Thread: Belgian Coticule as finishing stone?

Yes, you could get a comfortable shave finishing with a belgian coticule. Many have and do just that. It would be impossible to tell you to do "x" number of laps though. I personally have 2 coticules and both have completely different characters.

Bart, makes an extremely valid point- DO NOT expect the coticule to make the edge sharper though. It's task with water is to smooth and refine the edge. Although I personally never finish with a coticule-I think they belong in your hone "arsenal". No 2 razors hone alike and giving a distinct set of instructions on how to hone them just isn't going to work. It'll take some experimentation-but that's part of the fun! (or frustration)

Originally Posted by Bart

...I agree with Joke1176 on his observation, but we must not exaggerate those differences. Most Coticules sold for razor use, will be very nice finishers. Some are ultra-finishers, but I don't think the 8K offers the keenness to bother with those.

Bart.

Bart raises a good point: In most cases, they will be pretty similar in character, give or take a few thousand grit wise. There are some oddball hones out there, especially if you buy from ebay or whatnot, but everybody that buys from the mainstream sellers around seem to have similar assessments of stone abilities.

Thanks for all response. What then would be recommended as a good finishing stone after the Coticule?

A thuringian stone is a great finisher, its also known by its dominant brand name, Escher.

I have not experimented with it enough to draw my own conclusion yet, but I recall that a web site selling Thuringian hones declared that there was little benefit to be gained by using their hone after a coticule.

Originally Posted by Utopian

I have not experimented with it enough to draw my own conclusion yet, but I recall that a web site selling Thuringian hones declared that there was little benefit to be gained by using their hone after a coticule.

That is the Timbertools website. The quote is, "The Escher is NOT recommended as a final hone if you have used the natural Belgian garnet stone in advance. We are often asked about this combination use and can, at best, offer the advice that Belgian hones produce an edge without burrs, therefore that edge is already drawn to a more ideal finish, not gaining any advantage using the Escher."

I am glad I hadn't read that before I started using an Escher blue/green after a coticule. I got fine results and I am pretty sure Lynn has written that he has used an Escher after a coticule as well. I know that he has used it after the 4/8 Norton. The Shapton GlassStone 16K may have shot the Escher out of the saddle for Lynn now. I'm not sure ? I feel that the edge finished with an Escher or a hard coticule is more comfortable then that off of a synthetic hone.

I've recently acquired a dark blue as well as a blue/green escher and,at least IMO, find the thurigian's improve the edge finished on either of my coticules.

The more razors I hone, the more I realize each finish differently. As of late I have several razors in my rotation that are giving very comfortable shaves directly off my 30K Shapton. I'm starting to realize the only RULE in honing razors is there is NO RULES!

I don't know guys. You can really go crazy looking for the ultimate sharpness. Kind of like looking for the ultimate razor steel or really the ultimate of anything.

I find with the far majority of my razors I can get a very good shave off the Norton 8K and the Coticule gives me my ultimate. If I use my vintage Escher the result is comparable to the Coticule however there are a few razors that seem to do better with the Escher than the Coticule and vice versa as there are a few razors that do better with a diamond pasted strop.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

I don't know guys. You can really go crazy looking for the ultimate sharpness. Kind of like looking for the ultimate razor steel or really the ultimate of anything.

I find with the far majority of my razors I can get a very good shave off the Norton 8K and the Coticule gives me my ultimate. If I use my vintage Escher the result is comparable to the Coticule however there are a few razors that seem to do better with the Escher than the Coticule and vice versa as there are a few razors that do better with a diamond pasted strop.

Yeah N, I've seen you post that before and you are absolutely right. You've been at it longer then I have and I have found it to be true for me too as I gain more experience. The ATS 34 and the TI Damascus are examples of steel that needed the diamond pasted strop...... or a more experienced hand on the hones.

I haven't tried shaving off of an 8K yet. Up until I got other finishing stones I had my Swaty and used that to follow the 8K with some good results. I may give an 8k shave a try to see how that feels compared to going to the higher grits first.

I would first hone on the Norton 8K then strop and test shave.
This should give you a good shave.
If not then stay on the4K/ 8K until it is a good shaving edge. Jumping to the coticule will not make it better.
Once you do obtain a very good shave from the 8K then you can perform 30-50 laps on the coticule, water only, strop and test shave.
Repeat until you obtain a desirable shave.

BTW, you can overhone on a coticule or an escher. It does take hundreds of laps.