Thread: Coticule problems

Hey guys,

My honing is to the point where I can get a decent edge on the Norton 4k-8k, which passes the HHT. But then I try to finish on my Coticule (maybe 10 strokes) and for some reason that seems to actually make it more dull (to where it no longer passes HHT). I don't get what I'm doing wrong - I wet the stone and work up a light paste with the stone, then do the standard X stroke.

I have much better luck going directly to diamond paste, which makes for an extremely sharp finish.

I bought this Coticule and so I'd like to use it, but what's the deal here?

Any thoughts?

Try the coticule without the slurry. The slurry has loose garnet chunks in it which act as a sharpening accelerant in developing an edge. Once you get to the point where you want to polish a developed edge, the slurry can dull it. So use your coticule with just water and see how that works.

Have you tried shaving with it after the coticule? Your hone might be leaving the edge so smooth the hair can't catch on the razor so it won't pop. I go to the crox after the coticule and after that it passes the test.

10 strokes though, I need at least 50.

Read this article by Bart:
Hanging Hair Test - home of the famous Belgian Coticule Whetstone
I think you'll find it very helpful and it will answer your exact question.

Although you might find a difference in HHT performance after the coticule vs. the 8k, there is no need to use slurry at all on the coticule at this point. Slurry on a coticule is a very useful thing, since it does remove metal more quickly, but it also dulls the edge a bit.

Just try a bunch of strokes on the coticule with just water after the edge has been refined sufficiently on the 8k. Perhaps 20-50 depending on the speed of your coticule, but you really can't overdo it when using just water.

P.S. Since the last thing you did to your razor was use it on the coticule with slurry, it would most likely take a bit more refinement. i.e. you could probably do with a few strokes on the 8k first to get back the sharpness you lost from going to the coti w/slurry.

EDIT: If you would want to learn how to use your coticule a little more exclusively, you should check out Coticule Sharpening Academy - home of the famous Belgian Coticule Whetstone. I only suggested going back to the 8k to refine the edge and then using the coticule with water for ease of use, since you already sound proficient with the nortons. But there definitely is a use for slurry on the coticule, but you don't want to introduce too many variables in your honing at once.

Bruce is right you don't have to use with slurry. Slurry has garnets which will make it dull.
try just water and see what happens if blade get s dull again then you got bad coticule. (not mean to for straight razor)hope this helps

The other guys are right, just use it as a polisher with water after 8k. Some of my razors seem to like a polish with lather instead of water too, may be worth a try.

I am new at the coticule, but my understanding is that using a milky slurry is roughly along the lines of using a 1K stone. As everyone else has said, just use water on the coticule for finishing.