n°21 - La Grosse Jaune

[Bart]

I have received several requests for assessing narrow Coticules. N°21 is the perfect candidate for honing warped blades and smiling edges, but I wouldn't mind honing all my razors on this one.

This Coticule offers a medium strength, fine abrasion, when used with slurry. This abrasive feel gradually dissipates to zero as you progress to clear water. But what doesn't disappear is the excellent and very luxurious draw that this hone provides on a blade. A razor hovers over it like a V12 Royce Rolls sails over a German autobahn.
That is not only a genuine pleasure, but it also invites to perform perfectly balanced, even honing strokes. It's almost as if the hone guides the razor by itself, and you only need to add a bit of thrusting force.

The finishing properties are of the usual Coticule excellence, yet the hone really encourages to stay on it, focus on all the finer observations and get the edge perfect.

Excuse me for all the lyrical talk. Coticules sometimes have that effect on me.:

Bart.

 

[garyhaywood]

Bart i will take this one if thats ok

 

[garyhaywood]

Bart just a quik question when honing a smily on a narrow hone would one have to still use the rolling motion? i'm guessing you would but it would be a lot easier as when i roll on wider hone i generaly use the last inch to inch and a halv.

 

[Bart]

Jeezes Gary, that was fast.

your name is on it.

On a narrower hone, it depends of how severe the smile or warp is. On mild cases the narrow width of the hone will take care of it completely, but in more outspoken cases, you still need to roll. Only if you started using a rounded Coticule (they do exist!), shaped like half a rod, you could hone whatever curve or warp the blade has. But the honing pressure would be concentrated at such a tiny portion of the edge, that it would be too much for developing good final keenness. It would also be very likely to introduce edge unevenness in the long run (over several honings).

You'll like this one Gary. Completely different than the one you already have. I bet you end up finishing on this one and starting out on the other.

Bart.

 

[justin]

Another splendidly unique Coticule!

If I were in the right position I think I would have taken this one.

Enjoy Gary.

 

[garyhaywood]

Thanks for that bart.

 

[tat2Ralfy]

A razor hovers over it like a V12 Royce Rolls sails over a German autobahn.

Hahahahaha Awesome Sir bart Awesome
and congrats to both this Beautiful Coticule and my mate Gary, for finding each other, I am sure if you suit each other (you will of course) this Hone has found a warm home for at least 1 man's lifetime :thumbup:

 

[StraightRazorDave]

Wow Gary, that didn't take you long to jump on this one.

It's a really neat looking stone. The colour is really striking as is the patterning on the surface. Enjoy!

 

[garyhaywood]

It was just what i was looking for a nice thin one it should come in handy.

 

[StraightRazorDave]

It was just what i was looking for a nice thin one it should come in handy.

It does look handy. Same reason why I wanted to snatch up #20. It's only 3.5cm thick and 24 cm long, so definitely also a long skinny one. I think skinny hones are under-rated. They're great for razors that are warped or have smiles, but also work well on easier to hone razors.

 

[garyhaywood]

I'll let you no how hard or easy i find it to keep my blade flat all the way, 20cm is long 24 even longer. i do most of my honing on the last inch or so in most cases. as i find most regular blades need a slight lift towards the curve at the toe to just follow the bevel round or blend it in slightly to the curve.this why i wanted to try a thinner hone

 

[Smythe]

That stone would have been my choice if I missed the Casket (#19), I love those narrow hones because I can hone any razor with them.
There was once a time I would scoff at narrow hones preferring wider ones, but then I got myself a small narrow Coticule combo, and that stone taught me to keep the blade flat, and no problems with uneven edges so far...