Thread: Got my first Escher!!

i would say they are very similar. i had a razor honed by sham of both and i realy liked both edges. two razor s that was one on escher and one on coticule. the shaves were both nice . i just got my escher from jimmy. Its a nice blue/green escher. i have very limited experiance with these stones.to me it seems that it cuts rather well with water for a fine hone. I did 30 laps on water and i could feel the differance. i did a further 70 laps on water and seemed to harsh like i'd over honed a little. so i would say 10 laps at a time would be a good aproach. i tryed shaving of a fine slurry and the blade seemed duller, i did 30 laps up to 100 laps and the slurryed edge just was'nt as keen. I need to try some more variation as i only had this hone 10 days or so.

gary

Originally Posted by flyman

Would you say the shave off an Escher is as smooth or smoother than a coticule? Is it also sharper?

Personally, this one test wasn't enough. I have a Le Grelot that I honed using the Dilucot. It was unbelievably smooth using just the coti. I am going to play with that one on the Escher to see if I can improve on it.

Originally Posted by Disburden

Id' hate to say I don't believe you, but I am the kind of guy that needs visual evidence!


Welcome to the addiction...

Myself, I use the slurry stone on my Eschers like it says on the instruction label. Make sure you use very slow strokes where the slurry covers the blade evenly. Sham taught me this and it helps a lot.

Yep, you got one of the Escher's I was bidding on last year. I believe it is your blue.

Originally Posted by flyman

Would you say the shave off an Escher is as smooth or smoother than a coticule? Is it also sharper?

I would call that a question with way to many variables to answer intelligently... You might as well ask what is your favorite finisher ????

All your going to get is a ton of people touting their favorite stones...I would also go so far as to say at least 80% of those answers will come from people that haven't even honed on more than 2 different finishers...If you asked me that question 4 years ago, I would have said a Norton 8k, 3 1/2 years ago, a Shapton 16k, 3 years ago a Coticule, etc: etc: etc: Until now, I just say it depends on the razor, and the experience of the guy doing the honing...

Originally Posted by flyman

Would you say the shave off an Escher is as smooth or smoother than a coticule? Is it also sharper?

All of this smoother/sharper stuff is so subjective. The first time I read that there were guys that didn't like the shave off a Gillette Swede DE blade I was mystified. That said, just for my particular face, I get a great shave off of my coticules but I have to give the edge to the Escher. No pun intended.

Hi all,
Without trying to cause an all out, knock down, drag out, I want to say that the Escher has to be a smoother, therefore sharper, edge than the coticule. The grit of an Escher is so much finer than a coticule that it makes a mirror finish,to the eye. The finer the grit pattern at the edge of a perfect bevel, the sharper it is. Some people shave off 8000 grit and are happy. A friend of mine has a sensitive face and prefers that I finish the razor with 1/8, 1/10, and 0.050 micron diamond oil. I have seen this edge under a microscope, though I forget the power, and there are no scratches or any variation in the straight line of the edge. This edge would be considered too sharp, not overhoned, to someone who normally shaved with an edge off a coticule.
I have shaved off Aloxite before I had an Escher with no trouble. I used a belt before I had a strop, again, no trouble. So, in the end it comes down to what works for you.
Enjoy the Escher, it's a great stone.
Ed
quicknicker

I tend to go with the Escher. In fact many times I go from the Coti to the Escher for the final edge before stropping. It's never let me down:-)

Originally Posted by flyman

Would you say the shave off an Escher is as smooth or smoother than a coticule? Is it also sharper?

I use a vintage Thurry after a coti, and, yes, I think the edge is sharper and as smooth.

I tried 50 strokes on a Wonderedge that needed a touch-up. The result was very good. I was impressed with the shave.

well i have been shaving of coticule to escher with just water then i have tryed slurrys plus slurry then water. escher with water seemed to work but on one acasion it felt to sharp and left me with some tingle after . slurry seemed to make ny razor smoother but not has sharp. so i went and rehoned back to coticule to start again. after listening to shams advice , i took my coticule edge back to escher. i new somthing was'nt right. so i developed a very light misty slurry, just enough so the razor under cut the slurry . just may be 4 to 5 rubs with slurry stone. i diluted slurry so it was watery consistancy. i then did 80 slow with the weight of blade laps.

the shave this morning was perfectly smooth gentle on my skin. i don't normaly shave atg. so i did with this edge and this is where i noticed the differance. the razor shaved atg so nice and comfortable especialy under my chin area, also with some ease. so thats my best result so far . compared to my coticule edges i still would like to say which one is better. on this acasion with same razor comparing yesterdays shave of my coticule and todays shave of escher i would say escher was the better shave. also i have found after coticule the escher seems to work quiker than my coticule with water. for example i could do 200 laps on water with coticule and the shave would be no better no worse. i have found that 50 laps on water on escher there is a noticable differance. so i think escher used after coticule if your coticule is'nt there and not getting quite where you want it, i'm sure escher will get it there much easier and quiker.
still i only had this stone 2 weeks but i feel i'm getting some where now.
gary