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Received my new Coticule # 7 Today
- Thread starter justin
- Start Date
garyhaywood
Well-Known Member
Sounds like your getting there
justin
Well-Known Member
I just tried honing a second razor using the Unicot. I'm very very pleased so far. I'm really starting to get a hang of this whole process. My strokes are much more confident, smoother, and quicker. The razor was popping hairs off the stone, some were falling away. After a good stropping the hairs practically evaporate. I can't wait to shave test this beast in the morning.
Justin
Justin
tat2Ralfy
Well-Known Member
well done mate, its amazing the difference a little confidence makes to this isn't it?
I found that the unicot esp' in the early stages is a surprisingly forceful method if that makes sense? hope your shave is lighter than light and leaves your face bbs my friend
btw you could always post it up, see SRP forum "Shave of the day" its one of my favourites
I found that the unicot esp' in the early stages is a surprisingly forceful method if that makes sense? hope your shave is lighter than light and leaves your face bbs my friend
btw you could always post it up, see SRP forum "Shave of the day" its one of my favourites
justin
Well-Known Member
So that razor turned out great, except for the toe. I had one of those "is this thing even working?!" moments. That was the first stroke using the middle part of the blade. The toe is not so great.
I think the toe is slightly bent torsionally. When going one direction the toe makes perfect contact with the hone, but going the other way I can't get the blade to touch. I think I can see it when I look down the length of the edge, but that might just be my imagination. I also tested it on arm hair both sides, and one side shaved while the opposite did not.
Any one encounter this before? Is it fixable? I was thinking maybe it would be possible to grind away some of the spine on that side so that the edge touches using the rolling stroke.
I think the toe is slightly bent torsionally. When going one direction the toe makes perfect contact with the hone, but going the other way I can't get the blade to touch. I think I can see it when I look down the length of the edge, but that might just be my imagination. I also tested it on arm hair both sides, and one side shaved while the opposite did not.
Any one encounter this before? Is it fixable? I was thinking maybe it would be possible to grind away some of the spine on that side so that the edge touches using the rolling stroke.
Justin,
I see Bart has posted a swift file showing the rolling-x pattern. This is certainly one way to solve the issue you are having, but there is another way too. The rolling-x is probably the most used and most talked about method, when it comes to uneven blades. As effective as it is though, the method is somewhat problematic for those just starting out.
The reason I say this is because those of us who use this method frequently, take for granted the muscle memory we have developed for its use. Learning the rolling-x will, most likely, be the most frustrating manuvers you will tackle. It requires an x-stroke with a bend of the wrist and a dropping and lifting of the heal and toe. And, that all has to happen in one very smooth stroke in both directions. But, let's leave that until later.
The other method requires more observation than skill, so get the following materials together and we can get started.
Razor, hone, water, rag, wide permanent marker, black electrical tape, scissors.
Cut a piece of tape, about 3" or 4" long and lay it upside down across the fingers in one hand. Take your blade and lay the spine down on the center of the tape lengthwise. fold the tape over on each side and seal it flat. Cut any remaining tape off the end of the blade.
Take the cap off the marker and mark the edge of the blade on both sides. Blow on the mark, wave it in the air or whatever to dry it.
The tape, of course, is optional. I won't hone a razor without it unless I am specifically requested to do so. Just my OCD.
While that is drying, get your stone ready. You now need to do just one stroke in each direction on your stone. This is a normal stroke and the blade should be held square to the stone. Toe and heel follow a perpindicular line to one edge. The stroke should be very slow in each direction, maybe take 2 to 3 seconds.
Pick the blade up and look at the edge. If you see the marker line remove totally along the whole edge, then you have no issues to worry about. If, however, you see spots that the marker was not removed, we need to remedy that.
If you have unremoved marks showing, first check if they match on opposite sides of the blade. They usually will so let's look at our solution for this scenario.
For every location, that shows no marker removal, take a piece of tape and cut it to roughly that length and apply it to the spine above that area. Once you have done this, remark the blade and dry it. Once it is dry, do the same test on the stone, only this time do 3 strokes in each direction. Remember, very slowly.
Wipe the blade off and see what is happening. The removed marker area should be migrating into the unremoved areas. If you see that happening, continue stroking the blade until the line of removal is completely down the edge.
What we are doing here is removing metal on the edge parts that have already shown removal of the marker and bringing them in line with the non marker removed areas.
Once we have a complete line, mark and dry the edge and do one stroke in each direction. If the marker is removed along the whole edge, remove the tape used for shims, remark the edge and try it again. You should have a line show the whole length of the blade. Now you can continue to create the bevel and it should be even along the complete edge.
If you don't pass one of the marker test, keep going until you do, then move on and not before.
This method will stop the possibility of having a bevel that looks like a rollercoaster. If you have marker show up on only one side and not the other, then cut and put the shim tape on one side only.
Give this a try and let me know how it works for you.
Enjoy!
Ray
I see Bart has posted a swift file showing the rolling-x pattern. This is certainly one way to solve the issue you are having, but there is another way too. The rolling-x is probably the most used and most talked about method, when it comes to uneven blades. As effective as it is though, the method is somewhat problematic for those just starting out.
The reason I say this is because those of us who use this method frequently, take for granted the muscle memory we have developed for its use. Learning the rolling-x will, most likely, be the most frustrating manuvers you will tackle. It requires an x-stroke with a bend of the wrist and a dropping and lifting of the heal and toe. And, that all has to happen in one very smooth stroke in both directions. But, let's leave that until later.
The other method requires more observation than skill, so get the following materials together and we can get started.
Razor, hone, water, rag, wide permanent marker, black electrical tape, scissors.
Cut a piece of tape, about 3" or 4" long and lay it upside down across the fingers in one hand. Take your blade and lay the spine down on the center of the tape lengthwise. fold the tape over on each side and seal it flat. Cut any remaining tape off the end of the blade.
Take the cap off the marker and mark the edge of the blade on both sides. Blow on the mark, wave it in the air or whatever to dry it.
The tape, of course, is optional. I won't hone a razor without it unless I am specifically requested to do so. Just my OCD.
While that is drying, get your stone ready. You now need to do just one stroke in each direction on your stone. This is a normal stroke and the blade should be held square to the stone. Toe and heel follow a perpindicular line to one edge. The stroke should be very slow in each direction, maybe take 2 to 3 seconds.
Pick the blade up and look at the edge. If you see the marker line remove totally along the whole edge, then you have no issues to worry about. If, however, you see spots that the marker was not removed, we need to remedy that.
If you have unremoved marks showing, first check if they match on opposite sides of the blade. They usually will so let's look at our solution for this scenario.
For every location, that shows no marker removal, take a piece of tape and cut it to roughly that length and apply it to the spine above that area. Once you have done this, remark the blade and dry it. Once it is dry, do the same test on the stone, only this time do 3 strokes in each direction. Remember, very slowly.
Wipe the blade off and see what is happening. The removed marker area should be migrating into the unremoved areas. If you see that happening, continue stroking the blade until the line of removal is completely down the edge.
What we are doing here is removing metal on the edge parts that have already shown removal of the marker and bringing them in line with the non marker removed areas.
Once we have a complete line, mark and dry the edge and do one stroke in each direction. If the marker is removed along the whole edge, remove the tape used for shims, remark the edge and try it again. You should have a line show the whole length of the blade. Now you can continue to create the bevel and it should be even along the complete edge.
If you don't pass one of the marker test, keep going until you do, then move on and not before.
This method will stop the possibility of having a bevel that looks like a rollercoaster. If you have marker show up on only one side and not the other, then cut and put the shim tape on one side only.
Give this a try and let me know how it works for you.
Enjoy!
Ray
justin
Well-Known Member
I've actually been using the rolling x-stroke this whole time (well, practicing it). I figured it wouldn't hurt using it on all razors.
Thanks for the good info Ray. I think I'll give it a try. Thanks for reminding me of the marker trick. I've been giving that a go to see if I'm actually doing the rolling stroke properly. It appears that I am; that is, the marker disappears along along the length of the blade. I'm finding it really useful for "fine-tuning" my technique. I don't know why I didn't use it earlier. I've pretty much been relying on how the water contacts the edge.
Anyway, I think I'm really getting a hang of this rolling x-stroke, but this toe still won't sharpen. I don't think it's my technique, because it works well on my other razor. I think I might need to go to the 600, I'll have to check out the edge.
Justin
Thanks for the good info Ray. I think I'll give it a try. Thanks for reminding me of the marker trick. I've been giving that a go to see if I'm actually doing the rolling stroke properly. It appears that I am; that is, the marker disappears along along the length of the blade. I'm finding it really useful for "fine-tuning" my technique. I don't know why I didn't use it earlier. I've pretty much been relying on how the water contacts the edge.
Anyway, I think I'm really getting a hang of this rolling x-stroke, but this toe still won't sharpen. I don't think it's my technique, because it works well on my other razor. I think I might need to go to the 600, I'll have to check out the edge.
Justin
Bart
Well-Known Member
If the history of the razor is unknown, it sometimes just takes quite a while before the bevel is perfected along the entire length of the razor. Yesterday I honed 2 razors that hadn't been shaving well in a long time. Several attempts were previously made by the owner to improve them, but the bevels were just too far off to have any chance of success without correction that first.
On one of them it took me at least 30 minutes of steady work with half strokes on slurry before the razor hit the shave-arm-hair barrier. 5 minutes later that razor was fully honed and stropped. (A Unicot procedure)
The second one had a series of visible chips on the toe part of the edge. After more than 30 minutes of slurry work on a Coticule, I swallowed my pride, and went searching for my DMT-600. I spent less than 5 minutes on that hone, granted that I did most of the work on the Coticule already. 40 half strokes and about the same amount of X-strokes later, the bevel was ready for the tape. (Unicot on this one as well)
I'm just sharing this, to illustrate that, regardless of all the helpful advice you were given by the fine gentlemen at the Cafeteria, maybe you mostly needed patience.
Looking forward to read the rest of your adventure.
Bart.
On one of them it took me at least 30 minutes of steady work with half strokes on slurry before the razor hit the shave-arm-hair barrier. 5 minutes later that razor was fully honed and stropped. (A Unicot procedure)
The second one had a series of visible chips on the toe part of the edge. After more than 30 minutes of slurry work on a Coticule, I swallowed my pride, and went searching for my DMT-600. I spent less than 5 minutes on that hone, granted that I did most of the work on the Coticule already. 40 half strokes and about the same amount of X-strokes later, the bevel was ready for the tape. (Unicot on this one as well)
I'm just sharing this, to illustrate that, regardless of all the helpful advice you were given by the fine gentlemen at the Cafeteria, maybe you mostly needed patience.
Looking forward to read the rest of your adventure.
Bart.
justin
Well-Known Member
Reviving and old thread....
I just rehoned that one razor (Hoffritz) I couldn't get to pop hairs off the stone. I now have it popping hairs a whopping 3cm from the holding point. I was pleasantly surprised. I always find that a little hiatus does your skills some good.
At what distance do you usually find yourself popping hairs off the stone?
The shave was absolutely effortless with a 2 days growth, and the smoothness of my face would put a baby's ass to shame. I think the edge should smooth out a tad over the next couple days though.
I just rehoned that one razor (Hoffritz) I couldn't get to pop hairs off the stone. I now have it popping hairs a whopping 3cm from the holding point. I was pleasantly surprised. I always find that a little hiatus does your skills some good.
At what distance do you usually find yourself popping hairs off the stone?
The shave was absolutely effortless with a 2 days growth, and the smoothness of my face would put a baby's ass to shame. I think the edge should smooth out a tad over the next couple days though.