Thread: Coticule chronicles

David,

Yep, my bad. You read my post correctly. I'm going to go back and edit it...

Howard, I know you and the Belgians recommend using the coticule with slurry. How heavy of a slurry do you make? So far I'm finding that just plain water--not dry, not with a slurry--is giving me the smoothest shaving results from the coticule. Since this doesn't line up with your recommendation, I'm continuing to experiment.

I decided to give the razor finished on the light slurry some extra stropping tonight and plan to do another test shave tomorrow. I've never used this particular edge more than once, and my stropping has improved since the last time I tried it... We'll see how it goes tomorrow.

What I'm trying to figure out is this: It seems logical that the progression with these hones would go blue/slurry, blue/no slurry, yellow/slurry, yellow/no slurry. My thinking is that the slurry speeds up the cutting by exposing more garnets and cutting surfaces. Honing with plain water is slower because there are fewer cutting surfaces exposed.

From my limited experiments so far, though, the yellow/slurry seems to yield the least fine edge. So the progression appears to be yellow/slurry, blue/slurry, blue/no slurry, yellow/no slurry.

Could you describe your approach after the blue stone a bit? Do you do a lot of laps on the yellow with slurry, or just a few? Is the slurry thick or thin?

This is pretty interesting...

Josh

I would love to hear the next step myself...

Originally Posted by JoshEarl

From my limited experiments so far, though, the yellow/slurry seems to yield the least fine edge. So the progression appears to be yellow/slurry, blue/slurry, blue/no slurry, yellow/no slurry. Josh

Josh, are you saying the yellow with slurry cuts faster than the blue with slurry? That seems counterintuitive. Why wouldn't you just skip the yellow/slurry altogether and start with blue/slurry?

Kyle,

In my limited experience I would have to concur with Josh and say that the yellow with slurry does cut faster than the blue with slurry. Don't understand why either, just my experience.

Originally Posted by Jfala

In my limited experience I would have to concur with Josh and say that the yellow with slurry does cut faster than the blue with slurry. Don't understand why either, just my experience.

I don't have experience with this, but it's my understanding that the yellow cuts faster than the blue because, while the garnets are smaller in the yellow, the garnets comprise a higher proportion of of the stone in the yellow.

If it's true that yellows cut faster (and I'd like to hear of others' experiences on this point), I wonder why anyone would use a blue before a yellow in a honing progression.

Steve,

If the slurry garnet ratio is higher in the yellow, then what you say makes a lot of sense. More garnets in the slurry would mean a higher frequency of abrasion with the metal.

Isn't this fun!?!

Josh!
As you say this is pretty interesting. I have used just water on the blue side and dry on the yellow with great results. Have yet to try with slurry but hope to soon. Thanks for the info. This is really interesting!

Originally Posted by JoshEarl

From my limited experiments so far, though, the yellow/slurry seems to yield the least fine edge. So the progression appears to be yellow/slurry, blue/slurry, blue/no slurry, yellow/no slurry.

I assume most of you guys generate slurry with a yellow cotigura rubbing stone, is that right?
Has anyone tried the blue stone slurry with a blue rubbing stone?
I'm getting a nice natural combo rubbing stone (yellow one side, blue the other) that I'm eager to try out.

Originally Posted by jalapeno_peppah

I'm getting a nice natural combo rubbing stone (yellow one side, blue the other) that I'm eager to try out.

Yeah, me too! At my first attempts I was using a natural Coticule/Blue combo stone with a Coticule/slate rubbing stone.
It never crossed my mind till now that this will presumably not provide optimum performance. Although I have had some fairly acceptable results, I'm confident that the Coticule has more potential then I've experienced so far.

Since this has not been answered, Jim: yes, the yellow w/ slurry cuts faster.

As for using a blue on blue: when I use a "cotigura" - the blue side is softer so I stil get predominantly blue slurry. I have tried blue from new natural rubbed with blue from a vintage combination hone and can't really much of a diference from my normal routine using the cotigura for all

Hope this helps

Cheers
Ivo