You definitely need a stone or something to make slurry. I just learned something though. I have a soft stone so I would imagine my slurry is coming from my slurry stone and not the coticule. I think I will need to get a hard slurry stone now.I am a newbie too though so what do I know. I am getting my razor shaveable with my coticule.

You need to keep a very delicate touch though. Just barely skim the blade on the stone.