I’m glad to report that I finally succeeded with the Unicot method
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I’m not a newbie to honing but it took some time to succeed…so with this post I’d like to help other coti-beginners in their struggle to reach the nice Unicot edge.
I know that there are a lot of very useful posts in the forum but I would like to write and report what I’ve learned so others may avoid my mistakes
1)Read the instructions written by Bart…and follow them! So easy and so difficult at the same time :w00t: ! My biggest mistake: I’m not new to honing, (actually I’m a managing director for a big company that has grinding, gear cutting, gear shaving,and sharpening as core business)…then I have honed a lot of razors on Naniwa hones, so, I was thinking that I could do it my own way (only a little
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: ). WRONG :scared: :scared: ! Follow the instructions very very strictly…Coticules and synthetics hones are not the same thing.
2)Start with a full hollow or an extra full hollow (I started with 1/4 and ½ hollows).
3)Learn the difference milky slurry/slurry. That’s very important. When I succeeded I saw the “milky wave” in front of the razor. Milky slurry is very different from a milky pulp…
4)If the instructions say “light pressure”, then it’s light pressure! Very very light.
5)“It’s not the arrow it’s the Indian”! 99.9% it’s nothing wrong with your coticule…do not buy another one until you can use and manage the one you own. I was thinking that something had to be wrong with my own, so I was tempted to buy another one. Wait and learn to use the coti you own first. Wait until you will get the “key to the magic code”.B)
6)If the all Unicot is difficult to perform...I found easier to set the bevel with the Naniwa
1 000 and then “jump” into the Unicot. After that it was much easier to set bevels according to the Unicot.
I glued four rubber pads under my coti to prevent it from “moving” around during the honing strokes. I find it a little difficult to hone with my coti in my left hand (may be because it’s 20 cm long and heavy). So having it stable on the table helped a lot.
I modified the Unicot a little to my coti: I did 100 laps on clean water. The edge was even sharper without loosing smoothness.
To summarize my own experiences: Instructions+pressure+slurry consistence are the keys to success for us “ coti-beginners”. And a lot of perseverance!
In other words I’m so glad I did not give up with coti
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So, now I’ve ordered my nr.2 : a very nice nr. 10 Bout…:love:


I’m not a newbie to honing but it took some time to succeed…so with this post I’d like to help other coti-beginners in their struggle to reach the nice Unicot edge.
I know that there are a lot of very useful posts in the forum but I would like to write and report what I’ve learned so others may avoid my mistakes
1)Read the instructions written by Bart…and follow them! So easy and so difficult at the same time :w00t: ! My biggest mistake: I’m not new to honing, (actually I’m a managing director for a big company that has grinding, gear cutting, gear shaving,and sharpening as core business)…then I have honed a lot of razors on Naniwa hones, so, I was thinking that I could do it my own way (only a little


2)Start with a full hollow or an extra full hollow (I started with 1/4 and ½ hollows).
3)Learn the difference milky slurry/slurry. That’s very important. When I succeeded I saw the “milky wave” in front of the razor. Milky slurry is very different from a milky pulp…
4)If the instructions say “light pressure”, then it’s light pressure! Very very light.
5)“It’s not the arrow it’s the Indian”! 99.9% it’s nothing wrong with your coticule…do not buy another one until you can use and manage the one you own. I was thinking that something had to be wrong with my own, so I was tempted to buy another one. Wait and learn to use the coti you own first. Wait until you will get the “key to the magic code”.B)
6)If the all Unicot is difficult to perform...I found easier to set the bevel with the Naniwa
1 000 and then “jump” into the Unicot. After that it was much easier to set bevels according to the Unicot.
I glued four rubber pads under my coti to prevent it from “moving” around during the honing strokes. I find it a little difficult to hone with my coti in my left hand (may be because it’s 20 cm long and heavy). So having it stable on the table helped a lot.
I modified the Unicot a little to my coti: I did 100 laps on clean water. The edge was even sharper without loosing smoothness.
To summarize my own experiences: Instructions+pressure+slurry consistence are the keys to success for us “ coti-beginners”. And a lot of perseverance!
In other words I’m so glad I did not give up with coti



So, now I’ve ordered my nr.2 : a very nice nr. 10 Bout…:love: