Thread: Thuringian Questions: Are Thuringian stones different grits?

Do the color of the thuringian stones determine the grid of the stone? I own three thuringian stones and they are different colors, one is a lighter greenish color and seems to be softer. The other two are dark grey and seem to be harder and higher grid. The darker ones seem to take a little longer to slurry and the light green is very easy to slurry. Any experience and educated information is appreciated, I'm still learning, thanks everbody.

Colors mean nothing, but yes there are different grades of Thuringens, some are not made for razors, and some are called Eschers

Like any natural stone that was made by Mama Nature there are variations some variations make for good razor hones, some don't...

Until you try it yourself or the seller is an avid SR user guarantees it to you, there is no way of telling what you have...

Only the older Vintage Graded razor hones ie: Graded Coticules, Eschers, Thuringens, with the labels and/or stamps intact are a good bet without testing first... (not 100% but a good bet )

The two darker stones are Eschers(with labels) and the lighter green thuringen is a paddle type, bought it from a retired barber here in my home town of Odessa, Texas. They are all razor stones, just wandering if the color determined the grit, but I will take that as a good answer(color means nothing) thanks.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Colors mean nothing

^^^^^^ that is the correct answer, but glen has tried a whole bunch of them, so no surprise he knows it

Originally Posted by ruday555

The two darker stones are Eschers(with labels) and the lighter green thuringen is a paddle type, but I will take that as a good answer(color means nothing) thanks.

See now you changed the equation

When you change the info you might change the answer The Eschers are graded by color also and the attributes that they bring...

Eschers are Blue, Blue/Green, Yellow/Green etc:
Eschers are a graded brand of Thuringens ie: all Eschers are Thuringens not all Thuringens are Eschers... there are also many other Brands of Vintage Thuringens that had their own grading systems.. Again though the differences are only known after the stones are used ...

I hope that helped rather then confused

Thuringia is a state in Germany(Where Turingians stone were mined), Eschers is a sir name and a name brand of barber hones(just like Gillette,Johnson and Johnson etc.), in laymans terms, right on!

IMO, people have always put too much importance on color in natural stones, and people still do. But I also believe that for two stones mined close together, looking alike can be an indicator of performance. Like two coticules from the same mine with the same color/pattern/performance.

Michael

Well synthetics are a known quantity rolling off an assembly line. They should be relatively consistent in grit. Natural stones are formed over thousands, maybe millions of years depending on what the wind blew and where the dust settled. I am only guessing but I would imagine that even stones harvested from the same vein could be somewhat different in garnet or silica content. Unless I'm badly mistaken I think the general consensus is that the current harvest of Thuringans is not up to the quality level of the vintage stones. At least in the threads/posts I've read from members who've had the 'new' stones that was the impression I've gotten. OTOH, I had a Mueller a few years ago that was a darn good hone. Luck of the draw. I know of one vendor who quit selling them because of inconsistent quality issues.

I don't know that color determines the grit but my yellow escher is definitely harder than any of my green-blue eschers. It's a glassier surface and is a finer finishing stone.