Thread: Could this hone be a yellow-green Escher?

I bought this hone at a flea market today. It belonged to a barber. It's mounted on a wooden paddle and measures 40 x 175 mm. I lapped it flat except for a bit on the edge which is really dished out. From the milky slurry and the yellow color I thought it was a coticule but when I put it next to a coticule it is not as yellow and has a greenish tinge. I made the photo on my scanner because I don't have a camera. Could this be an Escher?

Looks like a coticule to me, but your photography is not great.

I have never heard of a light colored German hone.

The German hones I have had in my possession have all been very solid, heavy even but soft, claylike, unlikely to chip, more likely to dent.

The coticule is more brittle, harder, likely to chip, more abrasive, less clinging. But still not a tough stone.

Without using it, I can not help anymore.

We really need a test of specific gravity or something for these unusual finds.

Was the green, an oil that had been used that you sanded out of the surface except for the dished edge?

Here's the mystery hone next to a coticule.

Twenty some years ago I bought a few vintage coticules and regrettably I sold them on ebay in December '06. One of them was a natural and the yellow side had a distinct green hue to it. I can't say that it was the same as yours for sure. Unfortunately I was not into honing then and can't tell you what the characteristics were. Let us know how it works for you.

Looks like a coticle to me.

I don't know the reason why, but a lot of the vintage coticules I have encountered have that corner notch. I assume that it was intended to allow orientation of the stone. Regardless, I have never seen an Escher with such a notch. This, along with the color, makes me believe that it is more likely to be a coticule.

Just mail it to me and I will evaluate it further.

Does this stone have any backing stone under it like all coticules not fixed to paddles do? I have a natural coticule combo where the "yellow" coticule is unmistakably light green/light olive color across it's entire surface.

I've never seen a Thuringian bonded to any other type of stone.

Chris L

Originally Posted by Chris L

Does this stone have any backing stone under it like all coticules not fixed to paddles do? I have a natural coticule combo where the "yellow" coticule is unmistakably light green/light olive color across it's entire surface.

I've never seen a Thuringian bonded to any other type of stone.

Chris L

No, there's nothing bonded to the stone other than the paddle.

No, it *couldn't* - but it looks like a nice Belgian

FWIW, I think I have only seen one Thuringian in a combo with another stone, and I only saw it on the 'net - it may have been another stone too

Cheers
Ivo

ah, yeah, that's a coticule. the colors range a lot. i had one like this mounted on a wooden box, which now belongs to a member.
get out your microscope and you'll see the garnets
eschers/thuringians are very different.