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Synthetic Coti

A tool buddy of mine picked up this coticule for me a while back. I thought it looked funny when I got it, being kinda spotted and shiny looking, but maybe it was some weird vein of stone?
Anyway, as it was being lapped, I noticed little craters revealing themselves. As lapping proceded, I realized that the craters were not already there,but the stone was releasing little chunks of itself as it absorbed water. That was when I realized that this was my first synthetic coti.
Not knowing what to do,I set it aside. A few days later, I figured if it wont lap while wet, maybe it could be lapped dry. So I lapped it on dry sandpaper until there was enough clean surface to hone a razor. A few light spritzes of water and a few minutes time produced one of the sharpest edges that I have ever gotten, and it shaved great. Very comfortable to boot, not harsh like other synthetics. Sharper than any coti edge that I have ever gotten, and right up there with a good jnat.

While I am disappointed that it wasnt a natural stone, it is still an interesting piece. I guess I will lap it the rest of the way now.

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Your attachment doesn’t work. I had a synth coti years ago. You could try a drop of vinegar on it to see if it reacts, if a synth it will bubble. A coti won’t
Try now.

Vinegar did nothing, but I have never seen a coti absorb water or release chunks like this did as the water soaked in?

A spritz or two of water works for honing, but when it gets saturated it starts coming apart.
 
Easy to use, give a good shave, and consistent. Probably the best all around Barbers synth I've tried. Shaves good enough more than a few guys have confused them for real Cotis (until they try to dilucot on them). Definitely a slower barber synth, but way above average finish for one.

They're not gonna make you sell your jnat or Thuri, but they're good enough I could shave off one daily and not complain.


Avoid the porous/chunky looking ones (usually stamped JGES, and two-colored synth sides, not slate backed) though... Totally different stone. Those ones are tool hones (~100-400grit) made using coticule/bbw dust.
 
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