Thread: Belgium coticule + ebay razor

If you've got a high quality yellow coticule then you probably only need the 4k Norton or a blue Belgian to compliment. Should save you a few bucks.

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I use a coticule on a regular basis and moist of the time I do not use a slurry stone and it works just fine just that it takes a little longer without but in return you save wear and tear on your stone. I find after a few minutes of honing even without a slurry stone you will start to build up a light slurry on the coticule. You should never spend 3 hours with that stone. It is a finishing stone and should be used to get that final polish and keaness on the edge. I find that even on the most stubborn razors maybe 100-150 strokes is all you need and with the average razor for maintainance maybe 30 strokes and I know some here claim only a dozon strokes or so will do the job. The only exception to that was with my TI Damascus which took probably a couple hours of honing but thats another story.

That bottom layer is slate. I hope you didn't ruin your edge on it. If you did the coticule will never help you you'll have to go back to the 4K for a few strokes. If you can check the edge out under a scope it will tell you the state of the edge.

Well, I received the flattening stone and that one is producing slurry in NO time. I'm thinking something is wrong with my main coticule, here are some pics for the other owners to compare. Is the main stone a real coticule?

The texture and color of the main stone looks different than the coticule have, although the rubbing stone looks right. I probably need to try the rubbing stone approach on my coticule also, its pretty slow to raise a slurry on its own.

Its hard to tell from a picture because the color may be off but it does not look like mine, its seems kind of grainy but that may be the picture. Remember the coticule will differ depending on where its quarried and sometimes within the same quarry can differ and also I don't think there is any real definition of what a coticule is other than its general makeup. Some can be quite a bit lower or higher in grit size than others. You just have to use it and see what kind of result you get as compared to a known reference like the Norton8K or say a Japanese 12K or maybe a barbers finishing hone.

Typical Belgian coticule stones are bonded to slate for strength as it supports the soft coticule. The slate will not sharpen steel as it's basically just mud that's somewhat harder. Use the yellow side.