Thread: NOS Escher vs Thuringian

Just checked the website. The "eschers" are what MST is showing simply as Thuringens and in the same sizes my NOS stones were.

The "thuringens" are what MST is showing as waterstones. When I was offering these they were Hunsrueck stoones.

Again, not sure what these are without actually seeing them but the photos and sizes are from the MST Mueller website.

Tony

Hey Tony, thanks for the history! It is guys like you that help to keep the facts straight and our members well informed.

I am really dismayed that once again a vendor is spewing misleading information. Since Escher is only a brand name it is a mistake to think they are automatically better than a Thuringen. Based on my personal experience you guys would do well to frequent flea markets and antique sales. That is where I have found most of my Escher/Thuringen/German waterstones for $2-$10.

Hope this helps,

Originally Posted by Tony Miller

Just checked the website. The "eschers" are what MST is showing simply as Thuringens and in the same sizes my NOS stones were.

The "thuringens" are what MST is showing as waterstones. When I was offering these they were Hunsrueck stoones.

Again, not sure what these are without actually seeing them but the photos and sizes are from the MST Mueller website.

Tony

I have had both of the hones.

The larger hones is a dark grey stone. It comes in a wooden box with a rubbing stone. It is quite dirty to use but quite a good hone never the less. Mine did not have quality issues but overall I did not find is as flexible as a Belgian coticule.

The smaller stone, the 5" by 2" comes in a cardboard box , also with a rubbing stone. They are coming from a Mr Mueller in Germany who has his own internet sight for dealing with the trade. He doesn't really deal direct with the public.

My smaller stone is the most consistent finishing hone that I have and I rate it very highly indeed. It is a greenish grey in colour and the rubbing stone is a yellowish green. I understand that the colour can vary and that some stones are a blue grey. I don't think the colour issue matters so much. The main point is that the the more expensive (smaller stone) is a finer grit and puts a much smoother finished edge on a blade.

I use mine as a regular finishing hone and find it gives a smoother edge than a Belgian coticule. I do not find the need to use any other finishing pastes after using the hone.

As to price, I think if memory serves me well, I paid about 60 euro about a year ago. For $300 you can purchase an old labelled Escher stone. I don't know if the vintage Eschers are better than this newly cut stone, but I suspect the stone is of a similar quality. What I do know is I am very pleased with the one I own and use it as my finishing hone of preference.

Hope that helps.

Tim Zowada took some great micrographs of different stone surfaces, and the uniformity of the Escher surfaces is obvious. If you also search his site, there are pictures of blades sharpened on various stones:

Zowada Custom Knives - Stone Surfaces

Originally Posted by English

As to price, I think if memory serves me well, I paid about 60 euro about a year ago. For $300 you can purchase an old labelled Escher stone. I don't know if the vintage Eschers are better than this newly cut stone, but I suspect the stone is of a similar quality. What I do know is I am very pleased with the one I own and use it as my finishing hone of preference.

Hope that helps.

Buying from MST direct makes sense by the looks of it.

Originally Posted by Kees

Buying from MST direct makes sense by the looks of it.

For the prices MST has them listed for, I would not mind trying one of the small 5" x 1" "NOS Eschers." How does one go about buying directly from them?

Originally Posted by RayG

For the prices MST has them listed for, I would not mind trying one of the small 5" x 1" "NOS Eschers." How does one go about buying directly from them?

Click Impressum on the left and it tells you how to contact them. Mails take a long time to be answered in my experience.

I don't think Herr Mueller will sell directly and will likely refer you to Timber Tools if he is still following the distributor setup.

I have one of the stones Kees sells and am quite pleased with it, why not but from a known source AND one of us.


Tony

Duh, I tend not to look at signature lines. Thanks Tony. Kees, I sent you a PM.

Originally Posted by Tony Miller

I have one of the stones Kees sells and am quite pleased with it, why not but from a known source AND one of us.


Tony

Just for the record, as a onetime newbie I have learned that the gents here are totally trustworthy and if I had to do it over again, I would get my stones from the guys here (as he bangs his head on the keyboard wondering what better stones are out there for better prices...)