Yep, excellent post, thanks!
Hone for beginner
- Thread starter motero57
- Start date
You make a very good point.
However, I would like to point out that the differences in your coticule and the newer ones that your comparing them too is more likely a due to the vein instead of yours being vintage versus newly mined.
Over the course of 480 million years*, do we really think that 100 years really makes much of a difference? I don't think the vintage versus new stuff means much.
*not to get into young earth old earth discussions...
For a low cost beginner hone, consider a two sided barber hone. Very versatile for the money. You, in fact, get two hones. One side designed for sharpening and one for finishing/polishing. Add some CrO on a balsa paddle and linen/leather strop and you can handle many honing tasks for very little money. You can even substitute the coarser side of the hone for a lower grit hone by doing a couple hundred careful passes. There are several such hones, Keen Kutter Kombination is one I have used and can recommend.
Yes, absolutely.
Welcome to B&B. This is a valuable contribution for your first post!
Thank-you very much.
Just to chime in on the pasted strop, or pastes in general option. I've been straight shaving for less than a year now, but when I first started I had a Filly strop and a 5/8 Dovo Special which seems to be a very common beginner setup. When I first started stropping, I wasn't so good at it! This of course led to frustration, and a duller edge, which led me to hit the chromox a little prematurely thus further weakening the edge. I luckily got better at stropping and prolonged the life of that edge, then went back on the pasted side for about 5 - 10 laps and it felt sharper. The problem was that while my stropping technique was certainly better, it still isn't nearly as good as my stropping technique now, and probably a fraction as good as it will be a year from now. Flash forward to just two or three months of repeating the cycle and my edge was dulled.
Pasted strops are a great thing, but when you're new stropping is already difficult to get right, and often overlooked so just imagine throwing abrasive pastes into the mix. I can't stress the importance of proper stropping technique enough, at least in my extremely limited experience. I really don't recommend a pasted strop until you are confident in your stropping abilities. Stropping cannot be overstated in it's importance for new straight razor users. One thing at a time- they don't say it has a steep learning curve for nothin'. I still have infinite room for improvement, experience, and growth. That's one thing I love about this hobby of ours.
Pasted strops are a great thing, but when you're new stropping is already difficult to get right, and often overlooked so just imagine throwing abrasive pastes into the mix. I can't stress the importance of proper stropping technique enough, at least in my extremely limited experience. I really don't recommend a pasted strop until you are confident in your stropping abilities. Stropping cannot be overstated in it's importance for new straight razor users. One thing at a time- they don't say it has a steep learning curve for nothin'. I still have infinite room for improvement, experience, and growth. That's one thing I love about this hobby of ours.
Makes perfect sense. I've been leaning toward the coticule through this whole discussion as many of you have made good arguments for its worth. Clarifications such as this make a coticule seem even more appealing.
First, let me also thank all of you who imparted knowledge in this thread. I too will be using a RupRazor Filly strop for awhile, but have been considering a coticule.
Technically you're right...perhaps in theory at the most basic level, i.e. touching up with water only and preventing a slurry from building. The biggest problem for a coticule newbie is consistently being able to achieve the same density of slurry, such that with the same number of strokes on the same razor, the end result is the same. It's not nearly as easy for a newbie picking up a stone of X grit.
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Essentially what I've been thinking all along.
- Thread starter
- #152
I have finally made my mind!
I will go for the Belgium Coticule. The reason is that all of you say that this hone is enough for all purposes. I have the following doubt:
I will probably purchase it in ardennes mine, in the email shop they have.
There are 2 types of coticules, Standards and selected.
I am planning on getting the 175mm*50mm. Price for the selectd is 125 . Price for the standard is 74 . What is the difference? Where to go?
For a beginner, and just for touh ups, i believe that with just water I can achieve a shave ready blade right?
Thanks again for support.
I will go for the Belgium Coticule. The reason is that all of you say that this hone is enough for all purposes. I have the following doubt:
I will probably purchase it in ardennes mine, in the email shop they have.
There are 2 types of coticules, Standards and selected.
I am planning on getting the 175mm*50mm. Price for the selectd is 125 . Price for the standard is 74 . What is the difference? Where to go?
For a beginner, and just for touh ups, i believe that with just water I can achieve a shave ready blade right?
Thanks again for support.
I think the difference between standard and select is cosmetic and doesn't affect the way it sharpens razors.
Indeed you are confused, if that's how you read it.
- Thread starter
- #156
Anyone could also confirm this?
Yes. Just like "Kosher" coticules aren't any "better" from a functional standpoint.
This has been a productive, informational thread thus far. So let's keep it on topic and civil gentlemen.
- Thread starter
- #160
Sorry
I tried to find "Kosher" in dictionary but did not get a proper translation. I am not a native english speaker. I do not fully understand your comment. Can you clarify?
Thanks again
