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Hello and where to start

M

mikromicke

Active Member
Hi guys.

I recently found this place and have been reading a lot the last weeks. So for starters, a big thank you for getting all your valuable information up here and doing so in a very nice way :thumbup:

I just ordered my first coticule and am eagerly waiting for it to arrive and start testing it. After reading about the methods in the sharpening academy, which method would you say is the best to start with? I've honed my two straights on arkansas stones before and manage to get them fairly sharp. It takes days however and that's why I decided to try out a coticule (and of course because of how cool they are) :)
 
Let me be the first to welcome you to Coticule.be Micrimicke! (if I can type fast enough):thumbup:

as you will know from reading the Sharpening Academy articles, often the easiest way to get a nice edge is to follow the unicot procedure.
I find it works well for the times I can't get Dilucot to work for me, though I often need a reminder to get the tape out.
So to start I suggest doing your best to get a dilucot to work, and if it doesn't you've got a perfect edge to use the Unicot procedure on. The practice is invaluable, but don't look upon a sub par dilucot edge as a failure, it's just an oportunity to to use Unicot.

Don't be afraid to ask questions, this is the greatest group of guys I've yet met in the intertubes!
 
Chris gave you perfect advice, I'm only chiming in to extend you my warmest welcome to Coticule.be.

If there are any additional questions, just shoot.

Kind regards,
Bart.
 
Many thanks for the welcome and the advice! Sound like a good way to start. I guess it wouldn't hurt to familiarize myself with the coticule on my kitchen knives either?
 
mikromicke said:
Many thanks for the welcome and the advice! Sound like a good way to start. I guess it wouldn't hurt to familiarize myself with the coticule on my kitchen knives either?
Click to expand...
Not at all. One Coticule can easily be used for multiple types of cutlery.

Kind regards,
Bart.
 
MicroMicke, If you ever use your coti on your kitchen knives, make sure you do it were no one can see you, and whatever you do, don't tell anyone about it!:lol: :lol:

Kidding. :)
I'll admit to having tried it, and there is nothing ike it for putting a wicked edge on a kitchen kniffe, but be carefull; nicks and stuff in the knife can damage your stone, and I'd recommend at the least, a quick lap before using them again on your razors. But watch out, knives will put lots of wear on your coticule.... at $100 plus per, is it really worth it?

Kind regards,
-Chris
 
wdwrx said:
I'll admit to having tried it, and there is nothing ike it for putting a wicked edge on a kitchen kniffe, but be carefull; nicks and stuff in the knife can damage your stone, and I'd recommend at the least, a quick lap before using them again on your razors. But watch out, knives will put lots of wear on your coticule.... at $100 plus per, is it really worth it?
Click to expand...

Hmmm. I'm using Coticules in my work shop, for everything from honing chisels, touching up plane blades, sharpening carving knives, etc. By the way, Ardennes likely sells more Coticules to woodworkers, leather workers, hunters, etc, than it sells to straight razor users.
Either way, I've never noticed excessive wear on a Coticules that sees other uses, and I think I could still get by with just one, if I used it for my combined personal razor use, kitchen cutlery and woodworking tools. Nor have I ever "damaged" one while using it to sharpen knives. Of course, I am not abusing it, as that would do little to get said utensils sharp.
Neither would I lap a Coticule for any other reason than it being visually out of true.

In other words... I completely disagree...:rolleyes:
Sorry about that Chris,
If I now have to send the bottle of that delicious maple syrup back, let me know. ;)

Kind regards,
Bart.
 
Bart said:
wdwrx said:
I'll admit to having tried it, and there is nothing ike it for putting a wicked edge on a kitchen kniffe, but be carefull; nicks and stuff in the knife can damage your stone, and I'd recommend at the least, a quick lap before using them again on your razors. But watch out, knives will put lots of wear on your coticule.... at $100 plus per, is it really worth it?
Click to expand...

Hmmm. I'm using Coticules in my work shop, for everything from honing chisels, touching up plane blades, sharpening carving knives, etc. By the way, Ardennes likely sells more Coticules to woodworkers, leather workers, hunters, etc, than it sells to straight razor users.
Either way, I've never noticed excessive wear on a Coticules that sees other uses, and I think I could still get by with just one, if I used it for my combined personal razor use, kitchen cutlery and woodworking tools. Nor have I ever "damaged" one while using it to sharpen knives. Of course, I am not abusing it, as that would do little to get said utensils sharp.
Neither would I lap a Coticule for any other reason than it being visually out of true.

In other words... I completely disagree...:rolleyes:
Sorry about that Chris,
If I now have to send the bottle of that delicious maple syrup back, let me know. ;)

Kind regards,
Bart.
Click to expand...
An apple for the teacher, huh, Chris, you brown noser hoser. Denny
 
Yikes! What'd I say? why on earth would anyone apologize for disagreeing with me? especially here? Especially the master of all things coticule. Does the teacher apologize to the student when the student displays his ignorance? I don't think so.

The first part of my post was definately tongue-in-cheek, I hope it was taken that way, but I for one would never hone my work tools on my (one and only) coti. I've gouged more than one hone. Not saying it's not the single most effective hone I've ever used on my knives, but I like to keep my razor hones seperate from my work hones. Just a personal hang-up, I guess.
I'd love to have a big giant 8"x3" bench stone sized coti just for my work stuff, but until the recession lifts it's strangle hold a bit, I'm stuck with coti's for my razors alone, the lucky bastards!

DJKELLY said:
An apple for the teacher, huh, Chris, you brown noser hoser.
Click to expand...

Burn! (as my incredibly irritating teenage kids would say!)
:blush:
All I can say on the matter is: one good turn deserves another.
 
Wait, wait, wait.
I JUST received a package from Canada with a beautiful strop and a package of the evil stuff, but I didn't get a drop of the good stuff. I guess I'll just have to get some from Vermont.





Probably better anyway

Welcome mikromicke, I hope you enjoy this place as much as I do. (even with evil Canadians)
I hope you learn to enjoy your coticule as much as I do. I am still not proficient at it, but half of the fun is in the learning isn't it?
 
Haha, thanks guys. I actually think I even have a can of Canadian maple syrup waiting for me back home in Sweden. It must be more than 5 years old now but with all that sugar ... :D
 
Oh right, I got distracted by the talk of delicious things, Welcome, mikromicke! (Where in the US are you?)
 
I'm in the San Francisco bay area. I'm originally from Sweden and came her 1.5 years ago for a 2 year contract at Stanford University. Almost at the end of it so I guess I will end up back in the brown greyish cold of Sweden again soon :-/
 
Bart said:
In other words... I completely disagree...:rolleyes:
Sorry about that Chris,
If I now have to send the bottle of that delicious maple syrup back, let me know. ;)

Kind regards,
Bart.
Click to expand...

As a matter of fact, I couldn't agree more with Chris. Really.
Chris, does this mean that I can drop by Bart and relieve him of the maple syrup ??

Oh, welcome micromicke !
 
Hi and welcome from me :thumbup:

Good luck with the Coticule, as said about the Dilucot method then add tape ala Unicot if you dont get the edge quite right, the only advice I would add is to try a straight Unicot if you find you are getting frustrated by "failing" at Dilucot, the Unicot edge really does give a wonderful shave, also consider using our free honing service if you have a spare razor, that way you will have a benchmark to aim for, and you will get to experience a top notch coticule edge.

Best wishes
Ralfson (Dr)
 
tat2Ralfy said:
Good luck with the Coticule, as said about the Dilucot method then add tape ala Unicot if you dont get the edge quite right,
Click to expand...

Poor Bart, he's so proud of the Unicot method, and you see it as something to do if all else fails ;)
 
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