Coticule love... show off your rock

[Shaun asleep]

I mean, throwing it in a tupperware of vinegar should deal with anything alive I would think... and would what, bleach the wood at worst?

Wouldn't I need to get the stone out for that?
I'd rather leave it in the base to make sure I don't damage it. There appears to be only the tiniest amount on backing stone underneath it or possibly none at all (might just as well be filth ), I'd hate to break it.

I just read that putting it in an oven at 50 °c would also kill any woodworms...but again I'm not sure if the stone would be able to take that sort of heat?

Microwave - or same issue?

 

[Eshebert]

@Shaun asleep. I can’t tell you how long I had that Coti on my watch list and let it ride. You’ve made me regret it now that you have cleaned it up. It was a solid buy at that price. Congrats man.

 

[SliceOfLife]

I wouldn't think vinegar would damage a natural stone. If it were a synth, maybe different story.

Oven usually safe, but rapid heat cycles could maybe cause a problem... so there is potential for damage... mainly if the oven is faulty.

Microwave; I would avoid just because of ignorance on my part to if it would be safe... and potential for hidden nails in the wood/etc.

 

[H Brad Boonshaft]

I have a rust stained probably Lilly White Ark soaking in vinegar right now, been a week or so. Was fine yesterday, is getting whiter.

If your soaking the stone, in anything without oxygen any worms or bugs would die.

 

[Shaun asleep]

I can’t tell you how long I had that Coti on my watch list and let it ride. You’ve made me regret it now that you have cleaned it up. It was a solid buy at that price. Congrats man.

I think I let the clock ran out the first time as well. Think there were only 2 followers after that, so the other one must have been you. I was as surprised as the seller must have been that I got it for that price.

If your soaking the stone, in anything without oxygen any worms or bugs would die.

I have had it in water for 45 minutes, insane how much filth came off...there were alot of weird black small specks. Maybe sign of active worms? It's drying now. But sounds like vinegar wouldn't harm it... Might give that a shot. Thanks guys!

 

[Legion]

Soaking the wooden base as we speak. There's lots of woodworm holes in the base, should I be worried about these beasts still being active and possibly contaminate my cupboard and floors?

Anyone able to identify the vein/layer?

View attachment 1818551

View attachment 1818549

Put it in your freezer for a day or two. That will kill all bugs. It’s what museums do. Won’t damage anything.

 

[musicman980]

I've put a coticule in the oven at mid 200s F to melt old hide glue and my stone was fine, but personally I think putting yours in the freezer sounds better.

 

[Shaun asleep]

I had it soak in vinegar for 2 hours, let it dry out a bit and then had it spend the night in the fridge. I also sanded the wood yesterday, but after the soak so probably not the best time. It looked pretty good, until I applied some transparant varnish. Turned parts of the wood white/greyish. Perhaps there was still moisture inside?
Anyhow, I'll have it try out for a couple of days and try it over again. 🫣

The varnish should be perfectly fine, I have used it before on proper, freshly cut wood and the result was perfect.

 

[David]

I would have to take the stone out to see what the bottom looks like.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Strip the varnish, flush the wood in water a couple times, let it dry a few days before revarnishing.

Rule out PH and moisture in wood both.

But as David suggested... I'd probably remove the stone.

Not keen to varnish a base with the stone in it, personally.

 

[Empire straights]

Soaking the wooden base as we speak. There's lots of woodworm holes in the base, should I be worried about these beasts still being active and possibly contaminate my cupboard and floors?

Anyone able to identify the vein/layer?

View attachment 1818551

View attachment 1818549

Tea tree oil should run off any critters.

 

[Matt O]

These produced about the nicest shaving edge that I can recall using!

Nitro and glycerin!

 

[cotedupy]

I wouldn't think vinegar would damage a natural stone. If it were a synth, maybe different story.

Oven usually safe, but rapid heat cycles could maybe cause a problem... so there is potential for damage... mainly if the oven is faulty.

Microwave; I would avoid just because of ignorance on my part to if it would be safe... and potential for hidden nails in the wood/etc.

I have a rust stained probably Lilly White Ark soaking in vinegar right now, been a week or so. Was fine yesterday, is getting whiter.

If your soaking the stone, in anything without oxygen any worms or bugs would die.

I may be stating the blindingly obvious here (and you may have been only referring to certain stones Ian) but vinegar certainly could damage a natural stone. It'll basically depend on whether it has any carbonates in it.

Both Cotis and Washies should be fine. But then again - rocks are rocks, and you never know exactly what impurities they might have in them. I certainly know some types of old European whetstone that do acid test in vinegar, and I'd be extremely wary of putting vinegar near a jnat.

---

So if anyone's wanting to use vinegar to clean up a stone - I'd strongly advise trying a drop on one of the sides or bottom first, leave it for five mins and see if you get any bubbles or discolouration. If you do - the stone is dissolving. Don't use vinegar to clean it!

Here's an example I've done just done with regular cooking vinegar (on the bottom of an exceptionally good razor finisher), to show what to look for. After just a couple of mins in this case; you can see the bubbles forming already, and when dried off how it's discoloured the stone.

 

[Matt O]

Seller is very very confident that this
9 5/8" x 1 3/4 beauty is a coticule. It is firmly in the mahogany base.

Whatever it is, it looks pretty pure and they just don’t make/dig em like this anymore!

Will post more after it arrives next week.

 

[rideon66]

Felt like page 666 deserved a post

 

[H Brad Boonshaft]

I have not had an issue with vinegar on Arks to remove rust stains, but have melted a synthetic Coticule soaking in Simple Green. Ate it up overnight, fortunately was a small one.

 

[Legion]

I have not had an issue with vinegar on Arks to remove rust stains, but have melted a synthetic Coticule soaking in Simple Green. Ate it up overnight, fortunately was a small one.

I did that once too. Didn't know the stone was synth, and the binder got munched up.

 

[Legion]

A new (to me) vintage natural combo, of unknown vein. Had a big ol’ inclusion in the middle I had to lap past, which was annoying, but I got there.

 

[Wid]

Got these two oldies in today. Beautiful old gals

 

[David]

Very nice, Rick.