My third Coticule

[ZethLent]

I have a La Petite Blanche that Bart graciously picked out for me at Ardennes last year at this time. It has served me well and is a wonderful hone. My second one I sold and since then I have been staying on the prowl here but to no avail; the vault hones are all snapped up before anyone can blink. So a recent ebay auction came to my attention and I put in a bid, won it and will now have another beautiful piece of Belgium coming home to Japan.

I am not sure what the layer is but the near 1 inch thick natural combo was too much to pass up. I have also been looking for a narrower hone to do 'warped' blades on and I think this one will do just fine. From the auction it is a 150mm by 35mm size.

Here are a few pics from the auction. I am very excited.

 

[Bart]

Hi Seth,

That looks like a very nice one.
When it arrives home, please do share better pictures, including the long sides. Maybe it'll give away the layer of origin, maybe not. Right now, I honestly haven't got a clue, although several ones can be ruled out.

Kind regards,
Bart.

 

[tat2Ralfy]

Congrats, that looks like a wonderful stone indeed :thumbup:

Regards
Ralfson (Dr)

 

[danjared]

Pretty looking combo. I can't wait to hear how it hones.

 

[ZethLent]

Well the hone his home in Japan and is a real looker!! :love:

I took some better pics and am uploading them now. I haven't tested it but will do so in the upcoming weeks.

Here is the full top and a few close ups.

Here is a close-up side view that is pieced together.

 

[ZethLent]

And here are my two hones with my bout rubbing stone. They all look so different that I took some comparison shots of the coticule sides and the bbw sides which are also all different.

Some close ups (the right side is the La Petite Blanche, the top left is the new one and the bottom left is the bout).

And a final side view of the new hone on the darker side.

 

[tat2Ralfy]

What beautiful Stones, thank you so very much for sharing :thumbup:

Best Regards
Ralfson (Dr)

 

[Smythe]

Dude, the stone looks like two completely different animals.
Like twins with different personalities joined at the hip.. please let us know how the contradiction works out..

Don't get me wrong.... it's an absolutely beautiful stone... (stones?).

 

[Bart]

Amazing, I never saw anything quite like that. It indeed almost looks like 2 different specimen molten together.
I have a few Coticules in my collection of stones picked at abandoned mining pits, that look like the darker side, with a warm brownish hue. They're quite slow, but very mellow finishers.
I have absolutely no idea about the layer name. Please let us know how it performs. I wouldn't be surprised if both parts have their own distinctions.

Thanks for sharing, Seth.

Bart.

 

[ZethLent]

Gentlemen, I took a new razor that I recently received in the mail to this hone for a test run.

I set the bevel on a DMT and went to the BBW side and worked a light slurry and did an abridged version of the dilucot.

After a short time it was popping arm hairs like mad. I decided to do 15 laps on my CrOx balsa bench hone and then take the razor to the coticule side.

Using only water I did about 50~75 x-strokes and was off to the bathroom for my evening shave.

Under magnification the edge looked uniform and the scratch pattern was as expected.

The shave was as keen as I get with razors off of my Japanese natural finisher but not as as smooth, by a degree only. Still there was no burn when I applied the alcohol splash and I feel like a million bucks.

This coticule is a great size and seems to give a very nice edge. Perhaps a bit better than my other coticule.

I am still uncertain if the different colours are having different effects on the blade. But I don't think I will ever do a 'half coticule' test to find out. I am that satisfied with the edge I got off of this hone, using the full length of the hone.

Now, I need to practice the full version of the dilucot from start to finish. Something I have yet to get right. But I will get there. I have to say though that I am very impressed with the BBW side of my two natural combos and want to use them more and more.

Thanks for tuning in.

- Seth

 

[Bart]

Thanks for posting, Seth.
Sounds like a great approach for using your Coticule. I love how we all have these different strategies for getting a great shaving edge of our Coticules.
Have fun with the Dilucot route. :thumbup:

Bart.