Help! I've honed with a coticule, and I can't get sharp...
I think it's known that I'm neutral, apathetic even, on the argument of natural versus synthetic hones. Lately, I've found that a DMT8E, a Norton 4/8K, a Shapton 16K, & a Shapton 30K is all I need to get an edge that satisfies my needs. However, being enveloped in this hobby of wetshaving, I've managed to accumulate various hones discussed on this forum. I have a fondness for the Chinese 12K, and have had good luck with a Müeller Thuringian stone. Heck, the Dragon's Tongue that I got is doing alright too.
The coticule is a whole other story. I cannot use the coticule that I own to get anything close to a good edge. It simply drives me to frustration each and every time I attempt to use it – anywhere in a progression. My latest battle came from attempting Bart's One Coticule Honing technique. I had hoped this would finally show me the worth of this coticule. Alas, it was the latest failure. No matter how many laps I tried, I could never get it to start cutting hairs effectively on my arm or legs. It would catch a couple, but never would mow them down. I never made it through the technique, as the edge was not up to standard.
I've attempted to use the coticule with a heavy slurry, light slurry, and water alone. Nothing puts a keen edge onto a blade. I know it's cutting steel, as the heavy slurry was blackening. A lighter slurry and water only improved it, but sloped off rapidly (and still wasn't cutting arm hair sufficiently). I did so many first rounds (over two days) of Bart's new method that I lost count. I think I was in the mid to mid-high area (10-15 out of 20 rounds) when I gave up.
So, I pulled out a DMT8EE, did 10 laps, and could already notice the sharpness level improve. I had a nagging defect (small chip) in the edge that wasn't coming out, so I backed down the DMTs to clean up the edge, reset the bevel, and prepare for refinement. I completed a progression from a DMT8E, DMT8EE, Dragon's Tongue (learning its properties), lapped Spyderco UF (further experimentation), and finally completed with the Shapton 16K + 30K hones. Easy day.
So what the heck is wrong with this hone! I just want to know if it's my honing style and capability, my maintenance of its surface, or if I just managed to get a “bad” rock. :rant:
I'm posting photos of it to help out anyone willing to read this thread, and offer up some advice. :D
my coticule set
http://straightrazorpalace.com/membe...-strop-top.jpg
my coticule
http://straightrazorpalace.com/membe...cule-6x2in.jpg
my coticule surface -- dry
http://straightrazorpalace.com/membe...urface-dry.jpg
my coticule surface -- wet
http://straightrazorpalace.com/membe...urface-wet.jpg