First honing

[FJJ]

So I decided to give honing one of my razors a go... After much deliberation between the different stones and film etc. I settled on a coticule bout. I like the idea of using a stone and especially one that is multipurpose I.e. one stone to set bevel, refine and finish.

I was going to use a cheap razor to practice on that arrived from the 'bay this morning, but I realised it had a microchip or two out of the tip so I think I'll need something a bit coarser to fix that! I also thought it would be best to hone a razor that I actuall know quite well so I opted for my No.2 go-to razor, a 5/8 C-Mon Cadilac.

I was a bit unsure of the unicot method given the tape requirements for touch ups etc so opted for dilucot. I bread knifed it first so set a bevel on slurry then slowly diluted it as I progressed, finishing on pure water. The blade seemed pretty keen after that so I CrOx and FeOx stripped it on balsa then gave it a good stopping on leather. It seemed fine on HHT and I set off to have a shave with it...

The results were pretty good, didn't feel like there was any tugging and it felt fine against the skin although I had shaved about 10 hours before in the morning! The only issue is that the shave doesn't feel quite as close, like maybe the edge isn't quite keen enough - would that perhaps mean that I should have gone more laps on pure water at the end or tried some lather to finish?

Thanks,
FJJ

[Doc226]

So I decided to give honing one of my razors a go... After much deliberation between the different stones and film etc. I settled on a coticule bout. I like the idea of using a stone and especially one that is multipurpose I.e. one stone to set bevel, refine and finish.

I was going to use a cheap razor to practice on that arrived from the 'bay this morning, but I realised it had a microchip or two out of the tip so I think I'll need something a bit coarser to fix that! I also thought it would be best to hone a razor that I actuall know quite well so I opted for my No.2 go-to razor, a 5/8 C-Mon Cadilac.

I was a bit unsure of the unicot method given the tape requirements for touch ups etc so opted for dilucot. I bread knifed it first so set a bevel on slurry then slowly diluted it as I progressed, finishing on pure water. The blade seemed pretty keen after that so I CrOx and FeOx stripped it on balsa then gave it a good stopping on leather. It seemed fine on HHT and I set off to have a shave with it...

The results were pretty good, didn't feel like there was any tugging and it felt fine against the skin although I had shaved about 10 hours before in the morning! The only issue is that the shave doesn't feel quite as close, like maybe the edge isn't quite keen enough - would that perhaps mean that I should have gone more laps on pure water at the end or tried some lather to finish?

Thanks,
FJJ

Sounds like you are on your way, nice job. Go back and given the razor about 50 light pressure laps with a few drops of mineral oil instead of water, strop and shave. Oil helps bring a little more keenness out of the stone.

Great job.

[ouch]

The coticule really is the closest thing to a do-it-all stone, with the caveat that the edge is not too far gone. Setting the bevel can be time consuming, so you may want to pick up a 1K or so for that purpose. If you're not starting out with a dog, the coti should suffice by itself.

Of course, you'll soon find yourself surrounded by films, paddles, pastes, strops.....

[Krodor]

Probably shouldnt have breadknifed it first, but sounds like you were quite successful! Congrats!

At the risk of getting into an off topic discussion here, make sure you wash your coti off with soap after using oil, if you decide to go that route. As part of a recent gssixgun-started discussion on a different forum (very tame, very calm) about oil on coticules, I put a substantial drop of baby oil (fresh squeezed!) on my coti slurry stone and let it sit overnight. By morning the drip had soaked in completely and discolored it. it still slurries, and it doesn't seem to make water bead up differently from the rest of the stone, but it's clear to this owner that oil soaks in and will accumulate. I don't know how that might change honing properties, as it is a small stone I tried it on, but first test makes me cautious that I may not get it out. Might be the best thing for it, I don't know, but it's definitely controversial in some circles.

Now I've gone and done it....

[Legion]

Probably shouldnt have breadknifed it first, but sounds like you were quite successful! Congrats!

At the risk of getting into an off topic discussion here, make sure you wash your coti off with soap after using oil, if you decide to go that route. As part of a recent gssixgun-started discussion on a different forum (very tame, very calm) about oil on coticules, I put a substantial drop of baby oil (fresh squeezed!) on my coti slurry stone and let it sit overnight. By morning the drip had soaked in completely and discolored it. it still slurries, and it doesn't seem to make water bead up differently from the rest of the stone, but it's clear to this owner that oil soaks in and will accumulate. I don't know how that might change honing properties, as it is a small stone I tried it on, but first test makes me cautious that I may not get it out. Might be the best thing for it, I don't know, but it's definitely controversial in some circles.

Now I've gone and done it....

Interesting. Glad you at least did the experiment, rather than just accepting what you read on the internet as fact. I've used oil on my coticules, and have had good results, but I've always had that nagging feeling that it might soak in over time.

[FJJ]

Thanks folks, I'll give it a go tonight with a little mineral oil - I have some Wahl clipper oil (which according to the materials safety sheet is 100% Chevron White Mineral Oil) which I use for stopping my blades from rusting - will that suffice?

I ordered up some 15 micron film for chip removal of my eBay special - I could only get the PSA stuff, but have a few 200x200 mirror square mirror tiles in the garage so will just stick it to one of them.

[Doc226]

Thanks folks, I'll give it a go tonight with a little mineral oil - I have some Wahl clipper oil (which according to the materials safety sheet is 100% Chevron White Mineral Oil) which I use for stopping my blades from rusting - will that suffice?

I ordered up some 15 micron film for chip removal of my eBay special - I could only get the PSA stuff, but have a few 200x200 mirror square mirror tiles in the garage so will just stick it to one of them.

that oil should be fine.

Please see Krodor's post above. I have used the same coticule with oil for about 50 razors and have not seen a change in the coticule it self. I was sent a link about using coticule with oil from another forum, there is some controversy. Look at my title next to my user name and you will see what I mean.

[FJJ]

Well, looks like I'll be giving that a try at some other point as I noticed a crack in the stone - didn't see it at first but it was obvious as the stone was drying and I can feel it with a finger nail or an edge on just water. Think it must have happened in the post as although the box was well packed, the stone and slurry stone had come out of the foam rubber and were rattling around...

[paco664]

can you lap the crack out?? how about a side shot of the stone....

[Wid]

can you lap the crack out?? how about a side shot of the stone....

I was wonder the same thing.

[Krodor]

Laps and cracks...we're still talking hones, right?

[Doc226]

I have read folks drop crazy glue in there then lap it out, I have never done it. I'm sure someone with experience doing will chime in.

[Wid]

I wouldn't use any glue if the stone is a new purchase, get a hold of the vendor first.. I did use super glue with a vintage coticule and it does work.

[FJJ]

I do have a side shot, but the photos are on my home PC and I'm heading to work! The crack does go right to the bottom of the coticule layer so no chance of lapping it out.

Its a new stone and I've dropped the vendor an email so keeping my fingers crossed!

thanks for the glue advice, a good backup if the vendor doesn't replace it.

[FJJ]

Excellent - there is a new coticule on it's way to me so no worries about the crack - the vendor agreed that it looks like transport damage.

[Doc226]

Excellent - there is a new coticule on it's way to me so no worries about the crack - the vendor agreed that it looks like transport damage.

Very good, props to the vendor.

[FJJ]

Very good, props to the vendor.

Yes - it was TheInvisibleEdge.co.uk - so far the service I've had from Steve has been absolutely great.

He said he's picked me out a really nice one as a replacement :-)

[Doc226]

Yes - it was TheInvisibleEdge.co.uk - so far the service I've had from Steve has been absolutely great.

He said he's picked me out a really nice one as a replacement :-)

Awesome. I'm glad you mentioned the name, good vendors should always get props.

I had the same thing happen to me with a coticule from TSS, Jarrod replaced it immediately and even refunded the money for me to send it back to him.

[FJJ]

My replacement Coticule turned up yesterday morning and it's very nice indeed!



The razor is a Tuckman that I picked up on eBay, I didn't like the cream scales that it came with so I rescaled it with 'South American Bocote' Dovo scales. I removed a few micro chips from the blade with 15 micron film, honed it up on the coticule finishing with 50 light pressure laps on a few drops of oil - but it still didn't seem quite sharp enough so I gave it 20 or so laps on 0.3 micron film, then CrOx and FeOx stropped before 20 laps on canvas and about 50 on leather. It's VERY keen now