Great website for Coticule knowledge

[richmondesi]

Hey guys, I'm sure many of you know Bart and are familiar with www.coticule.be. However I just wanted to recognize his site. It is really well done, and he even has a forum called The Cafeteria where you can talk to coticule users around the world.

Bart is a great guy, and he's been gracious and generous enough to allow B&B to use information and images that he's generated in order to improve the wiki and knowledge base here at B&B. If you're inclined to go to that site, you'll be in for a treat.

 

[chainfire]

Before I lucked into a cuticule on the bst I visited that site often looking at his stock for sale. Definitely a cool site.

 

[pedalpowersailing]

I have been a member from the start, used all sorts of stones, now i only use a coticule.

Unless a blade is well cut up ie big chips a coticule is what you need as a single do it all hone.

Barts site explains how to get the best out of a coticule.

He even tests and grades stones that can be bought from the mine. That way you know exactly how it will perform before you purchase

 

[danstar250]

The website is very informative. Thanks for posting!

 

[richmondesi]

The website is very informative. Thanks for posting!

Sure thing. I'm glad you found it useful

 

[Disburden]

Yeah, best site on the coticule. EVER.

 

[norman931]

Ah, gotta get me one of those. . .
Just to see how they compare to my Shaptons!

 

[richmondesi]

Ah, gotta get me one of those. . .
Just to see how they compare to my Shaptons!

There's something "romantic" to me about the idea of taking a single natural stone and being able to set a razors bevel and put the final edge on it without switching stones... That's really cool to me. FWIW, I like my Shaptons a lot, but even the 30K edge doesn't seem as smooth as my natural edges.

 

[Disburden]

Ah, gotta get me one of those. . .
Just to see how they compare to my Shaptons!

Both different, none better than the other though.
I love coticules for polishing my edges after I hone them on my Norton 4/8k and then my Naniwa 12K. It smooths the edge out enough to make an ATG pass less "Bitey".

 

[Ray-man]

Ah, gotta get me one of those. . .
Just to see how they compare to my Shaptons!

Norman,

I have honed over 100 razors with Naniwas, nearly that many with Shaptons and not quite that many with a Coticule. From my experience, I don't think you will notice any difference in the sharpness between any of them, they all perform as expected.

What I can tell you, however, is there is definately a noticible difference in the final finish. The problem I have seen with this though, is that some like different finishes than others.

An example of this is my own preference. If I include diamond spray, anywhere in the finishing process, the result is a shave that feels like I am using the edge of a saw blade. An edge finished off the Nani's or the Shaptons is smooth and comfortable to my face. But the edge finished with a Coticule.... well.... incredibly smooth and feels like I am moving my razor through soft butter.

I can't say this is what you might find, however, but if you would like to try it first before you considering getting one, let me know. I would be glad to introduce you to a different edge before you get something you don't like.

Ray

 

[richmondesi]

Norman,

I have honed over 100 razors with Naniwas, nearly that many with Shaptons and not quite that many with a Coticule. From my experience, I don't think you will notice any difference in the sharpness between any of them, they all perform as expected.

What I can tell you, however, is there is definately a noticible difference in the final finish. The problem I have seen with this though, is that some like different finishes than others.

An example of this is my own preference. If I include diamond spray, anywhere in the finishing process, the result is a shave that feels like I am using the edge of a saw blade. An edge finished off the Nani's or the Shaptons is smooth and comfortable to my face. But the edge finished with a Coticule.... well.... incredibly smooth and feels like I am moving my razor through soft butter.

I can't say this is what you might find, however, but if you would like to try it first before you considering getting one, let me know. I would be glad to introduce you to a different edge before you get something you don't like.

Ray

Excellent points. Also, Bart offers a free honing service on his site so that someone can be introduced to the edge off of a Coticule. Like Ray, I'm finding he edges off of natural stones to be superior to both synthetics and pastes in terms of smoothness and skin-friendliness.

 

[heirkb]

I'm wondering where Bart's standing stock of coticules is on that site. I couldn't find it but have heard people talk about it a few times now.
Back to the site for more searching

 

[richmondesi]

I'm wondering where Bart's standing stock of coticules is on that site. I couldn't find it but have heard people talk about it a few times now.
Back to the site for more searching

At the top, click on the "coticule vault". There, he has a picture and a write up about the characteristics of each. Then, go to "The Cafeteria" and click on the "hones and stones" forum. The thread titled, "prices of stones in the vault" on page 1 tells you what they cost and who has claimed them. Most of them have already sold, but he's got a new batch coming up very soon.

Hope this helps