I've been looking at hones for a while now, and I think I'd like to start with a coticule. I like the idea of being able to take a razor from ebay dull to shave ready with one hone, and I'm willing to put in the work to get over the learning curve. I believe he laps and chamfers his hones, which is a big plus, since I don't really have the tools to do so myself. I've looked at Bart's site, and it appears all of the stones he has listed are spoken for, so I'm looking for a good place to get one. I found this one on ebay, and was wondering if it seems like a good choice. If not, where should I get one? Perhaps direct from Ardennes?
Coticule Questions
- Thread starter FiXXXer
- Start date
Straight Razor Designs and Vintage Blades both sell coticules. As you mentioned in your post you will also want to be able to lap and chamfer the hone. An 8" DMT coarse (D8C) plate will do the job.
My stone arrived from Ardennes today.
They had express shipped it.
I paid 15 Euro shipping. It had cost them 26 Euro to ship it. They also included a free Slurry stone (at least I don't REMEMBER the site saying my coti would include a slurry stone).
So in other words, they've got my recommendation.
Also it is chamfered.
They had express shipped it.
I paid 15 Euro shipping. It had cost them 26 Euro to ship it. They also included a free Slurry stone (at least I don't REMEMBER the site saying my coti would include a slurry stone).
So in other words, they've got my recommendation.
Also it is chamfered.
I should also note that I've pretty much stopped lapping all my naturals. Really the only stone I still lap is my 4k King Icebear as it has gets scratches due to my own ineptitude that stick around awhile if not lapped out. This Coti definitely didn't need lapped. It had a few machining marks (cutting saw) on the surface, but it got slurried before use so I figure, why waste stone when the act of using it is going to accomplish the same end naturally.
How did you determine that it didn't need to be lapped?
I rubbed the slurry on it and there were no gaps in contact.
Heck my yellow green escher actually has a minor dip in the center. Doesn't hurt anything. Every use it gets a little smaller. Soon it will be gone, and I'll have wasted no stone and likely wasted less time (on the few extra laps I have to do) than I would have spent lapping.
Heck my yellow green escher actually has a minor dip in the center. Doesn't hurt anything. Every use it gets a little smaller. Soon it will be gone, and I'll have wasted no stone and likely wasted less time (on the few extra laps I have to do) than I would have spent lapping.
I have a 8/3" Coticule for sale in great condition. I will sell it for $200.00 plus shipping costs. This is a great hone but I am just not using it an more, Email me if interested.
Chris
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Chris
[email protected]
- Thread starter
- #8
I appreciate the offer, but that's a bit out of my price range. I actually just placed an order for a 150mm x 40mm stone from Ardennes. It's actually an early Valentine's Day present from my fiancee. 
FIXXer, just be aware that a while a coti can indeed "ebay dull to shave ready with one hone", if you end up with an eBay blade has any kind of little nicks in its edge, you're going to need a stone that's much lower in grit -- something between 600 and 1k; otherwise, you'll be there for months trying to hone them out.
- Thread starter
- #10
I wasn't planning on honing out any chips just yet, but if I do, I'll probably pick up something like a 220/1k Norton.
Just bought and received a Coti from http://thesuperiorshave.com/.
Seems like decent prices (shipping is included in the quoted price). The one I got was pretty much as I expected. It was shipped very quickly and with a tracking number.
Honed a razor with it yesterday and it gave me a very nice shave, but I should add that I did finish up on a 12K Naniwa since I didn't see that nice mirror-like surface with just the Coti. Maybe I was not patient enough. I am just getting to the point where I can successfully hone a blade so my opinions may be a little less than definitive!
I also did not lap the Coti as it seemed to be dead flat, based on the same experience with the slurry stone mentioned by SliceOfLife.
I took the advice given by The Superior Shave and got a narrow (2") hone and this did seem to make the job feel more natural. I also have a preference for narrow strops.
Seems like decent prices (shipping is included in the quoted price). The one I got was pretty much as I expected. It was shipped very quickly and with a tracking number.
Honed a razor with it yesterday and it gave me a very nice shave, but I should add that I did finish up on a 12K Naniwa since I didn't see that nice mirror-like surface with just the Coti. Maybe I was not patient enough. I am just getting to the point where I can successfully hone a blade so my opinions may be a little less than definitive!
I also did not lap the Coti as it seemed to be dead flat, based on the same experience with the slurry stone mentioned by SliceOfLife.
I took the advice given by The Superior Shave and got a narrow (2") hone and this did seem to make the job feel more natural. I also have a preference for narrow strops.
Those are nice prices on the 50mm... I don't exactly understand charging more for 40mm than 50mm, but whatever.
Edit: ahah, just noticed 40mm ones are select grade. That explains it.
I'd buy the 175x40 and a slurry if I were shopping there. For price comparison, I believe I paid 83-86$ (somewhere thereish, shipped) for a 150x40 std and it came with a slurry. The only thing I notice that could make it std is a small blue vein at one end. It's a pretty stone. Nice wood grain look (surprising how much it looks like wood grain actually) and some salmon streaks.
http://www.personal.psu.edu/its5014/blogs/iansammons/cot1%20(2).JPG
http://www.personal.psu.edu/its5014/blogs/iansammons/PICT0044.JPG
Slurry stone on left. My vintage natural combo on right.
Edit: ahah, just noticed 40mm ones are select grade. That explains it.
I'd buy the 175x40 and a slurry if I were shopping there. For price comparison, I believe I paid 83-86$ (somewhere thereish, shipped) for a 150x40 std and it came with a slurry. The only thing I notice that could make it std is a small blue vein at one end. It's a pretty stone. Nice wood grain look (surprising how much it looks like wood grain actually) and some salmon streaks.
http://www.personal.psu.edu/its5014/blogs/iansammons/cot1%20(2).JPG
http://www.personal.psu.edu/its5014/blogs/iansammons/PICT0044.JPG
Slurry stone on left. My vintage natural combo on right.
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I've only had my coti for a couple of weeks, but so far I've found it does a great job and resetting a bevel and getting a razor shave ready from butterknifed. I still finish my blades on my chinese 12k after the coti though and see a big improvement in the level of sharpness.
Getting a shave ready edge off of a coticule is very doable, but it takes a while to learn how. I see no reason to "improve" mine with my Shaton 30k or CrOx. In fact, I feel they make for an inferior edge compared to my Coti. My face, my opinion, etc., etc.
I have definitely gotten to appreciate the posters who make claims about the Coticule cutting hairs better than your skin.
It FEELS stone cold dull when I'm shaving. Like I'd have to scythe with it to cut myself. But it shaves acceptably (though the first shave wasn't as good as my escher can produce). I've improved the edge a little more since my first shave off it and I'm hoping that this shave will close that gap.
It FEELS stone cold dull when I'm shaving. Like I'd have to scythe with it to cut myself. But it shaves acceptably (though the first shave wasn't as good as my escher can produce). I've improved the edge a little more since my first shave off it and I'm hoping that this shave will close that gap.
I made a similar post to coticule.de and Bart gave me some pointers, including the point that the Coti's edge may not look as polished as it does off of the Naniwa but should shave at least as well, given enough perserverence and experience. At my experience level I might still be getting some benefit from having the 12K in the mix. He suggested using it between the Coti-with-slurry and the Coti-with-water-only steps.
I still need to read through his Unicot and Dulicot writeups some more.
I really like the Coti because it is so darn hard and because it doesn't soak up water like the Naniwas. I also like the narrower width.
I still need to read through his Unicot and Dulicot writeups some more.
I really like the Coti because it is so darn hard and because it doesn't soak up water like the Naniwas. I also like the narrower width.
