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I have been working the coticule for the past 6 months. I was happy with the edges, but I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I got a 6X2 Yellow-Gray escher w/ slurry stone. It lapped up well. I tried it out this morning on a W&B bow. I did half of my face, the edge was good but not quite up to snuff. I did 10 strokes on the escher with just water and then resumed. I did notice a difference. The overall result was a BBS with one usual trouble spot. All in all, a promising first attempt.
Congrats ! The first of many I hope. :tuQuote:
Originally Posted by bonusmarple
Id' hate to say I don't believe you, but I am the kind of guy that needs visual evidence!:mace:
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.
Congrats !!!
If you liked your Coticule, you are going to love your Escher they are a few tricks to them, but all in all, they are straight forward smoothness....
Eschers and any good Thuringian is a great complement to the Coti's!
Congratulations! You've got a great rock!
Congratulations
10 strokes is a little low go head make 50 and see what happens.
gl
And it only gets better! Sham is right use more strokes:-)
I own a darkblue Escher and being that it is slower than the Y/G ones I usually do 100strokes with slurry....You can't overhone on an Escher, just make sure your strokes are perfect.
Would you say the shave off an Escher is as smooth or smoother than a coticule? Is it also sharper?
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
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by flyman
Yep, you got one of the Escher's I was bidding on last year. I believe it is your blue.Quote:
Originally Posted by Disburden
Quote:
Originally Posted by flyman
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...
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by flyman
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:-)
I use a vintage Thurry after a coti, and, yes, I think the edge is sharper and as smooth.Quote:
Originally Posted by flyman
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
Gratz! :)
Birnando and I did a temporary swap at the London meet last weekend; I borrowed his Y/G Escher and he borrowed my J-Nat.
I've been having a play with the Escher over the last day or two and I'm really liking the edges I must say!
Glad you like yours! Welcome to the HAD! :D
Gary,
What you say here is the same thing I've been doing. If the slurry is too thick and slimey its fun but it pushes the edge duller imo. I tend to spray with water after I rub the slurry stone on it.
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Originally Posted by gary haywood
Escher/Thurries and Jnats are very very tempting for me right now. I'm one of the guys that has only finished on 2 stones - mostly c12k.
I'm currently trying various manipulations of the slurry, and find wonderful results. I've gotten nasty sharp w/ the brick, and with slurry, butter smooth, but not quite as sharp. I'm getting the impression that edges from natural stones are largely about learning what slurry manipulation your face likes best. I like smooth, but want some sharp - so the next blades will be slurry, water, a layer of tape, and a few laps on the c12k after it has dried completely for the controversial micro bevel. 'Seems that by varying the amount/thickness of slurry, and then the subsequent finishing will give you almost any edge you prefer.
I hope to try some other stones as budget allows.
You know, there's nothing wrong with a Chinese 12k, they'll put a nice smooth edge on your blade, just slow, slurry helps.
I have several Escher's with instructions, some in boxes still. Some of them, and IIRC, it's the Dark Blues, say use with just water and a "Slime" will develop. The lighter ones, the YG say use with slurry. I managed to get a few mueller slurry stones and, I have to say, it's a marked improvement. YMMV. I do prefer a slurry stone over rubbing it with a diamond plate when I can...
just using my blue /green escher with water i can feel a very slight slime.it seems very subjective wheather to use slurry or not. light slurry seems the way and may be a thew laps to finish on water won't harm. i found the edge of slurry felt smoother than water only. very light slurry that was
gary
I think there is a fine line line where the slime is a cushion more than a cutter for a smooth yet very sharp edge.
I fully expect the slime requirements would be altogether different for even another of the same type of stone - due to variation. I'm just grateful the humble rock can give a good edge if I take the time to learn & practice.Quote:
Originally Posted by life2short1971
I have a dark blue now and I must say I like the Y/G a bit better but still I haven't met an Escher I don't like.
I do pretty much the same thing others do and that's use a coti then go to the Escher for most razors. Some larger blades that are close to a wedge I will use a JNat and then an Escher.
To have a thinner slurry, instead of really thick...
Isnt that sort of the same thing as slathering too much CrOx on a strop?
If "less is more" for that form of honing, it makes sense that it would apply to the Escher as well, no?