OK, road trip to buy a coticule in Vielsalm this weekend....but

[BakerAndBadger]

I need help.
I've decided to stay traditional and when in Rome etc etc etc.
I live in Belgium, about an hour from Vielsalm, and so I've decided to drive over there on Saturday afternoon to get a coticule hone.
As I already have an artificial 600/1000 stone that my bro got me for kitchen knives I'll be using that to set the bevel, as Nortons are expensive to ship my choice of finishing stone will therefore be a coticule (is that a good choice????.... cue the critics).

Here come the questions:

What size should I get?
I guess I need a slurry stone, but how to choose and what to get? Should I just get an off cut of coticule?

The sizes are as follows:

150mm x 40mm (so 6" by about 1" 5/8) - EUR57.00

150mm x 50mm (so 6" by about 2") - EUR87.00

Just noticed that they have some irregular shaped stones too which are a little cheaper but dependent on supply - I've got to get it from the Tourist Information office as its the only place open on a Saturday that sells them!

Final question, can I lap it with 360 wet/dry??

Thanks for your help, SWMBO will be really appreciative as it's going to be my birthday present!

 

[Doc226]

I need help.
I've decided to stay traditional and when in Rome etc etc etc.
I live in Belgium, about an hour from Vielsalm, and so I've decided to drive over there on Saturday afternoon to get a coticule hone.
As I already have an artificial 600/1000 stone that my bro got me for kitchen knives I'll be using that to set the bevel, as Nortons are expensive to ship my choice of finishing stone will therefore be a coticule (is that a good choice????.... cue the critics).

Here come the questions:

What size should I get?
I guess I need a slurry stone, but how to choose and what to get? Should I just get an off cut of coticule?

The sizes are as follows:

150mm x 40mm (so 6" by about 1" 5/8) - EUR57.00

150mm x 50mm (so 6" by about 2") - EUR87.00

Thanks for your help, SWMBO will be really appreciative as it's going to be my birthday present!

Coticules are fantastic stones, very versatile. Finishing on coticules is mist definitely possible and many do, I like to finish on oil after the dilutions, gives it a little more umph.

Size, get the largest stone you can afford. I prefer thinner longest stones. I would ask the folks there about slurry stones, usually same vein is suggested.

You can always get a bout and get more size for your money, just make sure the shape is not too crazy.

 

[BakerAndBadger]

Thanks Doc, you just answered my question about the "bouts".

How about lapping them on sandpaper?

 

[hig789]

I got a beast of a slab from them last week. It's a #10 bout of la Veinette it's more than 4" wide at its widest and about 7" long. If you get a bout I would do as doc says go longer verses wider. Good luck. Take some pics.

 

[Giant Kiwi]

I lapped my with some 1200 wet and dry sandpaper on a flat surface.
Takes a while but well worth it.
Jarrod at TSS did this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xk5yO_qeO_Q

 

[mdunn]

Whatever you do... Lots of pics!

 

[Blix]

As already mentioned, as large as you can afford. You can have them lap your coti there me thinks.

 

[Alum of Potash]

Handheld 40-50mm x 150-175mm yellow coticule is great in my book, with slurry and without (water). Depending on the size of your 600x/1000x, you might want to pick up a BBW (and slurry stone) to match. Lapping: yes you can lap them on wet/dry sandpaper. Lately, Jarrod has been lapping some of his all the way to 2000x, although you could certainly stop at 360x. I use spring clamps to hold the sandpaper in place on a thick sheet of glass.

 

[hig789]

In my opinion you should start lapping it with 220 WD paper then once flat go to 400 for a bit and that should be good. Starting at 1200 grit will take a LONG time. You can smooth it out with your 1k stone after that of you wish. I usually do it with my C12k and it works great but I will smooth out in no time after raising a few slurrys.

 

[Legion]

360 paper should be fine, you may need a couple of pieces. Get a bout, as big as you can afford, one that is a comfortable shape for you, and a slurry stone of whatever type is cheapest. Dont worry about the vein of the slurry stone, it is not so important.

You do not realise how lucky you are living an hour from the mine. I, and many others here, would be there every weekend if we could.

 

[BakerAndBadger]

You do not realise how lucky you are living an hour from the mine. I, and many others here, would be there every weekend if we could.

Just a shame that I don't have many days holiday left or I'd take a day off and go and choose one directly at the quarry. Who knows, might like it so much that I end up becoming an addict, at least my dealer won't charge me the earth for postage! Finally a bonus to living in Belgium and getting into straight shaving!

 

[hig789]

You do not realise how lucky you are living an hour from the mine. I, and many others here, would be there every weekend if we could.

I definetly wouldn't be married for long if I lived that close.

 

[Raithskar]

I definetly wouldn't be married for long if I lived that close.

+1

 

[BakerAndBadger]

I definetly wouldn't be married for long if I lived that close.

I guess I'm lucky. SWMBO has so far put up with a basement conversion into a craft brewery and my fly fishing and tying hobby. At least this one doesn't take all day or take me out of the house too often, well not until I start restoring which is my next jump - I love to try and run when I only know in theory how to crawl!

 

[shakin_jake]

Finally a bonus to living in Belgium and getting into straight shaving!

~~~what I'd give to drink fresh lambic... Next to coticules, lambic is Belgium's real treasure


Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.

 

[Legion]

~~~what I'd give to drink fresh lambic... Next to coticules, lambic is Belgium's real treasure


Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.

Try Delirium Tremens. That beer has me considering a move to Belgium. I suspect Mdunn feels the same.

 

[BakerAndBadger]

Try Delirium Tremens. That beer has me considering a move to Belgium. I suspect Mdunn feels the same.

Just back from lunch and two lovely belgian Duvels. Rocking in at 8% they help the afternoon sale by. I guess that they aren't compatible with my first shave with a straight though so I'll be staying off them tomorrow.

 

[SweenyTodd77]

Thanks Doc, you just answered my question about the "bouts".

How about lapping them on sandpaper?

I lap my Belgian blue and coticule on fine sandpaper. This sandpaper needs to be placed on a perfectly flat surface; a glass coffee table for example. Next, wet the sandpaper, so it sticks flat on the glass and lap your stone. Draw pencil lines on the stone and when they have gone, you know that it is fully lapped

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

My coticule was flat when it arrived and didn't need lapping. Mine is a bit under 7" x a bit under 2". It's a perfectly adequate size. I'm not even sure I'd want it to be wider, but if it were 10" long I wouldn't mind. Still, it's just fine.

Would I like it narrower? No.

Mine came with a small slurry stone. I believe it's the same type of stone.

Bouts are fine, too, sometimes.

If a coticule edge isn't sharp enough you can use pasted strops, etc. to add sharpness. With oil one can get a very sharp coticule edge. Of course they're a natural stone so they vary.

Tell the vendor you are going to be honing your razors.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Twelvefret]

My coticule was flat when it arrived and didn't need lapping. Mine is a bit under 7" x a bit under 2". It's a perfectly adequate size. I'm not even sure I'd want it to be wider, but if it were 10" long I wouldn't mind. Still, it's just fine.

Would I like it narrower? No.

Mine came with a small slurry stone. I believe it's the same type of stone.

Bouts are fine, too, sometimes.

If a coticule edge isn't sharp enough you can use pasted strops, etc. to add sharpness. With oil one can get a very sharp coticule edge. Of course they're a natural stone so they vary.

Tell the vendor you are going to be honing your razors.

Happy shaves,

Jim

Old thread, but good advice Jim. Slash influenced me on holding stones and also I saw a video of a person using a tiny stone. Small also would allow me to stay in constant contact with the blade.

I need more experimentation, but right now a combination of several mediums is what I am going to use for a while. If I can get all my razors to shave like the Salamander and the Wester Bros Anchor Razor, I'm finished and my method set.