It's hard to get HHT edges of the coti, but that doesn't mean nothing. Try shaving with it and you'll see. I had the same problem and I bought a Naniwa 12000 to use after the coti, had great results with HHT but figured out I prefer the non-aggressive edges that my coticule provides.
My first stone - Coticule
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I have to disagree, a good hht is totally possible off a coticule.
I personally never get good hht straight from the stone...
But after Good stropping i get excellent results and as anyone who has shaved with one of my edges will attest they are smooth and sharp...
Hht off the stone is not all important... The finished edge on your face is....
But after Good stropping i get excellent results and as anyone who has shaved with one of my edges will attest they are smooth and sharp...
Hht off the stone is not all important... The finished edge on your face is....
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- #25
I honed another practice razor on coti and still didn't get HHT after the stone. This time i didn't strop it to see what happents. I just did something like 15 or 20 laps on 1u diamond paddle strop and 7 laps on crox. After that i got a HHT 4. Does this count like a coticule edge or at least a semi-coti edge ? 
Another thing: after getting the blade sharper with pasted strop, can i go back on coticule with plain whater to smooth things out? I will experience this tomorrow but i am curious if anyone had tried this already.
Another thing: after getting the blade sharper with pasted strop, can i go back on coticule with plain whater to smooth things out? I will experience this tomorrow but i am curious if anyone had tried this already.
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i can honestly say i'm lucky enough to get even a 4 of my la vainette and after stropping an absalute 4 plus on baby fine blonde hair . i just rest the weight of hair along the edge and the falls in two. I realy have never had a magical shave from any thing hht 3 and below.. 3 plus gives exceptable shave for me but premier shave comes fromthose 4's and above of the coticule...I can get 4 plus with paste but the shaves are never as forgiving as coticule nor as nice on my skin... I have a very thick stubble so i need that little extra . Its all down to getting an edge that suits you and your face .
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- #27
They are frustrating little buggers and i have still do have my fair share of that... i wished i had the same success and other coticules...i tryed these newer la grise , 3 of them i have to admit i gave up. its acatuly been to the usa for a memeber to try i don't think he had much look...Its now going to alex in scotland , i'm hoping he gets somthing out of the la grise .. i'm sure they work but when i have a coticule that works every time it makes me lazy with the frustrating ones.. you stick with it the one you have looks like my kind of stone. i've been doing dilucot wit pure circles up and down the hone working the whole edge . 20 down and 20 up circles that is untill you get to thin slurry then work it out there for a good thew sets . the swith to x strokes and hone and dilute untill you are down to no slurry and just water .. give the razor a good stropping on linen and leather and check hht. circles may work better for you, go anti clock wise coming towards you and clock wise going away from you. use a little pressure with circles just nice small circles untill you reach the end of the stone flip and come back... see how that goes
I am still fairly new to coticules, but achieving good shaving edges. For me besides the dilutions the pressure used is important. With each dilution I go from medium pressure to very light. My finishing strokes on just water are very light pressure for the last 20-30 strokes.
i find it possible to get a HHT4 if using unicot but never dilicot its only been the last couple of days since i got my vintage stone that im getting a HHT from a dilicot jut my technique i guess.
my vintage stone is finer than the la vienette and on slurry it seems soapy and not gritty sound weird but its true.
practice unicot first its much easier to get a better edge.
you will learn the stone and what its capable of and what it likes but it will take patience and practice you will be rewarded when you master your particular coti.
my vintage stone is finer than the la vienette and on slurry it seems soapy and not gritty sound weird but its true.
practice unicot first its much easier to get a better edge.
you will learn the stone and what its capable of and what it likes but it will take patience and practice you will be rewarded when you master your particular coti.
I am running into a similar situation, Gary. I have a newer La Grise, and cannot seem to get a good edge off of it consistently. I studied your videos front to back & copied them, but still the Grise is a tough stone to master I've found!! Now granted I am still learning the Dilucot, but perhaps I'd have an easier time on a different stone??
stick to the same hone changing willl alter your routine if the stone is not very similar IMHO
try unicot until you master that and then go for dilicot
try unicot until you master that and then go for dilicot
i'll be onest with you i tryed every damm trick in the book with mine ... I managed a weak hht . they seem so dammed slow i even started thinking with water its not doing any thing./ To soft a stone to what i'm use to. If i was you i would try and get a nice pl;ae yellow more traditioonal coticule one thats a little harder and quiker with slurry. I have used belgium blues that were easier..The la grise is not for me ,If your newby its going to be a tough stone...The three i used were all the same .the one pictured is the kind of surface you want...Contact maurice ask him for a lapatite blance there fast and fast on water.. or a nice la drassante there easier stones . or if you can grab a nice vintage of amemeber who is selling one. I just spotted a nice vintage belgium coticule on ebay it similar to one picture on here..$99 or make an offer its not a big one more like barber hone size..looks similar to la vainette
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The only la grise I like have a blue tint and are from the harder side of the layer.but i really would rather not have any of them given a choice of another stone like a La Petite Blanche or La Veinette or one of the many vintage coticules around.
Yeah, I hear ya. I will likely keep the Grise just to have, but my bouts seem to be much faster/easier to hone with. I still want to master my Grise though, so I will keep trying. I've been talking to Raithskar actually & he has a vintage coti that I may end up grabbing from him!
I think maybe I'll ultimately have an easier time with a different stone...OP- you did lap it, right?
And I agree on the BBW side. When I use my combo bout the BBW is where I do the bulk of the work once the bevel is set. The coti side is for about 50 finishing strokes, the rest of the dilution/slurry fun happens on the blue side.
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