Agree!! I recommend adding some diversity into your Coticule gene pool, too many breeders specialize and end up developing the dreaded vein addiction disease.
David your recommendation on the red tinted LD was spot on BTW.
Coticule supplier?
- Thread starter Greg24
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Agree!! I recommend adding some diversity into your Coticule gene pool, too many breeders specialize and end up developing the dreaded vein addiction disease.
David your recommendation on the red tinted LD was spot on BTW.
Thanks. I'm not one to kill an edge, so I can appreciate what you are saying with regard to the coticule doing the work. I have an old coticule in a paddle that chows through steel so fast it's almost frightening.
Very funny!
If Jonathan Coe is still cutting rocks, his Arkansas Grey and Dota Creek stones are worth a look.
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Haha, nice Gold Dollar 1996! I have two, one dedicated to a coticule, one to a bbw. I use them to study both stones. When i'm satisfied, I will finish them on an ark and see what the difference is
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Great post!
In addition the shape of the garnets has a greater polishing and smoothing effect than synthetic particles or diamonds. Even if the micron size is greater the polishing effect is also greater. But there are two factors in this according to "Grinding and Honing":
1. Slurry actually works as a lapping effect on the blade - the garnets are suspended in the slurry. Real grinding only takes place as you say when the garnets are acting on the blade from the surface, which is why it is so important to finish underwater.
2. Depending on how you lap your coticule, you can end up distorting the garnet shape. I know others dispute this, but using diamond on a coticule does seem to have a negative effect on its finishing ability.
Yes great post about the coticule!
This has not been my experience. I had a hard LPB a couple of years ago that improved as a finisher after I lapped it on a #1200 Atoma. Also, after the first time you slurry the stone aren't you going to expose 100% fresh garnets?
That seems reasonable to me .slurrying it is like refreshing the surface I would say. I also think lapping a coticule is a good idea even though it is disputed.
There was one guy in particular on ye olde Coticule forum who espoused the idea that his best edges came if he did a normal dilution up to a finished edge, and then did a full stone surfacing and re-finished under running water.
He said he would slurry and dilute to pure water and then running water light x-strokes yadda yadda... then he would stop and thoroughly rinse/wipe off the blade. Then he would take his slurry stone that was as hard as or harder than his base Coticule, and work up a slurry only rubbing with light pressure in the honing direction making sure to cover the entire stone surface. Then he’d thoroughly rinse off the Coticule surface, pick up the blade, and do his very final finishing strokes on the fresh surface under running water.
As I recall the community was divided on whether or not they saw improved results, so it may be another classic case of every Coticule having a unique personality. The guy who proposed it had used a couple of different stones and blades to develop his technique I think.
He said he would slurry and dilute to pure water and then running water light x-strokes yadda yadda... then he would stop and thoroughly rinse/wipe off the blade. Then he would take his slurry stone that was as hard as or harder than his base Coticule, and work up a slurry only rubbing with light pressure in the honing direction making sure to cover the entire stone surface. Then he’d thoroughly rinse off the Coticule surface, pick up the blade, and do his very final finishing strokes on the fresh surface under running water.
As I recall the community was divided on whether or not they saw improved results, so it may be another classic case of every Coticule having a unique personality. The guy who proposed it had used a couple of different stones and blades to develop his technique I think.
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
Well like I said... I don't think anyone agrees with me.
Regarding the slurry - I believe the relative hardness of the stone to the slurry stone affects how the garnets lift.
Has anyone had success contacting Ardennes Coticule directly recently? If so, what was their response time to emails?
pretty fast. They reply within 24-48hs
Like a normal company I would say. They would seem a pretty logical choice as coticule supplier I think
. Does anyone have several cotis and also a new one? If so how do they compare?- Thread starter
- #55
So I ended up buying a little yellow coticule from the superior shave. I have little to compare it to, however I believe it is fairly hard (very little auto slurry) and medium cutting. I have been able to get a very smooth, and decently keen edge with it. It’s new stock and is very thick.
over all it’s exactly what I was looking for. Over time I’ll probably be able to get a sharper edge but even now with limited experience I am getting much more comfortable shaves then I was with pastes, synthetics, and my other Chinese natural.
over all it’s exactly what I was looking for. Over time I’ll probably be able to get a sharper edge but even now with limited experience I am getting much more comfortable shaves then I was with pastes, synthetics, and my other Chinese natural.
I’ve got a decent size pool of vintage and mystery ebay Coticules, and my only slate backed modern stamped and labeled Ardennes stonecompares very well. I’d say it’s THE standout for speed, and under running water with the right pressure it makes a mirror bevel to the naked eye and a very comfortable shave. The only yellow Coticule I have that can produce a better edge is very slow and tragically only a square-ish #4 bout, so not convenient at all to use. If I were forced to sell off my whole collection the modern slate backed “selected” stone and one of the Les Lat hybrids would be the last to go.
Modern “selected” La Dresante:
Tragically small favorite edge making stone (probably modern la grise, VERY hard):
Partial family shot of the stones that stand out for one reason or another. The big near-rectangle is king Les Lat hybrid, and the narrow clean rectangle is the first I ever bought definitely was once a stamped razor hone:
Modern “selected” La Dresante:
Tragically small favorite edge making stone (probably modern la grise, VERY hard):
Partial family shot of the stones that stand out for one reason or another. The big near-rectangle is king Les Lat hybrid, and the narrow clean rectangle is the first I ever bought definitely was once a stamped razor hone:
I have a bunch of vintage and new. They all hone beautifully once I learnt the idiosynchronsies of each.Like a normal company I would say. They would seem a pretty logical choice as coticule supplier I think
My favourites are stones bought from different vendors but marked by Ardennes as extra special. N. B. These are not the LVs that everyone raves about - something different.
I have a Nouvelle veine that a vendor sold to me as a LPB which is a major pain to use but if you get right creates the softest edge you have ever used. Quite incredible.
I have an LPB that was sold to me as an LV which is so fast I have cut completely new bevels from scratch.
A lot of new stones recently seem to have been La Grise or La Grosse Jaune. The LGJs give that wonderful buttery edge but are quite slow and need a precise technique - much faster and easier with a unicot. The La Grise are very forgiving and easy.
I like my vintage stones. One came covered in oil. I cleaned it up and tried with water but didn't really like it. On a whim I tried it with oil and it is capable of creating a very fine edge. - very useful for refreshes or in an oil progression.
Hope that helps.
TSS is about the best place to buy. I hope he doesn't give with coticules completely.
Coticules just get better and better with use, as you improve your familiarity. It is always worth trying the unicot method when you are learning a new stone. It removes some of the variables in dilution.
TSS only sell boxes and Belgian blues at the moment. What's up?
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
Corona has made international shipping slow and spotty.
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