Thread: Why do I need a Coticle?

Well, I have. Recently I had a badly warped blade to hone. That was easier with a small hone than with a wide one.

Originally Posted by decraew

Well, I have. Recently I had a badly warped blade to hone. That was easier with a small hone than with a wide one.

That still doesn't make your statement true, that is like me saying that a 3 in hone has a distinct advantage over a 1.5 inch hone for honing, it holds no water, neither width has any advantage over the other regardless of what people say, it is just because they are more familiar with that size or hone..
If I held the same logic as you are using, I could say the the Norton 1k 8x3 inch is the best hone for solving issues with warped blades, because I use it better than any other hone out there to do restoration honing, doesn't make it true, just makes it my opinion and expierence... (I also have a 1.5 inch Norton 1k and it works no faster, no slower, any better or any worse)

From what I've read coticule garnet do not break down and become finer like jnat facets in slurry would. Matter of fact coticule garnets cut scoops from the razor edge which is why the results feel smoother to your face than say a synth finisher. This is also why when you hone on slurry with a coticule the garnets can cause slurry dulling to the razor, the particles are not becoming finer and finer like a japanese stone would. Therefore the wide plans of the garnet eventually hit the edge head on and dull it.

Originally Posted by niftyshaving

With your set of man made hones you clearly do not need a coticule.

It is true that a coticule gives some people a smoother shave
but not all people. The magic of a coti is that you can hone
to almost any degree of finish. The garnets break down and
get finer and finer up to a point. Since the garnets are soft compared
to modern abrasives they interact with the steel differently. IMO they
end up smoothing it rather than cutting it.

Using a Na12k hone lightly once a month works better for me.

For +30 years I lived with three razors and one hone (a coti) and
when used gently much like a barber hone worked very well.
The Naniwa hones (to 12k) take the game to a new level and my coti
gets to see daylight on rare occasions.

Originally Posted by Disburden

From what I've read coticule garnet do not break down and become finer like jnat facets in slurry would. Matter of fact coticule garnets cut scoops from the razor edge which is why the results feel smoother to your face than say a synth finisher. This is also why when you hone on slurry with a coticule the garnets can cause slurry dulling to the razor, the particles are not becoming finer and finer like a japanese stone would. Therefore the wide plans of the garnet eventually hit the edge head on and dull it.

Yes, both... the near soccer ball shape of the garnets is part of the magic.
in part this is why the dilution methods work.

J-nats are another kettle of hones and techniques.