Bleckmann razor hone.

[Legion]

This is an interesting one. A German razor hone made by Bleckmann. It appears to be a light green Thuri, missing it's rubbing stone unfortunately, but space in the box for one. The interesting thing is the holes drilled in the surface, similar to what you see in some barber hones of the time.

I've seen several Bleckmann razors, I might even still have one somewhere, but I can't find any other examples of the hones online, so I am not sure if the holes were drilled by a former owner, or were done at the factory. If it was DIY they have done a very precise job. It looks factory done.

At any rate, I think it was a pretty good score, and I look forward to giving it a try. Has anybody else seen one of these before, or have any info?

 

[rhgg2]

From what I can tell Bleckmann, like Bengall, exported quite a bit to Australia. They seem to pop up a fair bit here but be fairly unknown elsewhere.

 

[Legion]

From what I can tell Bleckmann, like Bengall, exported quite a bit to Australia. They seem to pop up a fair bit here but be fairly unknown elsewhere.

Ah, fair enough. That makes it a cooler find, in that finding the lighter, yellow green Thuris here is pretty rare. I don't think they were imported to Oz much at all, compared to British stones. I've found lots of those smaller dark blue/ mottled black ones here, but this is the first light one I've found (That wasn't an ebay labeled Escher for stupid money).

Anyway, nice to get a stone that was easy to lap for a change.

 

[kcb5150]

I forgot to bid on that. Suffice to say I probably would have turned the whole thing into tomos if I won it so better someone is using it as a hone.

 

[wabishaver]

Congratulations, I saw that one too but didn't want to gamble. as I'm out of cash from buying two labled stones for crazy money. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Legion]

Congratulations, I saw that one too but didn't want to gamble. as I'm out of cash from buying two labled stones for crazy money. Thanks for sharing.

 

[SliceOfLife]

I had a 7x1.5" Green Thuri with the same treatment MANY years ago. I assumed it was a homemade job though. No label. Figured someone got convinced by all the "Miracle no wire" barber synths that had those holes in em and destroyed a Thuri.

I used the backside. I tested the holy side too, didn't find a real difference in result, but didn't like the feedback (razor stuck to the face of the hone a lot more).

 

[Legion]

I had a 7x1.5" Green Thuri with the same treatment MANY years ago. I assumed it was a homemade job though. No label. Figured someone got convinced by all the "Miracle no wire" barber synths that had those holes in em and destroyed a Thuri.

I used the backside. I tested the holy side too, didn't find a real difference in result, but didn't like the feedback (razor stuck to the face of the hone a lot more).

The holes on this one are very neatly done if they are a DIY job. I'm leaning towards factory done, but still have not found a pic of another example.

I lapped the back of the hone and compared it to the side with the holes, and I can't really notice much difference.

 

[hatzicho]

Hones with holes were quite popular in the beginning 20th century.
There was a company in Portland called the The Perforated Hone company. Here is an article in the Portland newspaper from 1912.

The hones are said to prevent "wire-edge" and overhoning.
"Sharpen your razor on this hone just as easily as you would a pocket-knife. Rub it round and round or back and forth over the "holes", keeping it quite flat on the hone. Then strop it lightly and enjoy the finest shaves you ever had. No barber's skill needed. Those patent "holes" make honing easy. They remove "wire-edge" and prevent OVER-honing. Sole Manufacturers.
PERFORATED HONE CO. Walkerville, Canada and Detroit, U.S.A."

Also Pike company made a hone with holes. Of coarse these hones were man-made. But since they had been popular, some of the natural hone traders also began to put holes in their stones. At least for the american market, I haven't seen anything like this in Germany.
But there is a russian guy on the net, who posted a picture of a labelled Escher, also with holes on the honing side.

Stay sharp! hatzicho

 

[bmiller3230]

My principle in elementary School had a paddle with holes in it. Didn't work out well for me...

 

[Gamma]

The holes in the Perforated, Norton, and other hones with the same pattern was to relieve the edge of wire bits or burr bits.
At least that was what I got from an old instruction sheet I read.

But the Thuringian hones were not known to cause those issues. I recall they were known 'not to' do that.
So it's interesting to see this mashup.

 

[Legion]

The holes in the Perforated, Norton, and other hones with the same pattern was to relieve the edge of wire bits or burr bits.
At least that was what I got from an old instruction sheet I read.

But the Thuringian hones were not known to cause those issues. I recall they were known 'not to' do that.
So it's interesting to see this mashup.

I guess, if it is factory done, it was probably mostly a marketing point of difference. If there are already a bunch of companies selling the exact same type of German slate you have to think of something, I suppose.

 

[SliceOfLife]

I had the same thoughts as Gamma posted when I got my perforated Thuri.

I do seem to recall someone posting an old advertisement for a paper template for doing exactly this to a hone at home with a drill that was sold (possibly by the same guys pushing the perforated hones). Basically you'd buy it, tape it to the stone and then drill out the holes.

I also had a perforated coticule sold as the "Perfection" hone... but if memory serves its box did mention the holes, so that one was definitely a manufacturer job.


I swear I posted pictures of the Holy Thuri when I had it. Was a minty LG, maybe arguably a YG. 7x1.5" and if I remember right, the holes didn't go end to end but maybe just the center 50% or so... but they were pretty perfectly spaced.