Thread: What can I do with a Coticule?

I've decided it's time to learn to touch up my own razors. I bought a coticule as my weapon of choice and have read just about every article in the Wiki on honing. I can't say that my first attempt is going particularly well, so I've got a couple of questions.

At issue is a 6/8 Le Grelot. One of the ones that are still available through Vintage Blades, Classic Shaving, et al. I noticed the razor getting a tad unsharp. Unfortunately, I didn't test it to see how unsharp it was before trying to hone it. Now it will only shave the hair on my arm at a 20 degree angle or more with a little pressure. It's certainly not popping hair and won't shave at a shallow angle.

First off, I'm wondering if I've blown the bevel and need to start from scratch. All I have is the coticule. Do I need another stone or does it need to go to a honemeister or can I recover with just the coticule? If the latter, any tips?

Secondly, any suggestions on how many laps I should be going between test shaves? Should I be working up a slurry, use lather, just use water or use it dry?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Now wait a sec. Didn't you start out stating you had read up on how to use it?

Can you describe what the razor was doing before you started working on it and can you describe what you did to it?

The Coti should be just fine for the job.

I'm going to suggest a long route, just because. I would start with 10 laps with no slurry, test shave, and again, 10 laps with no slurry, test shave. Reevaluate, then 10 laps with slurry followed by 10 laps with no slurry.

So, once again. What could it do before you started honing it.

Bart's coticuleBE website here has detailed instructions on honing with a coticule here. If Alan's excellent suggestions don't work out well for you give Bart's tutorials a read.

Yeah, we really need a little more information about what you actually did. Slurry on a coticule has a dulling effect on a shave ready razor. In fact, you can set a bevel on a Coticule. It takes a bit of understanding (understanding the slurry and dilution strategy) to use a coticule effectively, but it certainly can be used as a one and only stone (assuming you don't have any restorative honing to do - which should likely be sent out anyway).

It sounds like all you intended to do was refresh the blade slightly. Be aware, that this can take many more laps that you might think, and is usually only done with water, not slurry.

See the wiki, and in particular the part about finishing with a coticule : A simple honing method with DMT-E, Belgian Blue Whetstone and Coticule - Straight Razor Place Wiki

I recently acquired a coticule and refreshed a blade on it. Did 100 laps with water only - just let the weight of the razor sit flat on the hone, and put no pressure on it at all. Was very happy with the results.

As others have said, if you used slurry, you have most likely made it worse, rather than better. Suggest you check the sharpness on your arm, then do 20 laps and check again - repeat until you can feel a marked difference. Ive only suggested 20 laps because if you do 100 wrong, its going to take a lot more work to fix your mistakes.

Anyway, thats what I would do - others will have different methodologies for using the coticule, so try them all and use whatever you find works best for you.

Thanks for your replies guys. This helps a lot. As I mentioned, unfortunately I didn't test it before I tried touching it up. Rookie mistake. All I can say is it was pulling and tugging and yielding an unpleasant shave. My other razor was significantly better and this razor was yielding better results before, so I am confident it wasn't shave technique (or at least not entirely, I am still new at all of this).

In terms of reading up, I've frankly been a bit confused because everything I've read takes you from setting a bevel through shave ready. It may seem like a no brainer to someone who's been around the block once or twice, but to a complete newb it can be difficult to pull out just the piece you need.

Thanks again.

Originally Posted by mbrossar

In terms of reading up, I've frankly been a bit confused because everything I've read takes you from setting a bevel through shave ready. It may seem like a no brainer to someone who's been around the block once or twice, but to a complete newb it can be difficult to pull out just the piece you need.

Thanks again.

I think the thing that may have hurt is what level of honing you tried to do. If the razor was just tugging a bit, or maybe just "less sharp" than when it was professionally honed it would have needed a touch up only. If you started at the steps for setting a bevel, you most likely have taken it back to square 1 requiring full honing in order to be shave ready again.

If you tell exactly what steps you took, the guys here will be able to give you more specific information that will help you out.


As for what you can do with the coticule... well, I'll be more specific... what can be done with a coticule, IME it is possible to do every step of honing with a coticule (I have done it a few times just to test it, but that isn't how I do it every time). But, as with every other honing method it takes some know how. If you don't have the know how or the skill, it really doesn't matter what rock you rub your razor on.

Good luck
Dave