Thread: Using an Escher

Hi Group! How are you?

Guess what? I got my first Escher and have no idea how to use it. It's 5x2.5 and in great condition.



I tried searching for this info, but haven't found much, and what I did find is a bit inconsistent. So I thought for my benefit, and perhaps others, you guys with experience could share a bit for the benefit of a noob.

So as I understand it: they're not all quite the same; they basically just put a nice finish on an already good shaving edge; With slurry they might increase sharpness a little; you really only need to do 20ish laps.

So the main question I have is number of strokes. Let's say I come off an 8k synthetic waterstone. Normally I'd go onto my coticule, (which is smaller than my Escher), and do anywhere up to 2 or 3 hundred strokes. (My coti takes a while to get going, but once it does...).
But I notice most people only do a few laps on an Escher. Why is that? What happens if you do 100 laps on one? What happens if you do 50 with slurry, and 200 with water? Will is start dulling the blade? Is it just a waste of time?
What happens if you apply a little pressure?

Obviously the easiest answer for me is to just experiment. And I will. But I'm a humble shaver and only use a couple of razors, so I don't want to start fooling around on them. I guess I should bite the bullet and buy a few for testing purposes.
However, it was an expensive stone, and I'm a little impatient; I'd like to get the best out of it as soon as possible. So any tips or info you could share would be really appreciated.

Cheers