Thread: a slurry stone is essential?

Do I really need a slurry stone for a coticule? I've read some ppl use lather... Is there any difference?

If you intend just touching up a previously sharp razor - no, not really. If you intend sharpening a very blunt razor then yes.

It helps to speed up the process. I have one and I never use it and it works fine. Of course I use the coticule as a final polish. You can extend the use of a coticule by using the slurry stone and get more mileage out of it if you need a tad more than a final polish.

If you have a Yellow Coticule, youd should have a Cotigura rubbing stone

I also use my yellow coticules for final polish only and my "cotigura" (a term coined by SRP member and proprietor of theperfectedge.com) sits on the shelf unused. I've always found slurry on my coticules does not make for a proper keen shaving edge.

I say if you've got other stones of lower grit to do any cutting work, you don't need a slurry stone for the coticule and IMO it's actually counter productive if that's your last stone before stropping and shaving. Not fact, but my experience. Others probably have good experience with slurry on the coticule.

Chris L

So, without slurry- polish, with slurry- metal removing?

And with lather? Or only water?

Lather has been used by some barbers on both coticules and barber hones since they are not porous. I have not done this (yet) but it is supposedly for a final, final polish. The lather creates a very thin film/cushion between the razors edge and the hone allowing only a small amount of contact to occur. That is the reasoning.

Water... I currently use water and avoid the build up of slurry by rinsing the hone frequently. But... I use a Norton 8000 before I go to the coticule or thuringen/escher or the Chinese 12,000.


Just my two cents,

Two other functions of a "slurry stone" is as a cleaning stone and as a tool for refreshing the cutting surface. But not all stones need to be cleaned or refreshed (supposedly). However, when I refresh/clean the surfaces of my hones I seem to get much better results. YMMV.

Two days ago I had one of new members (purvis) over to my house. He had a Spyderco UF that was a bit dirty. I took a piece of old barber hone and used it as a "rubbing" stone on the Spyderco UF . It worked very well to clean the "swarf" off the hone. Maybe it would also work with Shaptons or other ceramic hones? I know it works with other barber hones. I do have a bunch of the "rubbing stones" available if anyone wants to try them. Just send me a PM.

Sorry for the thread hijack,

Originally Posted by randydance062449

Two other functions of a "slurry stone" is as a cleaning stone and as a tool for refreshing the cutting surface. But not all stones need to be cleaned or refreshed (supposedly). However, when I refresh/clean the surfaces of my hones I seem to get much better results. YMMV.

Two days ago I had one of new members (purvis) over to my house. He had a Spyderco UF that was a bit dirty. I took a piece of old barber hone and used it as a "rubbing" stone on the Spyderco UF . It worked very well to clean the "swarf" off the hone. Maybe it would also work with Shaptons or other ceramic hones? I know it works with other barber hones. I do have a bunch of the "rubbing stones" available if anyone wants to try them. Just send me a PM.

Sorry for the thread hijack,

A huge +1 here
Whether you use the slurry to "speed" up the cutting power or not, a slurry stone cleans and smooths the surface of yer stone....

Originally Posted by gssixgun

A huge +1 here
Whether you use the slurry to "speed" up the cutting power or not, a slurry stone cleans and smooths the surface of yer stone....

I'm glad to hear this. There have been comments that the Norton flattening stone leaves the surface of the 4K/8K stone somewhat rough and gritty, so I ordered the Norton prep stone as well, to smooth it out. What you're saying seems to support that theory.