Thread: NOS Escher vs Thuringian

For some of us buying one or two razors and whatever the bare essential required to maintain the edge is enough. For others each razor is an adventure. I would rather get a razor that isn't shave ready.

Same with the hones. I could have gotten along fine with the Norton set I started with but the mysterious coticule and the legendary Escher beckoned. Not everyone hears the siren song. For those of us who do it is an enjoyable pursuit.

It isn't that I don't enjoy bringing out an edge on a razor, and I definately love restoring a razor to shave condition. I just cannot see spending an amount like $300 for a stone, that a $10 peice of lapping film can do. I know most everyone will respond that edge off that $300 hone is just fabulous. However, I think like 99% of us eventually take that same edge wether it came off $10 lapping film or a $300 hone, and strop it with CrOx and then leather. To me what's the difference when the end is relatively simialr if your polishing it on the same finishing material. I just also would rather spend that same $300 on a few choice blades or some creams, strops, and brushes. I know everyone likes something different but to me the shave is the best part. I wouldn't be doing this whole shaving thing with DE's or straights if it didn't make me happy to shave with this antique stuff. I could always go back to some cheesy Mach 3 and start sharpening knives and meet you guys halfway lol j/k

cheers
D

I could shave with anything. I could dig out my old Norelco I got in 1980. Until last year, when I gave it to someone on this forum, I could have used my Atra, which was my first razor. I really like shaving with straights because I get a better shave but the thing that I really, really like about straight shaving is that I AM PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE QUALITY OF MY SHAVE! That's why I like honing. It's the equivalent to the difference in level of satisfaction between when you buy a nice piece of furniture and when you make your own nice piece of furniture. I like being fully responsible for the quality of my shave, all my myself, without relying on a trip to the drugstore to buy more Chinese crap, without wasting any resources, without help from anyone or anything, except for my rocks.

Originally Posted by Utopian

I could shave with anything. I could dig out my old Norelco I got in 1980. Until last year, when I gave it to someone on this forum, I could have used my Atra, which was my first razor. I really like shaving with straights because I get a better shave but the thing that I really, really like about straight shaving is that I AM PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE QUALITY OF MY SHAVE! That's why I like honing. It's the equivalent to the difference in level of satisfaction between when you buy a nice piece of furniture and when you make your own nice piece of furniture. I like being fully responsible for the quality of my shave, all my myself, without relying on a trip to the drugstore to buy more Chinese crap, without wasting any resources, without help from anyone or anything, except for my rocks.

Damn Right! That's what it's all about right there.

Originally Posted by Utopian

I could shave with anything. I could dig out my old Norelco I got in 1980. Until last year, when I gave it to someone on this forum, I could have used my Atra, which was my first razor. I really like shaving with straights because I get a better shave but the thing that I really, really like about straight shaving is that I AM PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE QUALITY OF MY SHAVE! That's why I like honing. It's the equivalent to the difference in level of satisfaction between when you buy a nice piece of furniture and when you make your own nice piece of furniture. I like being fully responsible for the quality of my shave, all my myself, without relying on a trip to the drugstore to buy more Chinese crap, without wasting any resources, without help from anyone or anything, except for my rocks.

damn skippy skippy !!!

For me its always a challenge.
Since I cannot test shave my razors, they have to be as good as possible.
There are a couple of guys just waiting for someone to complain about a lousy shave with my work and I intend to keep them waiting til year 3000, LOL
The reason why I prefer natural hones is - well I live with rocks of all sorts since my brother started collecting them in 1970, heard him bragging, saw him sorting and categorizing them, studying them really... it might have been contageous. Not that I wouldn't be grateful for a SunTiger when the steel is hard, but for the higher grits I don't need man made stuff when there are god given gifts like Eschers.
Too bad I can't compare it with a new Thuringian.
Yet have to get me one.

Originally Posted by Sirshavesalot

It isn't that I don't enjoy bringing out an edge on a razor, and I definately love restoring a razor to shave condition. I just cannot see spending an amount like $300 for a stone, that a $10 peice of lapping film can do. I know most everyone will respond that edge off that $300 hone is just fabulous. However, I think like 99% of us eventually take that same edge wether it came off $10 lapping film or a $300 hone, and strop it with CrOx and then leather. To me what's the difference when the end is relatively simialr if your polishing it on the same finishing material. I just also would rather spend that same $300 on a few choice blades or some creams, strops, and brushes. I know everyone likes something different but to me the shave is the best part. I wouldn't be doing this whole shaving thing with DE's or straights if it didn't make me happy to shave with this antique stuff. I could always go back to some cheesy Mach 3 and start sharpening knives and meet you guys halfway lol j/k

cheers
D

It is all about what you choose to collect. If you collect hones, trains, games, action figure or what have you.