Another Coticule Thread...

[Barbash]

I picked up my first Coticule(first sharpening stone altogether) and I know I have read that you need to do something with the edges, but I can't find that information any more. Is it that I just need to round the edges? And if so do I just need to take a sander to the edge or is something else needed?
Also, I have two razors now that shave, but are not as sharp as they should be(some pulling and doesn't give me a really close shave anymore). Do I need to use the Unicut Method or can I just do some laps on the Coticule?

Thanks.

 

[richmondesi]

I picked up my first Coticule(first sharpening stone altogether) and I know I have read that you need to do something with the edges, but I can't find that information any more. Is it that I just need to round the edges? And if so do I just need to take a sander to the edge or is something else needed?
Also, I have two razors now that shave, but are not as sharp as they should be(some pulling and doesn't give me a really close shave anymore). Do I need to use the Unicut Method or can I just do some laps on the Coticule?

Thanks.

You can chamfer the edges. Essentially you just want to make sure that it's not going to cause any issues with your X stroke. For touchups, you can just use the coticule with water (assuming you know how it was honed originally - no tape or with tape and if so how many layers)

There's a really good coticule resource linked in my sig

 

[Barbash]

How would I go about Chamfering the edges? Just with a sander?

Thanks again for the help.

 

[shavewithbigelow]

Just chamfer the edge with some good quality wet/dry sandpaper. I usually find 220 grit good, but 320 or 400 would work too. Just gently "break" the edges so they are not sharp. Don't use a sander because a coticule is fairly soft and you could easily grind away too much.

 

[jkh]

How would I go about Chamfering the edges? Just with a sander?

Thanks again for the help.

I'm not sure what you mean by sander, but using a power sander would be WAY overkill.

Whatever you are using to lap the stone with can also be used to chamfer the edges.

 

[Barbash]

Thanks for the additional information everyone. I should have put down sandpaper instead of sander.
The Sandpaper worked great and now I am ready to touch up the razor after hearing back from the vendor who originally honed it that he didn't use tape on the spine.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Good luck. You're gonna love it. I actually regret that it took me so long to pick up a coti. I only used it for about a month before I mostly stopped restoring razors, but it's probably my favorite all around stone, just because it does EVERYTHING so damned well.

 

[Ru4scuba?]

Barbash,

Strongly considering a coti for my first hone....post your Newb's Review of it or something similar after you have a couple of attempts under your belt!

 

[azmark]

Good luck. You're gonna love it. I actually regret that it took me so long to pick up a coti. I only used it for about a month before I mostly stopped restoring razors, but it's probably my favorite all around stone, just because it does EVERYTHING so damned well.

It handled a wedge. Took a loooooong time to get it right

 

[RayG]

Also, I have two razors now that shave, but are not as sharp as they should be(some pulling and doesn't give me a really close shave anymore). Do I need to use the Unicut Method or can I just do some laps on the Coticule?

The chamfering question has been answered. As for the razors, it depends on how dull they are. You can try a few laps with water, then strop and shave. If it is duller, then I would start with a slurry for x number of strokes, then dilute the slurry with a couple of drops of water every ten laps or so.

 

[Barbash]

The chamfering question has been answered. As for the razors, it depends on how dull they are. You can try a few laps with water, then strop and shave. If it is duller, then I would start with a slurry for x number of strokes, then dilute the slurry with a couple of drops of water every ten laps or so.

I have been traveling so I haven't had a chance to touch up my razor.

Saying that it still shaves, but not nearly as well as it did when I first got it. I am sure some of that is due to learning how to strop, I took a few nicks out of my strop.

Thanks for the info Ray and I will give it a try with just the water this evening and then go to the strop and see how that works.

 

[professorchaos]

Whatever you are using to lap the stone with can also be used to chamfer the edges.

That is how I do it, whenever that is. I am not entirely sold on it being an absolute necessity.