Thread: Finishing Threesome

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

The coticule smooths the edge and if it is my 8x3 natural the yellow will definitely add sharpness to boot using water only. I know some are better than others and that 8x3 happens to be the best of the many I have so far. If I didn't like fooling with different hones so much I would be fine if that 8x3 was all that I had.

like i say i have been quite surprised how good the edge is of the 8k having never shaved directly of the 8kn of my 8x3 i have found with 20/40 laps a little improve mant in smoothness but not massive but enought to just notice the coti makes a little differance.

Originally Posted by ChrisL

IIRC, David Polan aka Heavydutysg135 who I don't believe is active on the site any longer was adamant in his opinion that you could NOT overhone on a coticule. I thought I remember he did an experiment where he did 300 skadzillion passes (I think skadzillion is the proper mathematical term) and never had an overhoned edge at any stage. Coticules differ, so who knows.

Chris L

I also remember him saying that i think he did hundreds of laps on coticule and he said it never improved the razor but also never deteriated the edge

I once managed to overhone a Friodur on a coticule.

I usually go from coticule to Nakayama and skip the Escher.

Originally Posted by gary haywood

I also remember him saying that i think he did hundreds of laps on coticule and he said it never improved the razor but also never deteriated the edge

It must improve the razor edge somewhat. I think there must be some sort of sharpness "limit" that each stone can bring. My coticule is VERY VERY slow (I can do 100+ laps on it and barely see any evidence of metal particles in the water or on the surface, but perhaps that is normal ), but I think it would improve the edge of the razor up to that "limit", whatever it may be. It may take a lot of strokes, but I think it would improve the edge up to that "limit" if it was not too far below that "limit". If it gets to the point where any number of laps isn't improving the razor, doesn't that mean that the "limit" is already reached? It makes sense in my head. But this sounds like a good hard/slow coticule is perfect for a maintainence hone, doesn't it?

This is all hypothetical and supposing (not nearly enough experience to be making judgements), so don't take what I'm saying as gospel.

Originally Posted by StraightRazorDave

My coticule is VERY VERY slow (I can do 100+ laps on it and barely see any evidence of metal particles in the water or on the surface, but perhaps that is normal ),

I'm quite surprised at the extreme ends of the variation in coticules (soft at one extreme and hard at the other). I have an olive colored 8x3 natural combo that's like yours. Glass surface. Excellent polisher. Not a cutter. I have a small skinny bonded combo that's very soft and an extremely fast cutter. Swarf evident within 10 or less passes. Crazy how fast that thing cuts. So much so, that it's hard to use it as a final polish stone.

I also have some that are a good compromise between the two extremes. I have a smaller number of Thuringians, but I have not seen that kind of variance within that type of stone. Does anyone have any "soft" Thuringians that cut very fast?

Chris L

Originally Posted by ChrisL

I'm quite surprised at the extreme ends of the variation in coticules (soft at one extreme and hard at the other). I have an olive colored 8x3 natural combo that's like yours. Glass surface. Excellent polisher. Not a cutter.....
Chris L

So my coticule is not broken! I wanted a slow/hard one when I ordered it from Howard, and boy, it's exactly what I got. It has a very glassy surface and works pretty much ONLY as a polisher, but it's good at what it does.

Yes thats what he was saying the razor was shaving good and he performed loads of laps and the shave was still good and did'nt make the sahves worse by performing too many laps ie not over honed. I have a thew coticules and i find mine are all medium to hard and theres not much differancs except one that cuts a little quiker than the rest by how quik the slurry darkens. But as for polishing i carn't tell one from the other they all seem to polish fine

Originally Posted by gary haywood

Yes thats what he was saying the razor was shaving good and he performed loads of laps and the shave was still good and did'nt make the sahves worse by performing too many laps ie not over honed. I have a thew coticules and i find mine are all medium to hard and theres not much differancs except one that cuts a little quiker than the rest by how quik the slurry darkens. But as for polishing i carn't tell one from the other they all seem to polish fine

That's interesting to know, thanks Gary. So it does seem like the coticule would be a good maintenance hone.

I think I remember Bart saying that coticules don't vary as much in the polishing qualities as they do when they're used with slurry for cutting. What I mean is that when you throw slurry into the equation there are a lot of variations in cutting ability from coticule to coticule, but those coticules will vary much less when it comes to there polishing abilities when used with just water. It does seem that some are just not as good at polishing, but those are probably the super soft and fast ones.....I dunno, ask Bart!

I think it's funny how it seems that many threads in the honing forum not specifically about coticules seem to degenerate into a discussion about coticules.

Originally Posted by StraightRazorDave

That's interesting to know, thanks Gary. So it does seem like the coticule would be a good maintenance hone.

I think I remember Bart saying that coticules don't vary as much in the polishing qualities as they do when they're used with slurry for cutting. What I mean is that when you throw slurry into the equation there are a lot of variations in cutting ability from coticule to coticule, but those coticules will vary much less when it comes to there polishing abilities when used with just water. It does seem that some are just not as good at polishing, but those are probably the super soft and fast ones.....I dunno, ask Bart!

I think it's funny how it seems that many threads in the honing forum not specifically about coticules seem to degenerate into a discussion about coticules.

Yes thats what i have found when slurry is used they can differ i brought several to compare they all copare relatrivly the same they feel slightly differant when in use they also look differant when i asked bart how to tell a good polisher he did say he could'nt say if i remember rightly ovously if you have a soft one it would create a slurry whilst polishing which would'nt be any good unless you kept it under running water. I have 5x3 coti from howard it is realy light with pink swirls in it and that one cuts fairly well not rapid but quiker than my others if i use pressure they all remove metal fairly quik circles and back and forth strokes the slurry turns grey quik. If i hone on slurry i can bearly shave if i do 100 laps on coti water i can shave much better so coti with water must sharpen razor and polish

Sounds like what I've been doing with my Oohira and coti... next will be the Kitayama But I only do 10-20 laps on each stone and I get the smoothest shaves, so far

My coti is a bonded combi and a soft fast cutter, I would love to come across a hard slow to feel the difference. But the next one I order will be the Kitayama or equivilent.