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Old, nameless coti combo

danjared

danjared

Well-Known Member
Hi guys,

I was wondering if anyone could help me identify this one. It's around 114mm (long edge of bout) x 40mm x 21mm. I bought it off another member over at B&B a few months ago. I am wondering about what vein it might be from.

I also find that sometimes it seems like the edge gets caught on the veins (or cracks, can't tell which they are). I saved the slurry from lapping the coti I just bought from Howard at The Perfect Edge so might use that with some wood glue to fill the cracks if they really are cracks. It might be that I'm slightly lifting the razor on one side when it gets caught as I am fairly novice at this.

Pictures: http://web.mit.edu/danjared/Public/coti/
 
Possibly La Veinette or La Nouvelle Veine.
Or some completely other layer from a now closed mining site. We don't have information about the appearance of all layers at all veins and mining spots. A positive ID is sometimes possible, when the hone comes from the Ol'Preu quarry or the Regné mine.
The company used to be called Burton Rocks (Now Ardennes Coticule), but they also delivered raw rocks for the famous "Old Rock" brand. Possibly also for "Pike" and others.
But for those vintage Coticule without whereabouts, an ID can hardly ever be made with absolute certainty.

Kind regards,
Bart.
 
Thank you, Sir Bart, for that information. I will mention here if I have any more comments on this little guy. I am hoping that it will see a fair amount of use now that I'm ridding myself of my Norton waterstones. (I still have some other synthetic and non-synthetics that I won't be parting with, though.)
 
Actually, I notice that, even when using a light touch the BBW side feels consistently jerky, as if the entire length has little hard inclusions. This is what it feels like when going over the veins on the coticule side (particularly with more pressure). I try to pay attention to how I hold the razor, making sure that the heel isn't raised and that I'm holding it flat heel-to-tip. Unfortunately, I don't have any other BBWs to compare the BBW side to. By the way, ever since I got this stone, I've been amazed at how fast the coticule side abrades.
 
danjared said:
Hi guys,

I was wondering if anyone could help me identify this one. It's around 114mm (long edge of bout) x 40mm x 21mm. I bought it off another member over at B&B a few months ago. I am wondering about what vein it might be from.

I also find that sometimes it seems like the edge gets caught on the veins (or cracks, can't tell which they are). I saved the slurry from lapping the coti I just bought from Howard at The Perfect Edge so might use that with some wood glue to fill the cracks if they really are cracks. It might be that I'm slightly lifting the razor on one side when it gets caught as I am fairly novice at this.

Pictures: http://web.mit.edu/danjared/Public/coti/
Click to expand...
Mmmm! lovely Manganese lines on that one. did you lap the surface or was it pre-lapped?
 
danjared said:
Actually, I notice that, even when using a light touch the BBW side feels consistently jerky, as if the entire length has little hard inclusions. This is what it feels like when going over the veins on the coticule side (particularly with more pressure). I try to pay attention to how I hold the razor, making sure that the heel isn't raised and that I'm holding it flat heel-to-tip. Unfortunately, I don't have any other BBWs to compare the BBW side to. By the way, ever since I got this stone, I've been amazed at how fast the coticule side abrades.
Click to expand...
On combo stones, the BBW part is always a question mark. It's not there to have honing qualities, but to support the Coticule slice. Mostly, the BBW will be just fine, but not always. The only way to really tell is to inspect the blade with good magnification. If hard inclusions do damage to the blade, it'll show up at magnification.

The longer I look at these pictures, the more I start to think that we're dealing with a layer from a closed mine. Those manganese lines, with faded brown traces of oxidation, the very pale white color,... it all looks different from the hones I've seen at Ardennes Coticule. Furthermore, I've read that the quality of the Blue at the quarry of Ol' Preu always had better reputation than that of other locations. All this makes me think that we're dealing with one coming form the companies of the Coticule heydays.

Kind regards,
Bart.
 
Smythe: I lapped it since when I got it it was fairly uneven. I love its dark color too. It reminds me of a creme brulee.

Bart: Well, at least I know that it really is a vintage hone! I will probably just avoid using the BBW side. I think the coticule side will be wonderful once I figure out how to use the right pressure so that my blade doesn't snag on the veins.
 
hmmm, Usually those lines do not produce what would seem to be "cracks" unless there is something else going on with that stone but lapping would flatten the surface and there would be mo voids to catch the edge... or do they seem to "wash out" and leave the voids?... can you feel the lines with your fingernail?
 
Smythe said:
hmmm, Usually those lines do not produce what would seem to be "cracks" unless there is something else going on with that stone but lapping would flatten the surface and there would be mo voids to catch the edge... or do they seem to "wash out" and leave the voids?... can you feel the lines with your fingernail?
Click to expand...

Hmm from me too, you shouldnt feel cracks and certainly not catch them with the blade, that will destroy the edge before you even start, also the BBW side looks very substantial, and that could be used with great effect
 
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