I received a Bresnick Black Diamond Wedge from an ebay seller that was in nice shape with the exception of a 1/16 chip in the edge and a lot of micro chipping. I took my 1K Shapton and spent a lot of time on circles and a back and forth motion with a bit of pressure that I call paddling for lack of a better term. I finally got the chips out and a bevel started. I then went to my 2K Shapton and finished setting the bevel.

I have a variety of hones, Shapton pros, Norton, Eschers, and coticules. I recently bought a vintage coticule with Made in Belgium ink stamped on the side. Some of you are no doubt familiar with that vintage. It is a natural and a big beautiful rock.

My next move would ordinarily have been to the 5K and 8K Shapton followed by the 15 and just lately the 30 but I decided to give the 'new' vintage coticule a go. I started out on the blue side and did my usual X pattern with light pressure and a slurry. Every 10 or so strokes I did the TNT. Wasn't long before I had the TNT passed and I moved on to the blue with water only and the TPT.

I can't recall how many strokes before I felt it was satisfactory but I finally went to the yellow with water only. Maybe twenty or thirty round trips and I was popping hair off of my leg (none left on my arm ) all along the length of the edge. I honed a bit more and normally would have finished on a higher grit stone or perhaps a few licks on the chrom ox.

I have always been fascinated by the fact that barbers from days gone by honed their razors with Belgian coticules and shaved people one after another on a daily basis. So I decided to follow suit and went in and did 50 & 50 on the linen and leather. I lathered up after my usual prep and got a close and comfortable shave.

I have no particular point to make save that a coticule by itself is plenty good to sharpen a razor and make it shave ready. At least to my personal criteria. That being closeness, smoothness and comfort. I will continue to play around with all of my hones and get razors sharper then this one when I can but it was a nice experience and a test of my newly learned skill.