Thread: thuringian question

Originally Posted by trifle

Thanks for the replies. Is it naive for me to think that I might have a better chance of stumbling on a vintage Thuringian hone in visiting Sonneberg than I would in the states or were these stones well dispersed all over the world many years ago?

Flea markets and antique shops here are probably more likely to yield you a stone. Not that you couldn't find one in europe, but how much time do you have to look while you're there?

I have never found one in the wild, but I've never looked, either. Several woodworker acquaintances of mine who frequent flea markets (to get really anything they can think of at dirt cheap) have a bunch of coticules and some thuringians. Someone posted on one of the woodworking boards a "what's this?" post a couple of years ago, turning up a huge escher that was about 10 inches long in a tool box that probably cost a few dollars.

My experience at flea markets is that you can't go looking for anything, you go assuming that if you find something too cheap to resist then you'll take it. If you go looking for something, you look around and don't find it and it seems like wasted time.

if you really want a thuringian, I would buy an escher, and if you can't stomach whatever they cost, buy one that's a bit thin or something and swallow the $200 that it will cost to get a thin one stuck to a paddle or something.

I have bought Thüringen’s in the wild for a couple of dollars, and even some labeled Escher’s.

There are a lot of Escher’s out there without labels, these stones back in the day were not that expensive and for many were just, another sharpening stones. I have found them in tool boxes and barber cases.

You can buy a nice unlabeled Thüringen’s for under a hundred dollars in classifieds and on eBay occasionally. Most perform as nice as labeled Escher’s. Labeled Escher’s are usually larger size and a bit easier for honing razors.

Really if you want a labeled Escher, bite the bullet and buy one now, prices are only going up. They do produce nice 8-10k edges, but there are even better edges available.

It was not that long ago that an 8k synthetic edge was considered minimal, now good 12k synthetic stones are readily affordable. 20 and 30K stone are surfacing and while pricy, produce keen, reproducible edges. And then there is film, and nano grit paste, easy, inexpensive and very tailor able.

Lots of options.

I have a friend in the Northwest part of this country who is always finding Eschers, with labels, for like $8.00-$20.00. He has probably gotten a half dozen like that, not to mention coticules and other rarities. He doesn't sell 'em either.

I knew one guy who picked up a 7 1/2X1 3/4 with back, end, and another end label that said 'guaranteed soft', for $8.00 in a junk store in Wisconsin. They really are out there in flea markets, yard sales, craigslist. I've yet to find one like that but I don't really go looking.

Last real Coti I snagged was 75 cents,Garage sale