Thread: coticule fpr shaving smoothness

for a great smooth edge could i use the coticule wet or dry?

Use it wet

Use it dry.

Why? See http://users.ameritech.net/knives/Juranitch1977Feb.htm - scroll to the bottom of the page.

Vijay

I would definitely use it wet! As for the link posted by karkarta, who knows? this argument has been going on for a long time! I don't believe this guy ever sharpened a straight using his technique, at least not that I am aware of! Straights are a different creature than most sharp objects!

True - but have you done a true A-B comparison with the coticule wet and dry? I have, several times over, and cannot duplicate the edges I get with the dry coticule when I use it wet. Juranitch's research suggests that there is probable cause of why dry honing works better. Also if you read the page, Juranitch was a barber in the Korean War - presumably this gives him some credibility.

That's why the title of my last post was "The controversy rages on."

Originally Posted by karkarta

True - but have you done a true A-B comparison with the coticule wet and dry? I have, several times over, and cannot duplicate the edges I get with the dry coticule when I use it wet. Juranitch's research suggests that there is probable cause of why dry honing works better. Also if you read the page, Juranitch was a barber in the Korean War - presumably this gives him some credibility.

That's why the title of my last post was "The controversy rages on."

I'm not arguing to one way or the other, but it sure sounds like your spoiling for a good Knock down drag out!

Besides I don't think the U.S. military issued straight razors since the Spanish American War!?

For the past seven years I have always used my coticules with kerosene. I only wash the stones when I lap them so there are also a heavy slurry on them I think. I find that I get a more consistent edge using kerosene. Water sometimes seems to dull the edge. However the coticule should always used wet or moist and never dry.

Martin

Originally Posted by JMS

Besides I don't think the U.S. military issued straight razors since the Spanish American War!?

Good point - and true, the US military did not issue straights to soldiers at the time of the Korean war, but how about to barbers? I confess I don't know, but it seems likely, since at that time disposable-blade straights were not popular.

And no, I don't much care for putting to rest the controversy - I think that one of the great things about a straight razor is that you tune the edge to whatever is best for your beard and skin type.

I find the Feather just slightly too sharp; and I mean just slightly. I have a terribly coarse beard and ultra-sensitive skin, so I need a super sharp edge that I can almost float a tiny distance above my skin. Yes, that means that I can't get a very close shave without much skin irritation. Others may find such sharp edges terrible. I think that just as everyones beard and skin is unique, the edge that shaves them best would likely be unique too.

So truly, I feel that one should experiment to find the optimal edge for ones own self - wet, dry, coticule, escher, swaty, norton, whatever.

My own response was because of the previous absolute "Use it Wet" response; a little tongue in cheek humor if you will, that I thought would be nice with some reference link thrown in. You know about having to explain the joke and all...

kerosene isnt new to me, i also was told some people use a turpentine and oil mixture on there coticules. To me this sounds like a good point because the kerosene or turpentine would really refresh the hones surface and create a slurry.