Thread: Stone ID Request

Hello, everyone. I'm usually pretty good at ID-ing natural hones, but this one is perplexing me a bit.

I purchased it on eBay thinking that it was an unlabeled Barber's Gem (Escher or Pike), given the size of the main stone (5x2-1/2), the style of box, the color of the box (light green), the usual Escher slurry stone in the lighter Y/G color, etc.



After cleaning it, I'm not sure anymore.




















The main stone is 5" x 2.5" like the usual Barber's Gem, but it has a very light swirl pattern (which is hard to photo). The main stone also has that brown figure line which doesn't affect honing at all, but it's not something I'm used to seeing on old Escher / Thuringians. (I started to lap the underside, but decided to stop mid-progress, as you'll see in the photos.)

The well-worn slurry stone is the usual very light Yellow-Green which always seems to accompany many of the darker Escher stones, but it has tiny brown specks along with a touch of that matching brown that is also found on the main stone. (This slurry stone also has a bit of that hard-to-photo swirl / layered pattern like the main stone.)

Both stones are soft like the lighter color Eschers, and together they put a fairly fast and very fine edge on a razor.

I seem to recall some of the blue-green Eschers having a bit of light swirl pattern sometimes, but the brown specks and figure lines throw me for a loop.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Chris

The slurry stone looks off a little but I'm with you that is looks just like a barbers gem. All of the certainty that is in my head is brought to question by the slurry stone. Perhaps it is just the slurry stone that is not quite right. The rest looks good. There are other more experienced people here that can call it far better than I. They will chime in in time I'm sure.

Hi Chris;
Thanks for sharing. It looks like some kind of Thuringian. But you’ve been at this sport long enough to know that. Wish I could be more help, I have several myself now that cannot be pin pointed. Maybe Peter “hatzicho” or Sebastian “Doorsch” will be along.

This size was favored by barbers. Several examples have the same type of scratch marks only on the sides of the stone. Maybe they were muting razor points? I find it interesting that the old barbers left the slurry to dry on the hone. Guess they used slurry back then too.

Mike

What i can tell so far that for sure both stones are thuringian Stones. The swirls or the inclusions described can appear on the stones.

Here are some examples how the stones can look:

Originally Posted by doorsch

What i can tell so far that fir sure both stones are thuringian Stones. The swirls or the inclusions described can appear on the stones.

Here are some examples how the stones can look:

That's it, doorsch! Thank you for verifying that for me. Personally, I do love those brown spots and lines; they add character, like the manganese figures in vintage coticules. Man, I love those! =)

Thanks again, doorsch.

Regards,
Me

Originally Posted by CJBianco

That's it, doorsch! Thank you for verifying that for me. Personally, I do love those brown spots and lines; they add character, like the manganese figures in vintage coticules. Man, I love those! =)

Thanks again, doorsch.

Regards,
Me

Youre welcome! Actually it will be nearly impossible to identify the producer or trader when the box is the original packaging. Sure we can try to evaluate from the size, but this is really hard.....

Hopefully Peter will chime in and add something additional. When i recall right the round points are a type of needles, not sure here, just searching for the source. Or probably its just a type of inclusion...

On many I've had come and go there are saw marks on the sides. Referring specifically to Eschers. Not all of them, but many.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

On many I've had come and go there are saw marks on the sides. Referring specifically to Eschers. Not all of them, but many.

Yes, this stone has traces of the original saw marks, but it seems to have been lapped a few times over the years.



Regards,
Me

Originally Posted by CJBianco

Yes, this stone has traces of the original saw marks, but it seems to have been lapped a few times over the years.


Regards,
Me

In that lighting the stone looks lighter than in the previous photos, and similar, if not the same, as the slurry stone. I'd bet it might be an escher. OTOH, it is either a good hone, or it ain't. If it delivers the goods it doesn't matter what it is.

Looks like at least an awesome performing light green Thuringian hone!! Nice find!!!