Escher Hones
- Thread starter Stefan73
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The going rate right now on an Escher is about ~$700. I've never honed a razor on it but I've had razors of mine honed on them and personally there are other stones that are just as good that don't need to cost nearly as much. One thing though is to get a razor honed from someone that uses it and see if you like it and worth the expense to you.
Well, I have one and it's my ultimate finisher besting the coticule. I'm sure there are japanese naturals that are better and there are some synthetics that are probably equal or better like the Shapton 33K but as far as naturals go it's right up there with the best of them. They are expensive because they are scarce.
Eschers are nice stones. The 5x1's aren't as bad as the bigger stones. They usually end under $200. Truth be told, they aren't that rare. But they are excellent, so that keeps the price pretty high.
I learned a long time ago from sharpening knives that there are no magical stones. Whenever you think you need better stones, it's usually a matter of needing better technique.
There are still some bargains to be had. I picked up a perfect "Celebrated" Thuringian hone for under $60 last week on ebay. The Celebrated brand is known to be a good, vintage Thurry, and some feel they are indistinguishable from Eschers.
I think there is currently a "bubble" on Eschers. The larger ones seem to have doubled in price over the recent past. For the same price I'm seeing now (about $700), I got two great J-nats, a kiita and an asagi, from old school just a few months back. I think if you're patient you may see the prices coming down. Of course, I realize I've probably irritated a number of folks with this. Just my thinking.
I think there is currently a "bubble" on Eschers. The larger ones seem to have doubled in price over the recent past. For the same price I'm seeing now (about $700), I got two great J-nats, a kiita and an asagi, from old school just a few months back. I think if you're patient you may see the prices coming down. Of course, I realize I've probably irritated a number of folks with this. Just my thinking.
The going price for an Escher is nuts. It was nuts three years ago.
Spend 1/2 to 2/3 the money on a good Japanese natural from a reputable dealer. Another $30 or so on the right nagura and you'll have a hone which take a razors from dull as spoon to the smoothest, sharpest edge.
Spend 1/2 to 2/3 the money on a good Japanese natural from a reputable dealer. Another $30 or so on the right nagura and you'll have a hone which take a razors from dull as spoon to the smoothest, sharpest edge.
Escher prices are a bit crazy. Thuringian (same damn rock) prices on the other hand are actually damned good. The above poster who got a 5x1 for $60 is not all that rare. I've seen them go (with good listings with all the right keywords) under $100 regularly. The 5x2 (and similar) Eschers are a joke. I've seen upwards of $600 for one. The 1x5 (~$150) and the 1.5x7's ($250-350) aren't as bad, unless it's got a yellow green sticker on it (the one 1.5x7 I recall selling in the $400+ range did).
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Very true!!
Some of those prices aren't bad. Not at all. But some of the prices I've seen lately haven't been limited to Ebay. Guys who know a thing or two about this hobby of ours listing Eschers for $200 - $700+? Seriously?
I hear you. When I see those, I just shrug. I recall one specific stone from BST here recently that was listed for about what the record high on that particular stone on eBay was. Pretty sad considering they were saving themselves the possibility that theirs went lower, close to 10% of the price in eBay fees, getting much better security that the buyer wouldn't try to scam them, etc, etc. But not everyone shares our sense of fairness, I suppose.
There are ways to get really nice thuringians well under the cost of quality finishing Jnats, but going to eBay (or in the cases we're thinking of BST) and searching Escher is not one of them. Personally, if you really want a thuringian and don't want to wait for a steal on eBay to come along, learn to use a 4x1" hone and go to the hassel of importing one (or several) from Mueller. I honestly think their "Thuringian" (NOT the large stones that are often resold as thuringians) stones are every bit as good as a Vintage Escher... and I suspect that most of the people who argue that Vintage Eschers are superior to other forms of Thuringian stone likely have a smaller sample size than I do.
If given the choice between spending $450+ on a 5x2 escher or some Japanese rocks, I'd take the Japanese any day of the week. Now make that $60 on a 1x4 thuringian (or 1x5 "Celebrated" vintage) or $60 worth of Japanese rocks and it flips.
There are ways to get really nice thuringians well under the cost of quality finishing Jnats, but going to eBay (or in the cases we're thinking of BST) and searching Escher is not one of them. Personally, if you really want a thuringian and don't want to wait for a steal on eBay to come along, learn to use a 4x1" hone and go to the hassel of importing one (or several) from Mueller. I honestly think their "Thuringian" (NOT the large stones that are often resold as thuringians) stones are every bit as good as a Vintage Escher... and I suspect that most of the people who argue that Vintage Eschers are superior to other forms of Thuringian stone likely have a smaller sample size than I do.
If given the choice between spending $450+ on a 5x2 escher or some Japanese rocks, I'd take the Japanese any day of the week. Now make that $60 on a 1x4 thuringian (or 1x5 "Celebrated" vintage) or $60 worth of Japanese rocks and it flips.
I wholly agree, especially about the Thuringians. It is amazing what a sticker will cost you. I got my 5x2 Escher from a seller who didn't post a picture of the sticker. I bought a lot of hones for the vintage coticule it included and was very pleasantly surprised when one of the other hones had an intact Escher sticker.
It's frustrating for the noob, who wants to break through the learning curve. Our natural inclination is to look for the silver bullet that will short circuit years of practice/experimentation/learning. I'm deep in that learning curve and wish I could shave several times/day and hone blades continually without ever screwing them up. It's always hard to hear you need skills, rather than some new toy - but it's totally correct.
Look at it this way- if it were just a matter of acquiring the right stone, everyone would be a honemeister.
I have over a dozen stones and have been honing regularly for over five years, and although I can get a really nice edge that makes me happy, I would never be so presumptious to think that I should be preparing blades for anyone else. On the other hand, we have nineteen year old kids who are going into business honing.
Take your time, learn your tools, and if need be, upgrade your tools. But tools alone won't provide instant results.
Five years and only a dozen stones? What I would give for your self control.
Thank You!
3 mo. is hardly experienced, so I'm trying to enjoy the journey. I have blades I like, and unless there's something unusual (warp or wave), I like my own edges. I learned what Slice posted about w/ the HHT (not all hairs are created equal!).
'Would be hard for a noob to thank people enough. I sure appreciate your help and encouragement.
3 mo. is hardly experienced, so I'm trying to enjoy the journey. I have blades I like, and unless there's something unusual (warp or wave), I like my own edges. I learned what Slice posted about w/ the HHT (not all hairs are created equal!).
'Would be hard for a noob to thank people enough. I sure appreciate your help and encouragement.
I always finish with my escher, I am in love with it and it cost me five hundred dollas lol.
Do you need one? Of course you don't, you can get great edges without one, but they always improve the edge you have...
Do you need one? Of course you don't, you can get great edges without one, but they always improve the edge you have...
What is it a 10x2 or something?
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