Thread: Assess coticule quality?

Actually, the feedback I get from the honing process is quite confusing : slurry does not turn gray, but it does feel like the razor is cutting in the stone at the end, when only water is used. Also, as you mentioned, the fact that the razor is--eventually--splitting hairs (before stropping) indicates that actually something is happening to the edge.

@Randy: During this 2-year period, I used the TI for about 1.5 years with regular (every 4 months or so) touch-ups in the shop in Antwerp (coticule with slurry + strop with red Dovo paste). After that, I got the Dovo from Lynn and used that for a couple of months. Now, both razors need to be honed and I'd like to do it myself. BTW, compared to the Dovo, the TI has never had that sharpness.

Tim

Originally Posted by Tim

Actually, the feedback I get from the honing process is quite confusing : slurry does not turn gray, but it does feel like the razor is cutting in the stone at the end, when only water is used. Also, as you mentioned, the fact that the razor is--eventually--splitting hairs (before stropping) indicates that actually something is happening to the edge.

I don't know about the razor "feeling like it tries to cut the stone", since I have never observed that feeling myself, but your statement that the razor starts to split hairs BEFORE stropping is very good news. It really means that your bevel is starting to be truly sharp. I would not do any more slurry honing from this point onwards. Use only water and do light laps, and you'll gain sharpness with each lap. (use slurry and you'll loose the splitting hair ability again!)
Test at about every 30 laps. I really recommend the TPT for that kind of keenness assessment. Try adding a drop of dish washing detergent to the water. Don't know if it improves the outcome, but I always do, and my coticules deliver fine edges. Some guys have reported finer edges with the use of lather. I haven't tried it though, but it wouldn't harm to try.
I wouldn't worry about removing too much metal on a coticule with only water, it might be possible that you still need to do 100 laps more.
I also emphasize strongly on a good stropping session after honing.

Although your TI should be able to be brought to more than shavereadiness with that coticule, I wouldn't expect to match Lynn's results. He's out of our league, whatever that means, and I would think he uses finishing methods beyond the grasp of your coticule. If you want a cheap way to push the sharpness envelope after a coticule, than a strop with Chromium oxide is the way to go. I have more Chromium oxide sitting on the shelf here than I'll ever use in this lifetime or even that of my offspring. If you PM me your address, I 'll send you some of it. It's no good though, using it before that razor is absolutely shaveready right of that coticule.

Good luck,
Bart.

Originally Posted by Tim

@Randy: During this 2-year period, I used the TI for about 1.5 years with regular (every 4 months or so) touch-ups in the shop in Antwerp (coticule with slurry + strop with red Dovo paste). After that, I got the Dovo from Lynn and used that for a couple of months. Now, both razors need to be honed and I'd like to do it myself. BTW, compared to the Dovo, the TI has never had that sharpness.

Tim

I hope they used the Dovo red paste before they used the coticule. The red is coarser. Also, the TI takes a bit more work than the Dovo but it can be every bit as sharp.