Thread: Belgium Coti vs. Norton 4k/8k

My Bad, I meant the Belgium Yellow Coti - not the Blue.

Originally Posted by Alpsman

Hmmm, seems to be a general consensus here and I thank you. However, I should have provided better info - sorry about that. I don't know if it will alter your recommendation - which of course I will follow.

1. I have a very soft Arkansas stone to bevel with (220 g).

2. Really can only afford one (1) stone this year.

3. I have good experience honing knives (from scratch, ie. from dull, creating progressive angles, honing on ceramic to polish, etc). Never done a straight razor so I bought a $13 SR on the bay this week to practice on before I attempt anything on my DOVO or Henckels.

So,

Option A = I bevel with the soft, use the Norton 4k/8k, and finish with 100 careful passes on my watered black surgical to "finish" as it were?

Option B = I bevel on the soft, use a slurry on the BBW (following Bart's) progression, finish on water only, then dry as a finish.


Thanks for voting,

Alspman

If I were you , I would get the Norton combo pack for $115 (220/1k , 4k/8k) . It's all you need to take a razor from butter knife dull , to shaving sharp . I know , because I have these hones and use them . IMHO if you can't get a shaving edge from Norton 8/k , than you need to work on your honing technique . Once you're able to get a decent edge from the 8k , you can move up to a nice finishing hone .
Maybe one like this one :

All right,

let's make you an offer you can't refuse.

You go ahead and buy a Norton 4K/8K, or perhaps even better, two of those Naniwa Superstones in the same grit range that they sell at SRD.

I the mean time, I will send you the top hone from these two:


It is a vintage natural combination hone BBW/Coticule. I still need to lap the Blue side, but that's not a big deal. I have used this hone on many razors. It's an excellent one.
What I propose is this: you pay for the shipment and an additional €10. For that you may use the hone for one year. You may lap it, in the unlikely event that it would need lapping before the end of a year's use. You may accidentally drop it and break it. You may hone as much razors on it as you wish.
By the end of the year, you can send it back, or give it to any other guy that would like to try it. He would also need to pay me €10 (but it's not your problem if he does not) and agree to the same conditions.

I'm convinced there is no "best" nor "better" hone. The fact that so many people on this board strongly favor different options for their honing, proves my point: your question can only be answered by one person, and that is you, after enough time to figure it out. And the answer will only be valid for yourself.

But you can only fund one setup, and that's no way to ever find out. I'm not trying to make money on you, you may even pay the €10 + postage somewhere during the year of use. I 'm not a wealthy man, but I can spare it. I just don't think Coticules should be considered gratuitous, that's why I would charge something.

If you are interested, just drop me a PM.

Best regards,
Bart.

I like both hones. I would say this, Where ever you decide to buy your Coticule, make sure you know what grade and hardness you are buying. I don't know about "Best", but I know Howard at the perfect edge can hook you up with something that's worth while and suitable for Str8's. IMHO, Select Grade, Medium Soft is a good all around coticule for honing. Harder, is a finisher, Softer will cut faster. I don't know that Best can hand select stone for you, I could be wrong, but I'd ask first...Make sure you know what your getting and if you can return it if you not satisfied with it.

Bart,

I am touched indeed. I cannot thank you enough for your generous offer. I will PM you.

Alpsman

Originally Posted by Bart

All right,

let's make you an offer you can't refuse.

You go ahead and buy a Norton 4K/8K, or perhaps even better, two of those Naniwa Superstones in the same grit range that they sell at SRD.

I the mean time, I will send you the top hone from these two:


It is a vintage natural combination hone BBW/Coticule. I still need to lap the Blue side, but that's not a big deal. I have used this hone on many razors. It's an excellent one.
What I propose is this: you pay for the shipment and an additional €10. For that you may use the hone for one year. You may lap it, in the unlikely event that it would need lapping before the end of a year's use. You may accidentally drop it and break it. You may hone as much razors on it as you wish.
By the end of the year, you can send it back, or give it to any other guy that would like to try it. He would also need to pay me €10 (but it's not your problem if he does not) and agree to the same conditions.

I'm convinced there is no "best" nor "better" hone. The fact that so many people on this board strongly favor different options for their honing, proves my point: your question can only be answered by one person, and that is you, after enough time to figure it out. And the answer will only be valid for yourself.

But you can only fund one setup, and that's no way to ever find out. I'm not trying to make money on you, you may even pay the €10 + postage somewhere during the year of use. I 'm not a wealthy man, but I can spare it. I just don't think Coticules should be considered gratuitous, that's why I would charge something.

If you are interested, just drop me a PM.

Best regards,
Bart.

Fantastic and generous offer Bart!!!

I'm curious, though, you wouldn't think it would need honing within a year? Mine "needs" honing more than I would have thought? If by "need" you define it is as not perfectly flat anymore after honing 4 or 5 razors on it. It doesn't take long to bring it back to perfect flatness, and it may not even be affecting it at that level of cupping, but I can tell it's no longer perfectly flat once I take it to the DMT 8C

Originally Posted by pjrage

Fantastic and generous offer Bart!!!

I'm curious, though, you wouldn't think it would need honing within a year? Mine "needs" honing more than I would have thought? If by "need" you define it is as not perfectly flat anymore after honing 4 or 5 razors on it. It doesn't take long to bring it back to perfect flatness, and it may not even be affecting it at that level of cupping, but I can tell it's no longer perfectly flat once I take it to the DMT 8C

Well, call me a lazy lapper then.
I only lap a Coticule when it becomes visibly out of true (I eyeball them), or if the results start degrading. I too lap on a DMT-C.
I do focus on the high spots every time I raise slurry: both ends of the hone and any other spot where the slurry stone sticks (I'm not sure if the latter are high spots, but that's how I do it).

Best regards,
Bart.