BBW Success!

[Woodash]

100% on target. I can only speak for my stone, (no knowledge of layer) but polishing on the BBW side (that feels like glass) vs the coticule (semi-gritty) side works well for me, the difference was notable to say the least. :sleep:

Happy turkey day, pass the blade I'll sharpen it.
Louis.

Makes sense. The glassy feeling comes from the fact that much of the hone is comprised of these oriented micas (think of a deck of playing cards spread out on a table - all flat and smooth...). Probably has low(er) garnet content in the BBW as well. In most of the BBW/coticule data that I've seen, garnet content drops as mica content increases. So, it kind of makes sense that some of the best BBW polishers may have very low cutting power.

 

[Tok]

As far as hardness is supposed to be an indicator of something, I have not been able to find any truth in such a statement. I've tested soft Coticules that were slow, hard Coticules that were fast, and vice versa. I've found any of my finishing classifications (brisk, engaging and mellow) accross the entire spectrum of Coticule hardness. I think there is too much fantasy taken for fact.

First of all, that wasn´t my idea and since I have no evidence that it´s true, I wouldn´t dare to state that it is right or wrong. Second, I think he didn´t mean "Any hard stone is a good finisher". Third, he made this statement not for coticules, but for natural hones in general.

Here is another input: In german forums, some people use the BBW after the coticule. I don´t know whether they use the coticule with slurry only. But as far as I know, Canvas strops are not very popular in germany. I might be wrong, though.

Kind regards,
Tok

 

[Bart]

Here is another input: In german forums, some people use the BBW after the coticule. I don´t know whether they use the coticule with slurry only. But as far as I know, Canvas strops are not very popular in germany. I might be wrong, though.

I've often noticed that in Germany, France and Belgium, pasted strops are very popular. I'm just making that statement for the area that I know best. Pastes are probably popular all over. In my experience, Pasted stropping completely defeats the need to strop a freshly honed edge on canvas. These are just all routes leading to the same goal: an edge that shaves well. There might be minor differences in the final outcome, certainly not worth of any dispute.

It makes perfect sense to me to use the BBW after a Coticule. But the reverse makes equal sense to me to. It all depends on the particular use: slurry, thin slurry, dilution, water. I consider both hones to be very apt hones in their own right, and I don't think I could discern between a well honed BBW edge or a well honed Coticule edge. Even without any pasted stropping afterwards.

Kind regards,
Bart.