Damaged Coticule?

[Gott543]

I was touching up a razor today, and I noticed what appears to be a 3" crack in the surface of my stone. I'd have photographed it, but it's really hard to see with water on it, and impossible to see dry. It's imperceptible while honing, or by running a finger across the stone. I'm curious what the cause could be since I haven't dropped or abused the stone. I'm also wondering if there's some sort of fix. I'll also add that the stone is a year old, purchased from a reputable vendor.


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[kcb5150]

It's probably not something to worry about

 

[JimmyHAD]

If you cannot feel the crack through the edge of the razor while honing it is not an issue. I assume it is a glued coticule ? Just as long as the glue holds all in place it should be okay. IMHO.

 

[Gott543]

If you cannot feel the crack through the edge of the razor while honing it is not an issue. I assume it is a glued coticule ? Just as long as the glue holds all in place it should be okay. IMHO.

I'm not sure. Are the new ones glued?


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[kelbro]

Could it be a manganese vein that you might not have noticed before? Did you recently lap the stone?

 

[JimmyHAD]

I'm not sure. Are the new ones glued?
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They are ether 'natural' in which case the yellow coticule was harvested (mined) attached to a vein of Belgian blue stone, or if it was mined in a vein that was not near enough to the blue, it is then glued to blue, if it is an old one, or slate if it is current. If it is glued you should be able to see a seam between the two colors, and the two stones will be uniform all the way around where they are joined. Naturals tend to be asymmetrical where they are naturally bonded together. Here is a glued coticule ;

and a natural ;

You can see that the natural is wavy where the two types of rock formed naturally over who knows how long.

 

[Gott543]

Could it be a manganese vein that you might not have noticed before? Did you recently lap the stone?

I did actually.


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[Gott543]

They are ether 'natural' in which case the yellow coticule was harvested (mined) attached to a vein of Belgian blue stone, or if it was mined in a vein that was not near enough to the blue, it is then glued to blue, if it is an old one, or slate if it is current. If it is glued you should be able to see a seam between the two colors, and the two stones will be uniform all the way around where they are joined. Naturals tend to be asymmetrical where they are naturally bonded together. Here is a glued coticule ;
View attachment 764938
and a natural ;
View attachment 764939
You can see that the natural is wavy where the two types of rock formed naturally over who knows how long.

It's glued for sure. Thanks for the info. I hope it holds


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[SliceOfLife]

Coticule are a brittle and fragile Stone, and prone to cracks. They also have Manganese lines, which are black and appear to be cracks. What you describe could be either. But coticule function perfectly even with cracks so long as the surface is smooth and the crack is jointed tightly. I've had stones that were split clean in half that when seated together and sanded smoothly left an edge that under a thousand times plus magnification showed no signs of damage. Still for the sake of resale it may be reasonable to return a Coticule which arrived seriously cracked. But at your point of ownership and with what you described, I would say just ignore it.

 

[Gott543]

Coticule are a brittle and fragile Stone, and prone to cracks. They also have Manganese lines, which are black and appear to be cracks. What you describe could be either. But coticule function perfectly even with cracks so long as the surface is smooth and the crack is jointed tightly. I've had stones that were split clean in half that when seated together and sanded smoothly left an edge that under a thousand times plus magnification showed no signs of damage. Still for the sake of resale it may be reasonable to return a Coticule which arrived seriously cracked. But at your point of ownership and with what you described, I would say just ignore it.

I guess that's what I'll do then. Just hope it doesn't break.


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[Jarrod]

If u can move a razor across the suspect zone in any two opposing directions and feel a difference from one direction to the other, you should seal that thing with the glue and re-lap it.

 

[Gott543]

If u can move a razor across the suspect zone in any two opposing directions and feel a difference from one direction to the other, you should seal that thing with the glue and re-lap it.

I can't feel it at all in either direction, it doesn't affect the razors edge. With that being said which glue should I use? I'll have to glue it wet, it's the only time I can see the "crack"


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[Jarrod]

As thin a cyanoacrylate as u can find, sorry I don't know the retail name of who's best there, but u want to fill up all the void. There's no harm pouring over the zone and then re-lapping, if nothing's filled up it'll just be easily lapped away.

If u can only see wet and you can't see or feel when dry, are you certain there's really a fissure there? Maybe deposits are simply unearthing their appearance through normal use and wearing down the honing plane?

 

[Gott543]

As thin a cyanoacrylate as u can find, sorry I don't know the retail name of who's best there, but u want to fill up all the void. There's no harm pouring over the zone and then re-lapping, if nothing's filled up it'll just be easily lapped away.

If u can only see wet and you can't see or feel when dry, are you certain there's really a fissure there? Maybe deposits are simply unearthing their appearance through normal use and wearing down the honing plane?

No I'm not sure at all, to be completely honest. Mind you, I'm new to honing, and it's my first coticule. My only concern was that I would ruin my hone through my own ignorance. I don't really want to have to start over, since I'm finally getting edges I'm happy with lol


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[JimmyHAD]

I can't feel it at all in either direction, it doesn't affect the razors edge. With that being said which glue should I use? I'll have to glue it wet, it's the only time I can see the "crack"
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I have a La Veinette coticule, a glued 8x2. It was sold by the vendor (mine of origin) as a 'kosher' and cost a lot. I got it shortly after they first came on the scene selling coticules, probably in '07 or '08. I wasn't crazy about it but I think that was more my lack of skill, then the quality of the stone. Never noticed a crack.
Because I got tired of trying to get good edges with it I put it in the closet for some years. In 2010 I traded it to a guy and sent it to him. He pretty quickly informed me that there were three cracks spaced out a couple of inches going across the 2" width of the hone.
So he sent it back and I checked it out. Couldn't see the cracks when it was dry, only when wet. To make a long story short, my skill level had improved to the point where when I began using the hone again I found it to be slow, but an excellent finisher for a coticule. Never feel the cracks under the razors edge, and the cracks have remained stable all of these years.
I'd leave well enough alone if I were you. Forget the cracks are there and just use the thing. If they get worse take steps to try and correct the situation. IMHO.

 

[Gott543]

I have a La Veinette coticule, a glued 8x2. It was sold by the vendor (mine of origin) as a 'kosher' and cost a lot. I got it shortly after they first came on the scene selling coticules, probably in '07 or '08. I wasn't crazy about it but I think that was more my lack of skill, then the quality of the stone. Never noticed a crack.
Because I got tired of trying to get good edges with it I put it in the closet for some years. In 2010 I traded it to a guy and sent it to him. He pretty quickly informed me that there were three cracks spaced out a couple of inches going across the 2" width of the hone.
So he sent it back and I checked it out. Couldn't see the cracks when it was dry, only when wet. To make a long story short, my skill level had improved to the point where when I began using the hone again I found it to be slow, but an excellent finisher for a coticule. Never feel the cracks under the razors edge, and the cracks have remained stable all of these years.
I'd leave well enough alone if I were you. Forget the cracks are there and just use the thing. If they get worse take steps to try and correct the situation. IMHO.

Thanks for your help. I'll leave well enough alone, no sense making things hard to fix a non issue


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[Gott543]

I used the hone again tonite, and this is what I saw

And it shows in the end.

So I guess it's glue it, lap it, and hope for the best


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[David]

I think you'll be fine. If you're going to glue it I'd mark it with a pencil while its wet and let it dry thoroughly, then drip come super thin CA over it. I use bob smiths CA, but anything would work as long as its really thin.