New Hone Day(and new razor)

[Namkcakram]

Coticules aren't so much under-rated as they are very variant, in my opinion. I've got a number that perform right up there with the best stone, but I've owned many that were very unimpressive. Rarely are they BAD, just not always great.

Arkansas were just criminally underrepresented with razors a few years ago. They aren't as easy to use as some stones, but they are excellent stones.

I've been surprised by the number of people disappointed in Thuri's recently. I still feel they're one of the best razor stones; though with certain razors, certainly, good coticules will have an advantage, and with sufficient skill, arks would pull ahead in my experience. I partly wonder if people are struggling with technique (during the shave) differences with Thuri's vs Coticules. Coticules you can wave around like a conductor's wand on your face while dancing the hulu drunk and be fine... Thuri's aren't in quite the same camp, they require more focus on proper stretching of skin and maintaining angle. Also, Coticule edges hold up better to very rough/aggressive stropping vs most other (including Thuri) edges.

Yeah I don’t know what to say except your Ark feelings match up with mine, but nothing else has been my experience so far. I really wanted to love it, but well over half of my Coticules can make a keener/smoother edge in less time so it’s just a pointless exercise for me. The shave can turn out great with proper stretching like you describe, but I generally wind up with some tugging and difficulty ATG in a few spots with the thuri edge. I thought I was doing something wrong, but the finished edge quality is very consistent no matter how I finish it seems.

I think this is just one of those situations where everyone’s faces and whiskers are unique. The Thuri does seem very consistent in how it leaves an edge, so if someone did like a thuri edge it could be the ultimate beginner stone since it’s semi foolproof and more forgiving than an ark.

 

[Seveneighth]

Coticules you can wave around like a conductor's wand on your face while dancing the hulu drunk and be fine...

... so true