Dulicot Success!

[Joe Edson]

Well, some of you may have been following my unicot thread, but after giving that a go I switched to trying the dulicot method. After messing around with my razor the other day I got a DFS, but it still wasn't as sharp as I'm used to.

Tonight I took that same razor back to the coti where I started with a very thin slurry (I just rubbed my slurry stone back and forth on the coti only once). I proceeded with the dulicot method from there diluting over ten times.

I then went to straight water and did a TON of laps, not sure the count just kept going. I used the TPT test this time to test the sharpness and noticed a very big difference.

Just got done shaving with it and got a BBS shave almost everywhere (except the usual problem areas, but that is pretty typical). I could tell a huge difference in the level of sharpness and even got a few weepers on my ATG pass (pretty typical for me from an Ambrose edge). The razor still wasn't as sharp as one Ambrose can put on, but I'm very excited about my progress. I can happily shave with this edge, though I do wish it were a little sharper so I may spend some more time tomorrow on the coti with water, though maybe I've reached the sharpness limit with a coti (doubtful but possible I guess).

Thanks for everyones help on the board. This place is truly awesome!

 

[azmark]

 

[Joe Edson]

thanks Mark!

I'm really loving the feedback the coti gives. I have another vintage one that I've yet to use, but I think I want to master this one before trying the other so that I can truly know the differences between them.

Now, before the night completely gets away from me I need to work on polishing that blade from your tutorial...

 

[SliceOfLife]

Congratulations. Feels good, man.

 

[Muscles]

Congrats, sounds like it won't be too long before you master this one and move to the next coti, and the next, and the......

 

[Joe Edson]

Congratulations. Feels good, man.

Thanks man. It definitely is a great feeling.

 

[Joe Edson]

Congrats, sounds like it won't be too long before you master this one and move to the next coti, and the next, and the......

Tell me about it. I'm constantly on the lookout for natural hones, but coti's to me are the most beautiful. I'm sure I will end up with plenty if this is like any of my other ADs...

 

[huracan]

That's hypnotic LOL


Congratulations Harvitz, it is a nice feeling right! One step in Bart's dilucot that most overlook and seems to help is that after you finish the dilution steps, go ahead and splash the coti (maybe 3/4 of it; don't rinse the blade) and do another 15 very light halfstrokes on each side, then rinse everything well (blade and coti) and do another set of 15 light halfstrokes on each side again.

Rinse everything once more and then finish with normal strokes on water.

 

[natchez]

You must be very excited. I was the first time got a coticule to actually do my bidding. Actually, it was more like me doing the stone's bidding

Keep it up.

 

[Joe Edson]

Well, yesterday I honed up my second razor, a Johan Engstrom 5/8. I actually had to set the bevel on the coti (not recommended, took me 1-1.5 hours to set). However, after going through the progressions I test shaved with it last night.

Either the steel is that much better than the little Geneva I used for my first try, or I was slightly better in my honing. Whatever the case, the Engstrom ended up super sharp. I actually got quite a few weepers on my ATG pass and a BBS shave everywhere.

The razor actually was a little too sharp for my liking. What is the best way to tame this down? CrOX or CeOx? I'm looking at ordering some of these powders to coat an old vintage strop I have.

 

[huracan]

Well, yesterday I honed up my second razor, a Johan Engstrom 5/8. I actually had to set the bevel on the coti (not recommended, took me 1-1.5 hours to set). However, after going through the progressions I test shaved with it last night.

Either the steel is that much better than the little Geneva I used for my first try, or I was slightly better in my honing. Whatever the case, the Engstrom ended up super sharp. I actually got quite a few weepers on my ATG pass and a BBS shave everywhere.

The razor actually was a little too sharp for my liking. What is the best way to tame this down? CrOX or CeOx? I'm looking at ordering some of these powders to coat an old vintage strop I have.

The pastes are just going to make things sharper. Try just stropping more, maybe 50 laps on leather, only before the next shave.

 

[ouch]

If there is any one thing I've learned about putting a sharp edge on anything, it's this:

Getting a great result is easy. Duplicating those results is the hard part.

 

[Bart]

Well, yesterday I honed up my second razor, a Johan Engstrom 5/8. I actually had to set the bevel on the coti (not recommended, took me 1-1.5 hours to set).

Unless you were reestablishing a proper bevel on an old abused razor that hadn't been used for many years, that 90 minutes is not normal. I know there are speed differences between Coticules, but to straighten out a slightly convexed bevel on the razor that has been maintained on a pasted strop, you should not spend more time than 15 minutes.
On the rare occasions, I am not done after 15 minutes on slurry (I sharpen a lot of razors with an unknown history), I jump down to a DMT 600. But most times it takes only a few minutes to perfect a bevel on a slurried Coticule. It is important to realize, however, that the completed bevel coming off a Coticule feels and behaves quite differently than a good bevel off a 1K synthetic. The Coticule bevel has no jaggedness, no microscopic sawtooth pattern to lend it a feel of sharpness. For that reason, it will present "duller" readings on TNT, TPT and arm hair tests.

What is the best way to tame this down?

A good prolonged stropping session on a good linen. (I'm no proponent of the seatbelt stuff). And next the same on clean leather.

I believe you did very well.

Kind regards,
Bart.

 

[Joe Edson]

Thanks Bart! I believe it took me so long as: a) I'm not terribly fast at honing, but am getting the hang of it and b) I'm not sure that razor had ever been honed before! There was absolutely no hone ware on the spine to speak of till I was done.

I didn't really progress through the dulicot method till it pass the shaving arm hair test, so that may have been it as well. Also getting a better hand of the TPT so that may help.

Regardless, I have a DMT 600/1200 on route and am going to set bevels on that from now on before jumping on the coti. Absolutely love the fact though that this stone can take me all the way from bevel to finisher.

 

[johnmrson]

Excellent. Well done. I've got a coti in the post so I'm going to go through the whole learning how to use it process in the very near future and reading stories like yours gives me hope.

 

[Joe Edson]

Excellent. Well done. I've got a coti in the post so I'm going to go through the whole learning how to use it process in the very near future and reading stories like yours gives me hope.

I was initially hesitant about starting on a natural stone, but the coti's are just to beautiful for me to resist. Start by reading through coticule.be and you will find everything you need. I followed Bart's video on there and the key for me is to make sure to start with a heavy slurry and very slowly dilute it (drop of water from the fingertip at a time). I'm sure you will have success!

 

[natchez]

Excellent. Well done. I've got a coti in the post so I'm going to go through the whole learning how to use it process in the very near future and reading stories like yours gives me hope.

Coticules are easy to love, but can be hard to master. Iwas lucky with my first and I hope you are, too!

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

If there is any one thing I've learned about putting a sharp edge on anything, it's this:

Getting a great result is easy. Duplicating those results is the hard part.

The worst and most discouraging (and also truthful) post in the history of B&B.

 

[Seveneighth]

The worst and most discouraging (and also truthful) post in the history of B&B.

Or the most encouraging ... If you are successful

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Or the most encouraging ... If you are successful

Well, there is that...