted by gcbryan

I think people try too hard to fit in a coticule sometimes. I know many people recommend them but then it seems most people have to use something else to finish with so what's the point?

The only use I see for a coticule is if you use it for hone stone honing.

Can't say that I agree with that. I have found this particular Coticule to give me an edge, as a finisher, that my face and beard quite like. YMMV with your stones. Cool microscope pictures are good for looking at stria left by stones in a progression but they tell you precious little about how well the piece of steel will shave.

Adam

Originally Posted by UKRob

Tc hit it on the head - if you are using CrOx after the Coticule, you are no longer shaving from a Coticule edge so that's seems to negate using it at all, especially as the 12k looks to be a finer stone.

Not sure I agree that CrOx is going to do too much to the Coticule edge. We're talking about a .50 micron abrasive for 10-12 laps (8inch felt pasted device). Sure it's going to 'ease' the edge a bit - probably more of a product of the felt medium and it's natural give - but I would still consider the edge a Coticule edge. Linen and leather are also abrasive - so after I strop it three times - I no longer have a Coticule edge...

Adam

Referencing those track marks Euclid pointed out, when you spot them on the 4k you can see something chipped that edge up pretty good. And judging by the 1K, and other 4k pics, I'm leaning toward a problem with the 4k stone. When you findo them again at the 12K, those chips are mostly gone.

If that were the hands doing the honing I'm inclined to think the cause would be heavy pressure and the chiping would be apparent before and after the 4k. I'm leaning toward contamination or defect in the 4k. When you're honing on that stone do you ever feel like the blade catches or snags? Sometimes I feel an aberrant 'pop' that could be trash or an inclusion that needs to be lapped away.

I want to believe that little guy has usable material inside him somewhere. Even though about 1/4 of mine was iffy I could still squeeze a good 4k edge out of it.

I'm curious to know the history of your coticule. I have a coticule I purchased from TSS that tears up an edge like what you have shown there. Farthest thing from a polisher I've ever seen.