New Coticule from Howard

I just got a yellow coticule from Howard at theperfectedge.com. In addition to doing a really nice careful job lapping it (and the sides), he's tirelessly answered questions, and clearly sold me a high quality stone. I've never honed before, and in just a few tries have rescued a dovo that I had ruined on pasted strops and gotten great results touching up a nearly new blade. The flexibility of using slurry or just water is great, and I've found the coticule a great finishing stone, just going from it straight to my Tony Miller hangling latigo/canvas strop, and even though I'm a rank beginner at honing, it's already giving me great results and smooth comfortable shaves. And it's pure therapy just sitting still and going back and forth, back and forth with the blade. The coticule has a really great feel to it.

So if anyone else is thinking about starting to get into honing, I'd suggest a yellow coticule plus slurry stone from howard (and pay the five bucks for him to flatten it) for a mixture of quality and flexibility.

I'm glad you're having a great experience with Howard's service and the coticule. Howard is a top notch guy to deal with IMO and like you've said, is extremely knowledgeable.

Chris L

I'm another fan of the Yellow Coticule, you'll be able to keep your razors in shape with it.

Remember Howard's words:

"It's easier to keep your knife sharp than it is to sharpen your knife"

- Howard B. Schechter,1990

I have a bout that came from Howard and agree on all points service/quality. I also got a norton from him best price on the block and it came flat. Saved me buying the DMT for a month or so but bought one in the end anyway. Just curious what size did you get. I am thinking about a rectangular coticule and am debaiting between the 3x8 and 2x8.

Don

Doing business with Howard is a pleasure. Great guy.

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Originally Posted by junkinduck

I have a bout that came from Howard and agree on all points service/quality. I also got a norton from him best price on the block and it came flat. Saved me buying the DMT for a month or so but bought one in the end anyway. Just curious what size did you get. I am thinking about a rectangular coticule and am debaiting between the 3x8 and 2x8.

Don

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I got the 6X2. I really struggle with keeping the blade flat on anything more narrow than 2 inches wide, but I'm finding the 2 inches isn't hard to work wtih at all using an x stroke. The six inches is plenty as well - I thought I'd miss the extra two but really haven't.

I also got a slurry stone and the 325 grit DMT for when it is time to lap. I figure I'll eventually buy a blue as well so may as well buckle down and get the lapping stone.

Out of curiosity, what did you get a bout for? Are there any advantage of that over the standard rectangular shape, or was it just a little cheaper per surface area?

Cant say enough great things about Howard and his products.

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Originally Posted by loueedacat

I got the 6X2. I really struggle with keeping the blade flat on anything more narrow than 2 inches wide, but I'm finding the 2 inches isn't hard to work wtih at all using an x stroke. The six inches is plenty as well - I thought I'd miss the extra two but really haven't.

I also got a slurry stone and the 325 grit DMT for when it is time to lap. I figure I'll eventually buy a blue as well so may as well buckle down and get the lapping stone.

Out of curiosity, what did you get a bout for? Are there any advantage of that over the standard rectangular shape, or was it just a little cheaper per surface area?

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I think you made the right move in getting a 2" wide stone. I started with and still own a 3"x8" natural combo. The difficulty with wide stones is that if you try to hone a blade that has any variety of issues that keep it from laying perfectly flat on both sides of the razor, then you have two options:

1) Master the "rolling hone stroke" which is illusive to many.
2) Get a hone that's narrower. With a narrow hone, the irregular or flawed blade has a better chance of hugging the hone ensuring that the entire edge is honed. With a very narrow hone (e.g. 1"), you're virtually assured that the entire edge of a defective blade will be honed.

I have since purchased other hones and at this point I favor a hone that is 2" or even a bit more narrow for all around honing. Bottom line: IMO no one should feel they need to spend a big chunk of change on a 3" wide coticule to get great results.

Chris L

I got the bout because it was in my budget at the time and someone had posted a picture of one and I liked it. It does lay nice in the hand for in the bathroom touchups. I don't regreat buying it but would like to have a rectangle. I have found that I like the edge from the coticule.

Don

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Originally Posted by junkinduck

I have found that I like the edge from the coticule.

Don

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+ 1

Coticule Edge is great.

I've just received a 6x2 from Howard. Mine has tiger stripes through it. Not sure if it's rare, probably makes no difference. Works great.

It is rare and it's a real beauty. I have folks who have me watching out for well figured coticules and they buy them up for their collections. Every time I open a box from Belgium, I sort through and look at the marvelous art that the coticules display from time to time. Every time it's different. Once I had a shipment and the figure looked like Chinese characters. Absolutely wonderful. I really wanted to keep that one but a certain SRPer (you know who you are) absolutely had to have it. Figure makes the stones more interesting to me, just like beautiful figure in wood. I just added a Charnley Forest stone to my personal collection and it's dark green with maroon streaks and swirls through it. I'd been looking for one for 5 years! I'll be putting pix up on my Hone Museum page soon on the website.

Oh, and SHUCKS YOU GUYS! thanks for saying all of those nice things about me. I love honing, hones, and making dull things sharp and I enjoy sharing all of that with this elite crew representing the cream of humanity. : )

I cant wait to see picturs in your Hone Museum.