Coticules

1929954_10204117771023004_1684191930838998324_n.jpg


My first hone with a coticule. Behaves very differently to a JNat. Too early to say better or otherwise. Tried it with both a Sheffield, on which I reset the bevel with the Chosera 1k, and a light touch-up of the Solingen. Solingen felt like it needed more work, but the Sheffield? Never gotten on with Sheffield steel much but this gave an awesome shave. Didn't feel nowhere as sharp as from the Japanese stones, but probably about as smooth, also felt so much more gentle and forgiving...and just as close. The alum found nothing to really complain about...odd because it normally does. Really happy with this trajectory.
 
So a little more time spent with the coticule.

Yeah honing the Sheffield on the Le Dressente was easy with great results. Honing a Solingen was another matter entirely. I tried and tried and just couldn't get it right. I watched many a youtube and read more articles on coticule.be but whatever I did the edge on the Solingen just wasn't responding; not getting smooth nor sharp enough.

One thing I learned from experience, early, is that pressure is not the answer. It certainly invoked the swarf but the edge was no sharper nor smoother....and it did start to chip. Then someone mentioned about 'putting the time in through each dilution'. Hmmm...
...so this time I kept the pressure minimal and abandoned all impressions from youtube that 25 x-strokes will do it. So I kept at it slowly, softly, and really worked the edge with a mixture of half strokes, circles, x-strokes. Something like 8-7-6...3, 2, 1 of each stroke (double for x-stroke), a drop or two of water and then 8-7-6...3, 2, 1, a drop or two of water and 8, 7.....etc. Kept at it for a solid half hour until I reached clear water. Then the flax linen strop, then roo then cordovan leather and....

....sensational.

An absolutely sensational edge.

So lesson learned. I'm not going to get an edge in 7-8 minutes like on youtube. This demands concentration and patience and rewards with one of the nicest edges ever. A shave so, so smooth.

Sorry but a La Verte is not far away.
 
If you like @stillshunter I will produce a honing video done from Bevel to final finish on Corn Flakes, then you can put you cheek up to the screen and have a single pass BBS or is that a BS shave.

I watched one guy who did just a bevel set and took the entire time to demonstrate it needed to be done correctly before moving on. There is a lot of magic and fairy dust sprinkled on many youtube honing videos.

I developed my own method very early on. I could not get a decent edge following many of the on line "honemeisters" Technique is very important but the edge is what you shave with.

Youtube, a grain of salt and deep breath.

On a non Coticule note I now have my Arkansas progression as the postie arrived today with my final stone a Translucent Arkansas. It is a 5x2x.5 inch stone and a beautiful size for hand honing.
 
khun_diddy said:
feel free to offload the bout to me when you upgrade. ;)
Click to expand...
Your name's on the list mate, though please don't hold your breath.

khun_diddy said:
how do you rate the #10 bout size now that you've done some laps?
Click to expand...
It's excellent. The blade lays flat across more than 75% of the width of the stone. This is handy for half strokes and circles...and some other creative strokes. I also routinely flip the stone over (rotate 180 degrees) to get to the slurry that travels outside the arc of the stroke. So there's often some fresh slurry at the ready. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Think I'll struggle finding an Escher of this size unfortunately
 
Got to say I'm loving this coticule more the more I use it.

E4VA43F.jpg


Hope this photo helps @khun_diddy to show what you get for your #10 bout money.
NB: slurry stone is hiding under the straight.
 
Recently won a random antique pack online which arrived yesterday. As a bonus, other than the fantastic pocket logarithmic slide rule, was a decent-sized coticule! More interested in the stone to be honest. It's certainly seen better days and is very dished, but I think there's still a few viable millimetres left on it.

ax78xMp.jpg


Size is 175 x 50mm

I researched some options (leave as-is, lap, etc.) and slept on it overnight. This morning opted for the cut and lap option. I tried it as-is and it felt a little awkward....also I've been thinking about a travel hone which this might serve the purpose of down the track.

So here's the result.

9Ibzl44.jpg


I ended up taking just over 10mm (~1/2") off each end. Saw them clear with a standard hacksaw with a standard Bahco blade. Easy work! This left me with two neat little slurry stones and less than 2mm to lap out the dish. A hard 2mm though BTW....so very appreciative of the advice to trim the ends as it gave me less of the harder work to do. Also saved off the slurry, so have about 2L of slurry water which I hope to condense down to a nice slurry paste.

So I ended up with a handy little stone of 150x50mm and two slurry stones for both sides of that stone - as I'm thinking this will be my first combination stone...unless y'all don't agree that it's viable (e.g. BBW)

Now towards identification, here's the slurry on each side.

b7nrLKp.jpg


8x6RXOi.jpg


I'm initially inclined towards a La Dressante au bleu.

The back certainly isn't slate nor glued on. Not sure if it is BBW or Rouge du Salm....as I only have slate to compare it to.

Be keen on your feedback.

....and in a matter of hours we'll see how she hones.
 
'Yep, wow, well it's all ξύρισμα μια λεοπάρδαλη χιόνι με ένα γούνινο σύρμα των αυγών to me' ;)

Very impressive work though (y)
 
Just finished honing a Bengall. Funny how it kind of looks similar to my other coticule - the La Dressante (I believe Top Layer) but hones so very differently. This stone feels harder and slower - while my other bout is almost chalky soft yet faster. I tried a combination hone:
a) slurry on the beige,
b) water on the blue,
c) water on the beige.
Under the scope the edge looks finer and cleaner than the other coti. I'll know more when I test shave tomorrow morning, though won't be surprised if this edge is a little less mellow.
 
stillshunter said:
Just finished honing a Bengall. Funny how it kind of looks similar to my other coticule - the La Dressante (I believe Top Layer) but hones so very differently. This stone feels harder and slower - while my other bout is almost chalky soft yet faster. I tried a combination hone:
a) slurry on the beige,
b) water on the blue,
c) water on the beige.
Under the scope the edge looks finer and cleaner than the other coti. I'll know more when I test shave tomorrow morning, though won't be surprised if this edge is a little less mellow.
Click to expand...
You'll have so many cotis soon that you'll have to decide whether you'll hone with the cream, the bone, the white, the off-white, the ivory or the beige!
 
khun_diddy said:
You'll have so many cotis soon that you'll have to decide whether you'll hone with the cream, the bone, the white, the off-white, the ivory or the beige!
Click to expand...
You know what mate, my response to this is really mixed, I find myself kind of laughing and yet more so hoping it will soon be true.

Was just thinking about this, and writing a PM about it. There's a certain draw to coticules. But I couldn't quite put my finger on why. Synthetics get the job done but leave me cold. Whereas with the naturals. I don't know, there's something less clinical, less predictable....more 'human' about them. Still experimenting but for some reason I reach for the coticules over the JNats. Maybe it's just because they're the new kid in town, I don't know...
 
well remember a few months ago I said something about being curious about coticules? Well...

12742285_10204338521861637_471108309217772236_n.jpg


So here we are today....and I am still curious.

Still have the JNats and synthetics out of frame, but they aren't getting as much attention of late. These things are addictive.

...and the edges.....SUPERB!
 
seems an age ago that I discovered coticules. And I've come to like them (understatement of the year). I've a had a few come and a few go. But here's my tribe today.

13434769_10205047004013248_4260676003501650593_n.jpg


....coticules only, the JNats and synths weren't invited to sit for this family portrait.
 
stillshunter said:
seems an age ago that I discovered coticules. And I've come to like them (understatement of the year). I've a had a few come and a few go. But here's my tribe today.

13434769_10205047004013248_4260676003501650593_n.jpg


....coticules only, the JNats and synths weren't invited to sit for this family portrait.
Click to expand...
Some of those look very small compared to others. Are they a much higher grit and therefore more valuable?
I imagine the technique used to hone must be different between them and the larger stones?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top