Thread: The Vintage Boxed Hone Club

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Oldies but goodies ........ long gone now ;

How was the Pike coti, Jimmy? I just missed one on the bay the other day.

Originally Posted by Frankenstein

How was the Pike coti, Jimmy? I just missed one on the bay the other day.

Greatest stone ever was ....... and I just happen to have one that would fit your budget .........

Not really Those in that photo were kind of small. They were average run of the mill coticules. Not that they weren't good, but they weren't anything to write home about. Every now and then you run across one that is really outstanding, but those two weren't it.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Not really Those in that photo were kind of small. They were average run of the mill coticules.

For me this is the hardest thing in using vintage coticules and assessing the quality of a stone. I've never been comfortable using thin hones. I've also got one of the small boxed thurries which I know gives the best edge out of all my stones but I've given up using it. Just can't reliably do 20 fine strokes on it. Does anyone have any advice on how to be able to avoid hitting edges on these stones? Normally I hone with stones in non dominant hand but maybe I should put them on the table?

Have another washita and can get it to finish an edge but not the smoothest shave.There is a box and label...

Originally Posted by Frankenstein

Does anyone have any advice on how to be able to avoid hitting edges on these stones? Normally I hone with stones in non dominant hand but maybe I should put them on the table?

I had the same problem with the small boxed hones & ended up selling mine...wish I had kept it for a slurry stone now. It was the width that I had problems with. On the table I did more oops than I can recall...and a razor normally needs more than 20x strokes on escher.

Originally Posted by Frankenstein

For me this is the hardest thing in using vintage coticules and assessing the quality of a stone. I've never been comfortable using thin hones. I've also got one of the small boxed thurries which I know gives the best edge out of all my stones but I've given up using it. Just can't reliably do 20 fine strokes on it. Does anyone have any advice on how to be able to avoid hitting edges on these stones? Normally I hone with stones in non dominant hand but maybe I should put them on the table?

Well with small stones I always hold them in my non dominant hand. Making sure that the corners/edges are rounded with the lapping plate. I do most honing on a table, but for me it is easier to hone with a small stone in my hand.

Thing is, my minimum for honing is a 5" stone. Width is not that big a deal, but more is better than less IME. I think practice with whatever we have will lead close to perfect, but if I have a longer/wider stone, I generally use it rather than the smaller one.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Well with small stones I always hold them in my non dominant hand. Making sure that the corners/edges are rounded with the lapping plate. I do most honing on a table, but for me it is easier to hone with a small stone in my hand.

Thing is, my minimum for honing is a 5" stone. Width is not that big a deal, but more is better than less IME. I think practice with whatever we have will lead close to perfect, but if I have a longer/wider stone, I generally use it rather than the smaller one.

+1...I'm with Jimmy on this. My favorite Escher finisher is my blue-green 'Barber's Gem', which is 5 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide. I find this perfect. Usually hold it in my hand but I also have a wooden stand that I made and glued a piece of hard rubber on top of it. I wet the bottom of any hone and press it on the rubber and forms a pretty air tight bond so the hone doesn't move. Works well so I can use a table top instead of holding the hone in my hand. I find that about 40-50 laps on this particular hone works great!

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

It is very hard to say from photos. See this from ChopperDave in post #25 in this thread. Note how it is the same hone, but how different the colors look depending on the background. My inclination, looking at your photos, is that it is a blue-green, but it is hard to say without seeing it in person.

No matter what color, or how old, if it is a good hone for razors that is all that matters. No matter when it was quarried it is thousands of years old. So the important thing is how the edge is after the honing.

Attachment 217654Attachment 217655

Funny thing is I think this may be the one I got outbid on and then I got the droescher right after. Mine has wavy bans of darker and light through it. Sometimes it looks just like both of these pics banded together. In some light though it looks more yellow green. No matter what it gives a great edge for a nice shave.

Here's three NOS arks, two washitas and a Norton India/Black hard combo

Here's a few more